Goemkarponn desk
CANACONA: Technology has advanced in leaps and bounds over the past few years, and every sector including the sphere of education has had no choice but to keep up the pace, picking up numerous benefits and drawbacks along the way.
When one thinks of technology, the next thing that comes to mind is innovation. Education, in terms of both quality and quantity has varied throughout the trials of time, but innovation in technology has been a constant whether it comes to learning methods or teaching techniques.
In this scenario of digitalisation, it is a must for the education sector to adapt to the dynamic environment as it allows it to keep pace with a competitive world.
However, with the advent of social media comes many other challenges as well as advantages.
In today’s interlinked world, the impact of social network on education is attracting a lot of attention. It is evolving as a powerful factor to gain a competitive advantage over peer institutions. Take for example, a video sharing platform like YouTube. One can find educational clips ranging from topics like the circulatory system to trigonometry in just one click. In fact, “YouTuber” teachers have millions of followers and subscribers mainly for one reason – students find their teaching effective and simple to learn via the online platform.
Various other apps preparing their users for entrance exams or learning foreign languages are utilised by students across the globe, with many preferring to study online rather than to attend classes elsewhere. Indeed, the efficacy of such sites has not been scientifically proven, but the interactive, visual and often customised learning has got students genuinely excited over studying online.
Through social media, new age learners are more interconnected and better informed.
However, all shortcuts have their own pitfalls. Social media can be excessively distracting for students who end up spending hours in front of the screen rather than utilising the time in effective study. Therefore it is essential that a student in today’s world maintains a healthy balance between social media networks.
Digitalisation offers fluidity to the education sector by being a supplementary form of the system as it is available to students as per their need. While the traditional education system has a uniform approach, digital education can be customised as per students’ requirements.
Convenience is a key factor for peoples’ choices nowadays, and it is no surprise that education is provided literally at our doorstep. Instead of commuting for hours at a time in order to reach school, students can choose to learn in the comfort of their homes, thus saving both time as well as money. Students from even the remotest parts of the country can gain access to quality education at home rather than to travel long hours to educational institutions or spend years at hostels in cities.
Digitalisation of education also offers a safe mode of learning which is transparent and accountable. Parents can keep a track of their wards’ progress by logging into the website.
It also offers them a platform to voice their views and suggestions which can be used to improve the system, unlike the traditional method where one has to be silent fearing reprimand from the teacher. Digitalisation helps in creating a solid partnership between parents and teachers with one goal in mind – better learning for students.
The Indian government is also pushing the agenda of integrating technology into education at all levels through its Digital India program.
However, along with it’s pros, online education has it’s share of cons. Nothing can compare to the practical mode of learning. In fact, most of those who have completed their educations in schools and colleges within their classrooms will say that nothing compares to the experience of “real life” schooling. Attending school offers an opportunity for students to make friendships, enhance communication skills and foster relationships that will last a lifetime. Essential questions are raised about the influence of digital media on improving the helpfulness of the teaching-learning process in universities and schools. Ultimately students will utilise their education in real life scenarios, so it remains to be seen whether online education is capable of providing learners with the skills required to carry out their jobs successfully.
Moreover, the benefits of digital media depend according to its usage from person to person.
Digital media is also having negative effects on students in terms of their mental and physical well being. Addiction, a feeling of lethargy and waste of time are just a few of the effects of spending hours in front of a screen. Students get distracted from their actual aim in life and becoming habitual of social media. Since all their needs are available online, the knowledge that can be obtained from books and such sources is ignored and a lock is put on the potential of their creative minds. Students cannot work independently to produce valuable content.
The approval of social media in education has produced several challenges in learning. Whether these things are completely negative to the social order is yet to be seen, but there are certainly some benefits of social media that confidently influences students’ outcomes.
Digital media is redefining modern education, and transformational changes due to digital media are bound to take education to a higher level.
Technology in ACADEMICS…
• In today’s interlinked world, the impact of social network on education is attracting a lot of attention. It is evolving as a powerful factor to gain a competitive advantage over peer institutions. Take for example, a video sharing platform like YouTube. One can find educational clips ranging from topics like the circulatory system to trigonometry in just one click. In fact, “YouTuber” teachers have millions of followers and subscribers mainly for one reason – students find their teaching effective and simple to learn via the online platform.
• Various other apps preparing their users for entrance exams or learning foreign languages are utilised by students across the globe, with many preferring to study online rather than to attend classes elsewhere. Indeed, the efficacy of such sites has not been scientifically proven, but the interactive, visual and often customised learning has got students genuinely excited over studying online.