ADVENT OF TECHNOLOGY AIDED EDUCATION TODAY

ABSTRACT:

Technology has become very much part of our everyday lives. Every aspect of our life is
aided in some way by technology. So, it is no surprise that technology has filtered into the
educational field also. Earlier, technology was not much welcomed in the educational field.
People debated more on its negatives rather than the positives. But as the educational
institutions slowly adopted technology, people realised that the positives far outweighed the
negatives. If technology is applied in the right way, education and technology make a great
combination and has led and is leading to definite improvements in education. Today’s
students, parents and educators have a plethora of learning tools at their fingertips. Some of
the technologies which have created a positive impact on education are Flipped classrooms,
MOOCs as a free online resource for learning, tabs with educational software tailored to each
individual educational institute’s needs, online assessments, availability of huge online
resources which has enhanced teaching practices as educators can collaborate and share their
ideas and resources online. Technology has aided students to develop research skills at a
young age by giving them access to an abundance of quality information. Educational
technologies have greatly improved students learning outcomes. Without doubt, today the
role of technology in education is vital but the more important question is how can one
improve the use of technology to enhance learning? This article focuses on the advent of
technological education, the different types of technologies applied today and stresses on
their benefits too. For the world today, Teacher’s role as ‘Instructor’ has shifted to
‘Facilitator’ as students become responsible learners with the help of relevant technology.
Schools and universities are redesigning their learning models to incorporate the technology
enabled model of education.

Keywords: MOOC, Flipped classrooms, online resources, technological education

 ADVENT OF TECHNOLOGY AIDED EDUCATION TODAY
ABSTRACT:

Technology has impacted our lives in very many ways. It’s no surprise that technology has
and is making deep inroads into the educational field also. In some ways, we find that
education is still the same today. The teacher still lectures from the front with rows of
students sitting and listening. Classrooms also do not look much different. Except that
today’s modern students are sitting with devices like tablets, laptops or smart phones
(probably opened to Facebook or whatsapp!). So cynically, one may say, technology has not
changed education in any way. But, in actuality technology has changed the way education is
imparted today. Today’s students, parents and educators have a plethora of learning tools at
their fingertips. Internet is a vast library of electronic information and with just a click of a
mouse both research and instruction can be accomplished effortlessly. On the Worldwide
Web massive amounts of information is readily available (books, audio, videos, images
notes) and more and more opportunities for formal learning are opening up in forums like
Khan Academy, Webinars, MOOCs, podcasts etc. Access to learning opportunities is almost
limitless in scope today. More opportunities for communication and collaboration also have
sprung up. Earlier, classrooms were isolated and collaboration existed only among students in
the same classroom or in the same building. Technology enabled forms of communication are
out of this world today. Students sitting in rural Bangalore classrooms can learn close hand
about an Antarctic expedition by following a team of scientists in that region. Either by following
the scientists’ blog postings, emailing questions to them, viewing photos or talking live to them
via videoconference. They can also collaborate on group projects using technology based
tools like wikis, Google docs. So, learning has expanded beyond the classroom walls. This
article is an attempt to dwell upon the evolution of technology, its benefits and also touches
upon the various relevant technologies applied today.

Keywords: MOOC, wikis, Google docs, Webinars, podcasts, Internet