Computers have surfaced to the forefront of education over the previous two decades. The laptop originally gave us the capabilities of a desktop computer in a portable form. Laptops have evolved and become even smaller and more portable. In more recent history, we have seen the introduction of notebook computers and computer tablets. The introduction of tablets and PCs in education has revolutionized learning, but it has caused controversy among students and educators. Many people worry that tablets and PCs are replacing conventional methods of education. Tablets, PCs, and e-books are powerful tools in the midst of the information age, but limitations and disadvantages do exist.
Tablets and PCs allow students to easily obtain information. These devices give us the ability to access the internet. The internet contains more information than we would ever need. Through the internet one can find the answer to almost any question. When curiosity strikes, Google, Yahoo, or Bing has a solution. Most modern mobile devices can access the internet through Wi-Fi. Wi-Fi is available at pretty much every school or college and a variety of restaurants and other businesses. The ability to stay connected to the internet allows students to quickly receive information or access library databases from one’s current location.
Through the internet connection, applications can be downloaded onto a variety of mobile devices. Many educational applications exist to assist students at various levels of education with different tasks. For children in primary education, game applications exist to help children associate learning with fun. Applications such as Vocabulary and Grammar, Kids Puzzles Puzzingo, and The Oregon Trail: American Settler, help chil...
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... I’d rather have paper to write down and make my own citations and marks depending on the subject, but if I’m reading a novel, then using a tablet is great, and I’m able to carry as many books as I need. It’s amazing how technology has shaped our educational system over the years and especially in the last 10 years. Honestly, it was only a matter of time before we arrived at this crossroad. It still remains to be seen how this path will be navigated and implemented fully, but I’m excited to be on the journey.
"As Costs of Textbooks Rise, E-books Emerge as More Affordable Alternative." The Daily Illini. Brittany Gibson, n.d. Web. 22 Apr. 2014.
At the iPad center the students use a specific app that Mrs. Zeek tells them to use. I have seen the children use the apps Epic and Xtra Math. Epic is a reading app that reads stories to the child. Xtra Math is an app that allows the students to practice math skills through games. I thought it was interesting that Mrs. Zeek had a box full of laminated QR codes, one for each student, so the students can sign into Xtra Math with that. I did not even know that was possible! The children absolutely love using the iPads. Mrs. Zeek also showed me an app that she has on her iPad called Classroom, which allows her to see what all the children are doing on their individual iPads. This is a very handy app, especially for higher grades so students cannot do inappropriate things on the iPads. We talked about app selection in class and these two apps seem to meet all of the qualities such as easy navigation, student engagement, and developmental appropriateness. There is also a listening center where the children listen and follow along with books on CD or cassette tape. Mrs. Zeek lets the children start and stop the CD player on their own, but she does not let them change the
One of the most widely used technologies is the Internet, or also known as the World Wide Web. “In August 1981 about 200 computers hosted Web servers. By July 1998 there were over 36 million Web servers, that are hosts to approximately 150 million people” (Strauss). The Internet proves to be very beneficial to education, since students have unlimited access to millions of websites with tons of information. There are only so many newspapers, journals and magazines that you can find in libraries or subscribe to. Therefore, the Internet offers an unlimited pile of information that students can always have. Moreover, students are enriched with the most current information in any subject, along with regular updates. Students are able to use the Internet anytime of day, as long as they have a computer at hand. The research process will not have to end when the school day is over (Wissick, 82).
Tyre, Peg. "Are IPads and Other Classroom Gadgets Really Helping Kids Learn?"TakePart. N.p., 31 Jan. 2013. Web. 18 Jan. 2014.
People are convinced that technology is an effective tool that will further learning. This can be true, but when you use tablets
First of all, buying an e-book is cheaper than a printed book. As a student who is studying in college, I know students have to buy text books for all the classes. According to an article from website, “average price of best-selling e-books is $5-$11, and most text-books’ price is around $200 which are selling in bookstore even rental books should cost 50% of the new books’ price.” We can immediately know that e-books are much cheaper than printed
Computers have been integrated in almost every aspect of today’s society; PC’s in the home and office, laptops for business traveling, graphics software for the media, and most significantly computers in the classroom. However, the technology of computers has not always been part of the education system and is a relatively new part of the teaching and learning process.
