Technology; Beneficial or Harmful in Education?

Advantages and Disadvantages of Technology

Advantages

• Waste Reduction: this will lead to lower costs and higher profitability.

• Reduced Workforce: with the use of technology, many jobs become automated resulting in fewer required positions

• Increased Profitability: by increasing efficiency and reducing expenditures, technology allows jobs to be completed quicker and more accurately

• Increased Productivity: team members coupled with the implementation of technology creates overall efficiency and success.

• Higher Income: the greater business profits, the more opportunities employees may have to raise their incomes

• Improved Communications: allows information to be sent, received, and responded to instantaneously (whether through email, computer networks, cellphones, etc.)

• Competitive Advantage: allows for reduction in product/service costs while increasing profit margins and maintain customer service

Disadvantages

• Management: considering technology is always improving, the decision to purchase new technology is controversial (whether to buy the current form or wait for the new) while managing your financial budget.

• New Skills: people will need to be learned/trained to successfully use the new technology that is incorporated

• Maintenance: the duration of its efficiency may affect the value of the product

• Costs: Once you purchase an expensive piece of technology the value of it will decrease significantly

• Time: reorganization and integration of new technology into any lifestyle will result in much loss of time to become acquainted with the new system

"The technological tools that students of today have at their disposal make the task of learning easier and allow for the creation of products that would once have been impossible. By integrating technology into their classroom, teachers can allow their students to reap the benefits that these technology tools offer and prepare to use technology in the real world."

-Erin Schreiner

Advantages of Technology: Classroom & Schools

ACCESSING INFORMATION:

Previously, students had to venture to libraries and sort through books to search for information. Now, through technology, they can gather all needed knowledge instantly; with the internet, students can accumulate more information quickly and efficiently while teachers can incorporate more into their lesson plans.

EDITING OF WRITTEN WORKS:

In the past when students had to use type-writers or hand write their papers, they would have to re-copy their whole essay if they made a mistake. Now, writers can digitally modify their papers quickly (proofreading, adding sections, etc.) while reducing their frustration by decreasing the amount of time spent with this task.

PROVING SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Instead of teachers relying on textbooks for the majority of there lesson plans, they can use technology to enhance learning through movies and audio recordings, articles, and/or slide show presentations. Considering the internet allows for easier attainment of supplementary information, teachers can provide much more materials to their students other than whats in their midst.

COMMUNICATING:

Technology tools allows students to communicate with each other through email, chat rooms, discussion boards, etc., to share information efficiently. This allows for an extensive community of learners all working towards a specific goal.

MOTIVATING STUDENTS:

Many students find school tedious and technology gains the attention of youth leading to a higher degree of motivation. When students daily activities are so repetitive, technology recaptures their interest and pulls them back into learning in a more interesting manner.

Disadvantages of Technology: Classrooms & Schools

LACK OF SUPPORT:

Technology can provide much frustration to the student and/or teacher if the instructor is not correctly trained in technology and can support the hardware in the classroom. If schools cannot support their purchased technology, then this equipment goes unused and may be a waste of money. Last, with technology constantly renewing, maintenance of these devices may become a hassle.

INADEQUATE TEACHING METHODOLOGY: 

Using technological programs in the classroom towards a learning goal is a positive thing; yet, transferring passive use of technology into active use is a skill that takes much time and practice. In other words, learning with technology is not fully integrated and useful until children are learning from it and not with it.

TIME LOST: 

Sometimes teacher shy away from using technology due to connection problems, downloading issues, software, and other difficulties because of their lack of time. Today, the students time within the classroom is becoming more and more valuable so technology may not be the answer as a teaching method in order to preserve time.

UPKEEP AND MAINTENANCE EXPENSES: 

Once technology is purchased, the upkeep and maintenance may be to much financially for the school to maintain. With outdated programs and hardware and the cost of repairing equipment may be stretching many schools budgets.

INCOMPATIBILITY ISSUES: 

Most schools have a strict foundation surrounding state or national assessments. The majority of these exams are pencil-and-paper based in order to make them accessible and equal to all schools and students; because technology involves input to a computer, there is a divide between the assessments that determine government funding and the use of technology in the classroom.

Source: http://technoedu.weebly.com/advantages-and-disadvantages.html