Impacts of Wireless Technologies on Education Essay

Abstract Education is can be defined as a reflection of the development of a society and as the foundation stone of the bright future of a nation whether 1st world or 3rd world has undergone drastic changes in the last fifty years. The advancement of the education sector is due to the fact that people have become creative and very innovative and are coming up with various technologies that are creating impacts in all spheres of life and education is no exception. Mind blowing wireless technologies are being developed every year geared to making living easier and more comfortable. Wireless technology has greatly revolutionized the field of education and its importance in learning institutions is noticeable and cannot be ignored. With the introduction of wireless technologies in education system it has become easier for teachers to impart knowledge and for students to acquire  the knowledge. Thus the use of wireless technology has made the process of teaching and learning enjoyable. The aim of this term paper is to explore the importance, the negative and the positive impacts of wireless technology in the education system. The positive impacts of technology on education have been phenomenal; actively using wireless internet and computers and wireless devices such as mobile phones as an effective means of establishing communication has seen educational institutions being able to deal with many issues that were previously not handled with ease due to long distances and geographical limitations or lack of adequate training technologies. Technology has also negatively impacted the education sector for example by creating poor teachers students relationship, as teachers just like students find it easier to share and circulate study materials by using wireless internet as a communication tool. IMPACTS OF WIRELESS TECHNOLOGIES 5 Importance of Wireless Technology in Education Institutions The need to introduce wireless technology at an early age in life shows the importance of this technology in schools. Since wireless technology is being embraced as a way of life presently and it certain to be the future way of life, it is therefore good if students can obtain knowledge of the technological changes as early as possible. Children learn faster and can adapt to changes relatively easily. If children are trained during their school years, they have greater chances of becoming experts in technology at a later stage in life. Introducing wireless technology early to students is always beneficial in the long run. Since wireless technology is bound to be a part of their future, it is best to introduce them to it during school life as otherwise they will have to struggle learning it later in life. It is advisable to give them a basic idea of the wireless technological changes. The inclusion of wireless technology in the process of learning makes learning an enjoyable activity, thus inviting greater interest from the students. The vast knowledge from all around the world can be better brought about for the students and can be better adapted by them. The administration processes  which involve the official procedures of school can be simplified by the means of wireless technology. School records (the information about all the students and the teachers as well as other school employees) can efficiently be maintained by means of the advanced digital wireless technology such as a digital library system. A digital library system holding school records or a website can be maintained effectively through wireless technology IMPACTS OF WIRELESS TECHNOLOGIES 6 Importance of Wireless Technology in the Classroom The importance of using wireless technology in education system especially within the classroom setup is as explained below; Active Participation Students learning through technology use the wireless internet to search for information. They then make their own decisions regarding the information i.e. whether it is relevant or irrelevant. Students have control over how to use or present this information. Thus, one of the main benefits of using technology for classrooms is that unlike a classroom led by a teacher, where students passively receive whatever information the teacher is providing, in tech savvy classrooms, students are active participants. In-depth Knowledge By using the wireless internet technology, obtaining information on all kinds of subjects has become very easy. A student sitting in his classroom can learn how people in a small village in Africa live life. Thus, Internet is a kind of digital library which is at the disposal of a student with just a click. A student can acquire in-depth knowledge on any subject using this vast resource and acquire diverse knowledge in the process. Real life work experience The use of wireless technology in the classroom offers experience to students similar to the working environment such as working in an office. In the wireless technology savvy classrooms, a teacher acts as a facilitator who sets project goals for the students and provides them with the necessary resources and guidelines to reach those goals. The student themselves makes decisions with regards to the design choices, the information they want to use and display, the resources that they will use. In addition, currently, students themselves are very tech savvy IMPACTS OF WIRELESS TECHNOLOGIES 7 and may sometimes even know more than the teacher himself. So, there is a constant exchange of information between the students and the teachers. Such an environment prepares a student to work in business organizations in the future. Increased motivation Studies have shown that there is great importance of integrating wireless technology in the classroom. When students are taught through slide shows or by