Technology has it’s implication in almost all the fields, and when it comes to education, technology aids significantly in enhancing the overall learning pattern of students. Technology has provided the educators with new methodology in teaching their student in classroom. The use of Big Data Analytics allows educators to make use of existing data in providing the students with the opportunity to analyse them and make meaningful observation and learning from huge volume of data, which would otherwise not have been possible if analysed manually. Application of cloud based Technology is also gaining significant attention in the educational scenario, as it improves it capabilities and infrastructure at the school and provides students to make use of IT in enhancing the learning process.
However at the same time, technology is considered to have negative implications as well because many teachers are complaining about the use of technological gadgets such as laptops and mobile phones in classroom environment. They are of the opinion that with increasing use of laptop and mobile phone, it adversely affects the learning abilities of student on the topics discussed in the classroom. The use of mobile phones and gadget distracts their overall attention from the lectures in classroom, and this leads to negative impact on their learning process. It is therefore important to consider both the negative and positive implication of technology before considering its application in classroom environment.
Positive Aspects of Technology in Classroom: Technology is believed to have positive impact on education, and the study by Zishaan Hayath indicated about the positive trends of technology in the coming years especially in education sector. It is identified that technology is likely to have increasing influence in education because of innovation in the use of technology in classroom environment. Technology allows educators to enhance the analytical capability within the student by way of applying big data analytical tool. The application of Data Analytics allows educators to easily analyse large volume of data in a meaningful way. This ultimately facilitates better learning in interpreting huge volume of data.
There is also an increase in the application of machine learning and artificial intelligence identified among modern day classrooms. With the application of machine learning and artificial intelligence Tools and techniques, it becomes possible to create personalised training paths that exact the needs of each and every student. The ultimate benefit is efficient learning among the students at optimal speed, and this leads to the delivery of best results. These positive aspects of technology are driving modern day classroom to equip with highly advanced technological tools and techniques so that best possible learning opportunity can be provided to students.
Negative Impact of Technology in Classroom: The major concerned with the application of technology in classroom environment is identified as the distraction of attention of students towards the classroom lectures. There is increasing use of mobile phones and laptops among students in the classroom, and during lectures, the application of these devices results into lower level of attention of students towards the learning provided to them. This has been a cause of major concern among teachers because it directly impacts the learning of student and ultimately questions the ability of lecturer.
There is a link identified between the cell phone and laptop use during class and poorer exam scores bible study carried out by a psychology professor at Rutgers University of New Brunswick. The use of mobile phones and laptop leads to division of attention of students partially to all these devices and personally towards lecturers in the classroom. As a result of this, it is identified that those students mostly forget within a week about what has been taught in the lectures. This is considered as a negative implication from the application of technological devices in classroom environment. Because of this particular situation, many lecturers have already restricted the use of laptop and mobile phone during classroom lectures.
Implication: Technology can prove to be beneficial in imparting best quality education to students, provided it is applied in an efficient way. The application of highly efficient and sophisticated technological tools and equipment will result into positive development and learning among student. However it is also important that students should make proper use of technological devices in achieving better learning because negligence in applying technological tools in the classroom environment will result into failure of student as well.