Technology has rapidly changed over the years and has expanded our infrastructure greatly. In particular, as technology advances the education system adapts to the many changes. The world of technology brings about many new improvements and shows no sign of slowing down. Many people spend their day to day lives utilizing the great aspects of technology doing almost anything imaginable. Through technology teachers and students can connect and expound upon the many fields of education. Technology is an ever growing aid in education that has increased awareness, communication, and accessibility. How is technology shaping education? The uses of mobile devices and applications have shown a great influence in the education system.
By permitting the use of cellphones in school, students can increase their knowledge and complete school work by using applications and other features on their smartphones. Teachers and students are now “using their phones as clickers to answer questions, providing feedback on student progress, and also to document labs, collaborate on group projects and capture teachers’ notes” (Higgins). Students like to do things the fun way, and by using their phones as clickers, they can learn and review for tests while having fun answering them on their phones. Students can use services on their phones to turn assignments in too. During group assignments, students can work right on their phones. If a student was absent one day, all another student has to do is send them the work they did with a touch of a button. Teachers usually move very fast when presenting information to students. By taking pictures of notes, it makes it easy for students to make sure they have all the notes without the teacher moving too quickly. They will be able to go home and review everything right there on that small little screen, hence increasing their knowledge. Additionally, “Students attending a field trip can snapshot a picture and capture their ideas” just by using the camera on...
For this study two qualitative methods were conscientiously chosen to provide data rich in detail and a more subjective and personal view of the effect of mobile technology, of which statistical data is unable to do. The 'in-depth, intensive approach ' of qualitative methodologies enabled a greater insight to the habits and feelings of students in regards to their mobile phone use (Limb and Dwyer, 2001; 6). For both the methods two locations across Lancaster University were chosen, the library and a personal study space. They were chosen methodically with the attached, and usually unwritten, rules of mobile phone usage in each area in mind.
Hernandez, Danya Perez. "Post Navigation." Wired Campus Open Textbooks Could Help Students Financially and Academically Comments. Chronicle.com, 28 Jan. 2014. Web. 10 Mar. 2014.
The Center for the Digital Future’s 2005 report found that 'among users 17 and older, 56.3 percent consider the Internet to be a very important or extremely important source of information for them' (p. 4). Online resource capabilities save an individual time as well as provide ease of access and availability to a broad scope of materials. Print books and journals, though they provide in–depth information on a particular subject, are not easily accessible and available at any particular moment. In order to access many books, an individual must either visit the local library or contain the book in his or her own private collection, which could be costly. Online resources can be accessed anytime at anyplace. “Overall, there is expanded access to information in a variety of formats from worldwide institutions, businesses, and universities" (Darrow & MacDonald, 2004, p. 22). Access to “worldwide” information puts a broad range of information in the h...
As more people began to access the Internet through smart phones and tablets rather than laptops and computers, it is not a surprise that they would also want to transform the American education system by bringing tablets into classrooms. In fact, a few schools around the country have already replaced textbooks with tablets and have seen improvements in students’ standardized test scores. Using tablets instead of textbooks is not only convenient and helpful, but it can also reduce the amount of paper wastes in school. However, it is not a good idea to completely transform textbooks with tablets with the current technology, for it can not only be damaging to the environment and costly to set up, but also might not be effective in improving K-12 education in the long run.
To conclude, there are many distinguished advantages that e-books have over traditional paper books, as e-books are lightweight, portable and hence convenient to carry, have greater update capacity, have greater storage capacity, easily accessible through online downloading as well as being environmental friendly (with saving trees). With ongoing technological development of ebooks, there have since been many added functionality for ebooks (rotational screen, hyperlink, split screen) with even many more functionality to be developed in the near future.