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The Use of Technology in Education

Technology, through the years, has made a big impact in deepening student learning. It has also made a big difference in the teaching process by making it effective. The use of technology in instruction can greatly help teachers to produce students who are critical thinkers, good decision makers, and are effective problem solvers. These skills are critical to the students because these are needed for them to be able to survive in the so-called “digital age.” Students should also be flexible, productive, and must possess leadership skill and other attributes to succeed in their future lives. Needless to say, teachers play a pivotal role in helping the students achieve these important skills.

Admit it or not, some teachers are not able to cope up with the changes that continuously happen in the field of education. Some are technophobic: these are teachers who have limited knowledge in the use of technology to improve teaching practices. These teachers who have limited access in the use of technology may have different reasons of not using multimedia in instruction. Some of the reasons are the following: They may be overwhelmed by the endless use of technology, they may not see the value of instructional technologies in their particular content area or they may work in environments where the use of technology is not encouraged.

As a teacher, always keep in mind that we should be flexible at all times. This trait enables us to perform our duties and responsibilities well, some of which is to deliver quality instruction to our students. We should be the first persons who are always open to changes. Keep in mind that the use of technology in instruction opens a lot of opportunities both for the teacher and the students. It can increase educational productivity by improving the rate of learning and it can reduce the cost of making instructional materials. Teaching with the use of technology, if properly used, is beneficial. However, it can be challenging to select the best technological tools suitable for a particular subject matter. There are lots of factors to be considered in choosing a good technological tool, but once it is utilized properly, it could make a great difference both in teaching and in learning.

By means of technology, teachers and students can share documents via internet. Online collaboration tools are responsible for this. Aside from sharing documents, it gives the students an opportunity to share their thoughts freely. They can also brainstorm any ideas related to their study. Nowadays, teachers and students have an easy time making documents because of computer applications which enable them to make quality and attractive written reports. Learning is also fun if presentation software are used in making reports that contain photographs, diagrams, videos and sound files. These multimedia can catch and eventually hold the students’ interest on the topic being discussed. If this happens, the teacher can assure that there is retention in learning.

The use of technology is not limited to teachers, but it is also of great help to the students. Technological gadgets like tablets can be connected to computers and projectors wherein texts, photographs, and diagrams like table and charts can also be seen. On the other hand, course management tools allow teachers to organize resources students need for a class such as grading tools, syllabi, and assignments. It can also create an avenue for valuable discussions, sharing of documents, and video and audio commentary.

On the other side of things, we, as teachers, should not abuse the use of technology. We should always keep in mind that we should teach the contents found in the written curriculum, not the technology itself. Technology should only support the overall lesson objectives. We should also de-emphasize the importance of teacher’s expertise with software and hardware but rather, we should emphasize the quality delivery of instruction with comfort and confidence using different technological tools. We should envision ourselves as project managers who set up helpful activities using these multimedia for the growth of our students.

Consider these set of questions: What should students know and be able to do? What technology can support these instructional objectives? How will the technology be used to teach these instructional objectives? How effective is this technology in achieving these objectives? If we are able to answer these questions properly, then, we put technology into good use.

Read: DepEd Computerization Program (DCP) Guide

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Mark Kevin Gabriel Santos

Mark Kevin G. Santos is a licensed teacher. He is a science enthusiast. He placed 7th during the September 2012 Licensure Examination for Teachers – Secondary Level. He is currently teaching at Tabacao National High School in Talavera, Nueva Ecija.

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