Technology and Education

Advancements in technology in the education sector can be seen as an achievement or in fact a remedy for disaster, this outlook differs depending on the institution. Educators consider that the operational use of technology (methods for research/communication) effective in the learning environment. However they also think that the use of social media and digital gaming (to name the few) are futile and time consuming. The main concern for institutions is how to get students to make constructive use of technology. I have conducted research to show that technology can be positive or negative depending on how it is used. In this blog I will be analysing the effect of technology on the educational systems how and how technology can be used to enrich learning.

It seems that in modern times educational institutions are concerned with the increasing amount of social media and digital communication, educators want to stress the importance of text books and interactive learning. It is also a general view that digital gaming is non-constructive, senseless and maybe even a form of social escapism. However, through conducted research I can prove that this is not entirely true. I will also be showing how digital gaming can be used as an effective learning mechanism.

The well-known game CIVILIZATION has been highly touted by people working in the educational sector, Kurt Squire and folks at the games, learning and Society group have extensively written about this game and its powerful educational uses. They opposed that playing a game like CIVILISATION can aid in advancements in terminology, geographical awareness and historical understanding. The main goal of the game is for players to become the dominant surviving civilization; this is done by successfully building an empire by building their own civilisation around societal development and diplomacy. Games like this can increase the ability to process information through imagery and text simultaneously. It also aids in processing the information that is relevant to them whilst disregarding what is not. All of these skills can be used in everyday working life – for example, reading an email where minor detail can be extracted without having to read the whole thing.

Digital gaming usually involves creating a world in which players actively participate in; this enables people to create their own domain in which they use strategic thinking to make choices and solve complex problems- All in which can be used in everyday life. In my opinion, a game like CIVILISATION can be used to educate people in an engaging and entertaining context; young people are much more inclined to learn if they are guaranteed fun during the process – and let’s be honest, who doesn’t’ like to have fun? The society we live in seems to replace fun with endless conventions and tedious task. Why not get rid of boring factual text books and instead use digital games, practical engagement and social interactions to service the learning process.

Technology is opening up opportunities whereby educators can improve their teaching facilities and students may enrich their learning skills. Technology has released another realm where interaction is made possible regardless of our physical location; it has made information accessible to everyone. I think the educational systems should focus more on fun and less on compliance. There is this general view that young people should be conformed, however evidently this completely backfires on the system. Young people have a natural desire to explore and yet educational systems persistently attempt to regulate and monitor this aspiration by imposing rules and regulation. I think educational systems should learn respect and accommodate this desire for exploration by allowing new and more exciting methods of learning.  We all know that people work better in different environments, educational systems s should stop simplifying people for convenience sake, but rather learn to understand and cultivate this concept in order to ensure that everyone is equal and working to their full potential. 

Available at: http://www.civilization.com/ Accessed on 16.01.12
Images Available at:http://images.itreviews.com/www.itreviews.co.uk%2Fphotos%2FStrategyCivilization-5.jpg Accessed on 12.01.12