Pros and Cons of Using Education Technology

There has been a great change in the teaching process since technological devices were introduced into the classroom. If you visit a modern school, you’ll usually find that it’s equipped with a projector, TV, computers, tablets and an internet connection, and e-learning courses are commonly an integral part of the curriculum. The integration of technology in education has become more relevant as millennials and the gen X, who are now teachers and parents, become reliant on devices. Despite the numerous innovations and new ideas the education technology (EdTech) revolution brought to the classroom, teachers can’t turn a blind eye on the drawbacks of using technology in the classroom.

Here, we’ve compiled a list of five pros and cons of education technology:

1. Academic professionals can experiment more in their pedagogy

Academic professionals can effectively enhance and execute a class plan using technology. Being well-versed in technological devices can also build your credibility with students since most of them learned to use tablets before they learned how to read and write.

2. Learning becomes more fun

From e-textbooks to organizational platforms, apps and more, there are several available tools that can make learning more enjoyable. These tools will help both students and educators alike to stay organized, share ideas, collaborate and more.

3. Tedious teaching tasks can be automated

There are already existing tools that can automate grading and track the performance of students. These tools can help streamline grading for assignments, writing, participation, and discussions.

4. Instant access to information

Easy access to information can highly supplement the student’s’ learning experience. Learning becomes more collaborative, and researching becomes easier by the use of Internet.

5. Students become more prepared for the future

Writing emails, maintaining good online etiquette, creating presentations, and learning to recognize reliable sources on the Internet; these are all essential skills that students can learn and use even after they graduate. Understanding technology is very important in the workplace and other areas.

1. Technology can be a source of distraction

The main argument for technology in education is that it can be a source of distraction. Laptops, tablets, and smartphones with an internet connection can distract students from the class. It will be difficult for the teacher to closely monitor them and determine whether they are only accessing educational apps or browsing their social media accounts.

2. Possibility of social disconnect is high

With too much exposure to technology, the student’s ability to verbally communicate can be affected. If you give students assignments that use technological tools and online collaboration, their method in learning and interacting with others will become limited.

3. Technology makes cheating easier

Since technology was used in the classroom, cheating has become the main concern of most instructors. With information readily available on the internet, students no longer have to make lots of effort in making their assignments and other school works. As a result of EdTech, students may become lazier.

4. There is poor quality of content in students’ research

Students may need proper guidance in recognizing quality sources. Almost anyone can provide information on the internet. And since there’s no clear guidelines in determining which sites are reliable or not, then a lot of students can easily fall for false information.

5. Lesson planning can be more labor intensive

For some academic professionals, lesson planning can be overwhelming when adapting technology in education. It requires time to learn how to utilize the tools.

Conclusion

Using technology in education has its pros and cons, but properly implementing it will help minimize the drawbacks. Since we cannot stop technology from affecting our education today, effective implementation is entirely necessary.

CoderZ is an online learning environment for STEM subjects, designed to engage students and empower teachers. Contact us to learn more about our education technology tools.