showing digitized films, it makes the lessons very easy and interesting for them. It helps in their learning, at the same time motivates them to attend school every day. Thus, another importance of technology in schools is that it brings down the drop-out rates. Technical skills Students using wireless technologies on a daily basis develop an understanding of the various wireless tools and software. This kind of education prepares the students and makes it easier for them to learn about the various software applications in future. IMPACTS OF WIRELESS TECHNOLOGIES 8 Importance Of Wireless Technologies On Education Wireless technology plays a vital role in every sphere of life and education is no exception. The advent of this technology has deeply impacted the educational sector and also changed the way we live by impacting different facets of life and redefined living as a whole. Wireless technology has automated many boring manual tasks and also made it possible for many complex and critical processes to be carried out with ease and greater efficiency. Wireless technology has revolutionized the field of education and this importance in schools cannot be ignored. It has made it easier for teachers to impart knowledge and for students to acquire it. The use of wireless technology has made the process of teaching and learning enjoyable. Below are some of the importances of wireless technology. Wireless Technology has made student life easy Student  can use wireless technology to help them express themselves more clearly i.e. they can use much more than just pen and paper to express themselves or present what they have learned. They can use software to make presentations and projects. This makes them more interested in the subject and leads to better retention of information. With technological aids, they can make easy-to-remember notes and a creative presentation of the information they have acquired. It won’t be wrong to say that application of wireless technology has made a student’s life easy. It’s easier for students to carry a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) than carrying big fat books to school. More so an iPad is less bulkier than a pile of notebooks or an eBook reader much lighter than a book. IMPACTS OF WIRELESS TECHNOLOGIES 9 Wireless Technology has made it easier to store information Wireless gadget that come with extended internal memory or Micro SD cards have enabled better and more robust storage of information. If you weigh chalk, board, books and notebooks against wireless technology, you find that wireless technology can substitute for any and all of these. Wireless technology has replaced chalk and board; the teacher can even use gadgets that can even do the talking sometimes while the teacher takes a step back and lets the presentations ‘speak’. Gadgets such as digital libraries require no physical space and students and teachers sitting in different parts of the world can access the same library at the same time. Compacted memory devices have replaced notebooks and a keyboard and computer mouse are the new writing devices. What may have required hundred pages of a book can be compacted into a tiny memory chip. It can take hours to write, but it takes only seconds to type. Sharing and storing data has become much easier, owing to wireless technology. Wireless Technology has enhanced easy access of information The Internet is a huge information base that can be used an effective tool for acquiring knowledge. Users of the web just key in queries to search engines and are presented with thousands of search results. There are several websites and web directories that offer information on literally  everything in the world. And all this is just a few clicks away. Both teachers and students can benefit from this. IMPACTS OF WIRELESS TECHNOLOGIES 10 Wireless Technology has eliminated space and time constraints Online education and distance learning have given a new dimension to education and higher learning. Even if students are geographically far away from each other, they can be a part of one classroom virtually i.e. not physically but virtually. Many educational institutes offer online courses, which eliminates time and space constraints in acquiring education. Universities offer online educational programs wherein students can interact with their teachers over the Internet, access reference material from the University website and earn degrees online. Wireless Technology has enhanced teaching and sharing Wireless technology has made education has become more collaborative. With surplus information so easily available to students, they can be a part of the process; they don’t need to remain at the receiving end. Owing to the use of technology, subject experts can come together to formulate courses, design assessments and better the process of teaching. Students who have relocated to different parts of the world are able to seek advice from experts spread across the globe through the use of technologies such as the mobile telephones. Wireless Technology has enhanced teaching Wireless devices offer an interactive audio-visual medium. PowerPoint presentations and animation software can be used to present information in an interactive way. Owing to the audiovisual effects, this way of teaching invites greater interest from students. The method is equally helpful for teachers. Projectors and screens facilitate simultaneous viewing of information by a large number of students. Addressing systems using microphones and speakers make it possible for teachers to reach a larger number of students simultaneously. These teaching aids have led to improvements in student attendance and their attentiveness in class. IMPACTS OF WIRELESS TECHNOLOGIES 11 Wireless Technology on mutual impact Currently, wireless technology is a part