Technology in Schools – Why it is Necessary

As we are rapidly approaching a new technological era, where new devices and gadgets change
everyday life at an unpredictable pace, it is natural to be skeptical towards this changing society. And
while this reflects in many different areas, perhaps one of the most prevalent ones is that of education.
Now of all times it seems that the education system is undergoing a massive change. As of lately, the
government is debating providing all public schools with computers available to students to use for school
projects. In this article I am going to state why I think this is not only a great idea, but also undeniably
necessary in today’s society.
To begin with, the internet is a vast source of information, often times a lot broader than that of
any library, let alone a teacher. It covers any sort of subject the students might be interested in, providing
unique approaches and topics that the teachers might not have the ability to cover in class. This diversity
is what the education system is currently lacking. The introduction of computers in all public schools
would open the students’ eyes to many different possibilities, thus making school more engaging and
enjoyable. While the main counterargument to this would be that the internet is also full of
misinformation, people seem not to look past that and see that there is a valid solution: the introduction
of a ‘virtual library’, a place with certified information sources. Great news is: places like this already
exist! Some examples include learnanything.com, yourschoollibrary.uk or teachersunite.com. The only
thing we need to do is open our eyes!
In addition to that, this change would grant all students access to information, regardless of their
families’ backgrounds. This way, students will be treated more equally and will be more willing to
collaborate with their peers. Given the option to engage in group projects in the school environment, they
will have a better relationship with the teachers, their classmates, and the school as an institute. Analyzing
the examples of countries that have already adopted this model of education (Finland, Denmark,
Switzerland) we can see a positive correlation between the emphasis put on teamwork and the academic
performance, as well as the overall happiness of the students.
Lastly, allowing access to the internet, a place that teens are already familiar with, will not only
strengthen the bond between students, but can also have the potential to reinforce the one with teachers.
After all, school is about learning. Isn’t it about time that the students could be teachers too? This will
expose otherwise tired and overworked teachers to a new, more enjoyable method of learning. In the end,
everyone can benefit from taking this step towards a more technologically advanced society, one in which
we make use of the new technologies in a responsible, yet creative and open minded manner.
To sum up, I strongly believe that computers should not only be provided to all public schools for
students to use, but should be provided to teachers and all school personnel and should be encouraged to
experiment with. This needs to be a national priority, as education is the cornerstone of society, and its
development is directly correlated to that of the entire country. It’s time we made a change!