The world has been subjected to various technological innovations and advancements lately. The same innovations and advancements have been redirected to the education sector to improve the efficiency of delivering educational services to the learners. However, there are various adverse effects of technology that have interfered with the traditional education system. Thus, the core purpose of this paper is to provide a discussion platform for the negative effects of technology on the education system (Marks, 2015).
To begin with, current technological innovations that are usually employed in the education of children like video games are destructive in the learning of children. Perhaps, video games are addictive. Thus, children can skip their learning to spare time for playing computer games. Exposing children to these games without close supervision and monitoring can lead to development of addiction. Besides that, children are also likely to change their attitudes and behaviors because of playing video games and more so action games. Also, young children and youths tend to adopt the behaviors of the characters that have been used in the games to an extent of even practicing violence on others in learning environments (Mcdaniel, 2010). The use of technology in education makes the learners to lose their learning purposes. Other than focusing on their core educational purposes, learners are disrupted by technological innovations like social media. Besides, many learners tend to spend most of their times on social media rather than doing constructive things with their lives. Thus, for these reasons, technology is destructive rather than constructive in different learning activities (Marks, 2015).
Far from that, the fact that technology has revolutionized communication industry has also contributed to the negative development of children in their education. Consequently, it is extremely devastating to highlight that some of the learners have mobile phones and tablets that they carry with them even to classroom environments. Hence, instead of focusing on their course work and other pieces of constructive learning materials, they engage themselves in destructive things that divert their attention away. Thus, despite the fact that various technological improvements and innovations have been realized so far regarding the presence of education in our communities, the effects of technology on education is a typical challenge that should be addressed (Mcdaniel, 2010).
Also, technology has made the learners to be irresponsible in their learning. For instance, the level of academic dishonesty and plagiarism has been under a tremendous rise lately because of laziness of the learners. Instead of focusing on producing their original pieces of works, it is extremely devastating to stipulate that learners are using technological platforms to plagiarize the mindset of other academicians. Most importantly, it is worth to note that laziness amongst academic researchers because of availability of technological information in digital platforms has also contributed a relatively high amount of cases of plagiarism in the field of academics. Therefore, there are no better ways of promoting moral responsibilities amongst the learners from different levels of learning other than by discouraging the use of technology in education (Loveland, 2012).
The world has gone through immense technological advancements up to date. However, the underlying traditional ways of learning that where children were nurtured to suit and strictly follow particular academic lines have been affected. It should be noted that most education systems in various parts of the world have embraced and incorporated the use of technology in educating their students. However, it is extremely devastating to stipulate that some students are taking the initiative to dig into materials that are essentially destructive in their lines of education. Moreover, technology has revolutionized the level of education and should be embraced accordingly. However, care and greater concern should be taken into consideration to ensure that students are not misled. More importantly, children are the future of our nations and should be nurtured in positively (Mcdaniel, 2010).
Technological innovations such as social media can create negativity in the growth and educational development of children. It makes them suspicious and depressed in trying to understand certain sets of things in the contemporary life. They also add that children accessing discreet information though social media that are entirely destructive to their growth and development. Also, children are taking into social media to access misleading information that tempers with their learning and how they should be nurtured to be productive individuals in the future. Technology has been entirely destructive in the growth and educational development of learners. For instance, youths are using technological platforms such as the social media to aid social injustices like the sale of drugs in learning environments. Other than disrupting the minds of the learners, drugs have adverse effects in the enhancement of rational thinking amongst the youths. Thus, with the above reasons, they think that technology is not useful in education (Marks, 2015).
In retrospect to that, recent technological innovations that have been incorporated into the education systems have interfered with the way of thinking of most students. Thus, other than interfering with their individual way of thinking, it also compels them to join particular groups without their full consent (The Evolving Classroom). Most importantly, the current products of digital media such as the social media has interfered with the way people used to meet and associate with their friends and peers. Thus, as far as social media is occupying the lives of a majority of learners in the society, it will be tough for its users to find common educational ground for socializing with their peers and friends who are not on social media. Technology has increased the cost of learning in different educational institutions. Parents and guardians are now required to pay for then cost of learning prospects like computer studies as part of school fees. In addition to that, a majority of technological gadgets such as laptops that are supposed to be used by the learners are expensive to purchase. Thus, they feel that that incorporation of technology at different levels of learning has increased their cost of living (Loveland, 2012).
In conclusion, technology has revolutionized the education system of most world nations. However, it is also worth that its adverse effects are also addressed to ensure that the required academic balance and sustainability is achieved (Loveland, 2012). On that regard, the fact that we have taken the initiative of embracing technological innovations in our educational systems means that all the relevant stakeholders including teachers, parents and tutors should take the responsibility of supervising the students to ensure that they gain from the technology rather than being led astray. More importantly, parents should advise their children to ensure that they stick to their life goals to the later. The purpose of education is to curb ignorance from learners. Thus, technological systems that are substantially incorporated into the education systems of our schools should be designed in a manner that will restrict the learners towards redirecting their learning objectives towards specific goals. By so doing, it will be primarily easier for nations and states to lay constructive foundations for the future generations (The Evolving Classroom).
- B. Marks, D. (2015). Flipping The Classroom: Turning An Instructional Methods Course Upside Down. 12(4).
- Loveland T., (2012). “Educational Technology and Technology Education.” Technology Education for Teachers: 115-36. Web.
- Mcdaniel S., A., (2010). “Capturing the Elusive Social Impacts of Technology.” Information, Innovation and Impacts Economics of Science, Technology and Innovation: 109-21. Web.
- Mueller, J., Wood, E., De Pasquale, D., & Cruikshank, R. (n.d.). Examining Mobile Technology in Higher Education: Handheld Devices In and Out of the Classroom. 1(2), 2012th ser.
- The Evolving Classroom: A Study of Traditional and Technology-Based Instruction in a STEM Classroom. (n.d.).