of school and college curricula. Considering the wide range of applications of wireless technology, it is thus necessary for everyone familiarize themselves with this technology. Considering the advantages of Internet technology, it is important for each of us to gain basic knowledge of Internet access and web research. We live in a technology-age and hence, it is important for us to be up-to-date with the latest inventions in the field. With education, we acquire knowledge of the functioning and use of different pieces of technology. And with the application of technology, we can educate ourselves better. This is the impact technology and education has on each other. Education boosts use of technology and technology aids education. IMPACTS OF WIRELESS TECHNOLOGIES 12 Impacts Of Wireless Technology On Education Technology brings positive or negative impacts depending on how and for what purpose it’s being used. Positive Effects of Wireless Technology on Education Talking in a positive sense, the impact of wireless technology on education has been phenomenal. Using wireless internet and digital computers as en effective medium to establish communication between schools, teachers, students and parents; educational institutes have been able to handle many issues that were previously not handled with ease due to geographical limitations or lack of adequate training technologies. Enhanced Teaching and Learning Technological developments like digital cameras, projectors, mind training software, computers, PowerPoint presentations, 3D visualization tools; all these have become great sources for teachers to help students grasp a concept easily, as learning has become fun and enjoyable for students. They’re able to participate more in the classroom and even teachers get a chance to make their classes more interactive and interesting. The importance of wireless  technology in schools can be understood from the fact that it empowers the educational system and produces better students. Reduced Drop Out Rates Technology has also contributed to the decrease in dropout rates, improvement in student attendance and enhancement in their learning abilities. IMPACTS OF WIRELESS TECHNOLOGIES 13 Confidence Booster Students being exposed to wireless technological wonders like digital computers and mobile phones, WI-FI internet and learning to operate. This helps them create their own special world and this gives them a feeling of being special. This makes them believe that they stand strong in global competition. Increased Cooperation Amongst Peers A majority of teachers have stated a very surprising fact that introducing wireless technologies in classroom has increased peer to peer interaction. Many students who’re comfortable in handling digital computers come out to lend a helping hand to students, who face problems in working on computers or any other wireless device. The importance of technology in the classroom goes beyond computers and Internet. Increased Knowledge Students who sincerely complete their assignments by referring to the surplus of information available on the Internet are able to develop good analytical and research skills. By referring to a large number of resources, a serious student utilizes his or her common sense and judgment skills to choose the best material and use it as an advantage to complete the project. By getting exposed to numerous ideas for their assignments and the creative ways to finish them, students develop excellent research abilities. IMPACTS OF WIRELESS TECHNOLOGIES 14 No Geographical Limitations Wireless technologies have made it possible for the adoption of online degree programs offered both locally and  internationally. Students don’t have to be present physically in the classroom to acquire degree. Distance learning and online education has become an integral part of the education system nowadays. These online courses can be of great advantage to those students who are far away from these institutions of higher learning. Negative Effects of Technology on Education Poor Teacher – Student Relationship Wireless technologies don’t encourage strong teacher-student relationship. Students using wireless technologies tend to behave badly towards their teachers especially when it comes to communication since there are not one on one. Teacher – student interaction is something that is vital to understand intricate topics. The trend of blackboards wherein, teachers post online notes, lectures, assignments and other information has cultivated the habit of skipping college lectures amongst students. The use of the internet has made students disorganized and impatient. A lot of copying and pasting of information is done so that they can finish their assignment. Use of the school’s library is no longer relevant as searching for information from books or even online library facilities seems to be an overwhelming task for students. Its been observed that students are not productively utilizing technology for their growth. Students also don’t seek the teacher’s advice on difficult questions or about a difficult subject. IMPACTS OF WIRELESS TECHNOLOGIES 15 Increasing Incidents of Cheating Wireless technological developments like graphing calculators, high tech mobile phones, high tech digital watches, mini cameras and similar equipment have become great sources to cheat in exams. It has now become easier for students to write formulas and notes on graphing calculators, with least chances of being caught. Lack of Focus Short Message Service (SMS) or text messaging has become a favorite pastime of many students. Students are seen playing with their cell phone, iPhones day and night, right from crossing a street, or driving and very often even between lectures. Students being everconnected to the internet world have View as multi-pages