Thinking Activity: Education and Technology

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Thinking Activity: Education and Technology

With an influx of technology almost every child wants to be  with technology in comfort manner. When 2019 is just around the corner almost every classroom is introduced with technology. Indeed, "Digital India" campaign contributed in this glorious success in India. New educational software binds one to be a multi talented as well as it empowers the remodeling of the traditional classroom. 

But there is certain mass who views technology as it is threaten their duties in using technology in classroom but  preferably it is not true.When teaching is all about to aware the students what they didn't know,there must not be any problem in using technology as it permits to explore young mind and equally sharpen them. In this era of technology there are certain platforms such as MOOC, Khan Academy, Coursera and so on. These platforms encourage modern education among younger mind and equally enhance their critical thinking. 

Sir Ken Robinson: Changing Paradigm

In this video he speaks about two main reasons behind reforming public education.

i) Economic 

ii) Culture

Economic people are more concerned about how to educate their children so that they can take their place in economies of 21st Century whereas the second possibility behind it is more concerned with how we educate our students so that they can have a sense of cultural identity. Almost he talked about changing education system of 17^th, 18^th and 19^th century. In short Robinson appeals us  the new education through technology. When education should be more greater through technology, What problem one have? He also satirizes the current machine or factory oriented education system which is not focused on enhancing critical ability of young generation.

 Sugata Mitra: School in the cloud- SOLE and Future of Learning

In this Sugata Mitra talks on paradigm shift that he wants in education system. He also pointed out Victorian education system and how paradigm shift helps with the School in the Cloud enables students to think critically, the most important ability of students which must be demanded for future job. He started his project with 'The Hole in the Wall' and talks on how a children started to operate it through self learning. Through this he emphasizes his idea of SOLE - Self Organized Learning Environments. 

Along with it he also talks on pronunciation and how through the speech to text engine software one can enhance pronunciation. Indeed how can we forget about examination threat? He also mentioned about it. He firmly believed that in order to instill the best in the student, collaborate work should be encouraged in classroom as well as exam must be  focused on problem solving dimension through internet rather than traditional memory checking oriented examination. In this entire process of new learning the question of "Why" becomes more important than the "what".

Salman Khan: Let's use video to reinvent education

In this one Salman Khan,the founder of Khan Academy speaks on self placed lectures at home by using video. Probably his idea goes against traditional method of teaching and learning. Interestingly all videos are prepared or designed in such way that one can enjoy to learn through video as well as it encourages flint learning. It enables students to learn at home and do homework at school or colleges. Isn't it a interesting idea? Equally as Sugata Mitra highlights development of critical thinking through technology, same way Salman Khan brought out this idea through his Khan Academy. 

Marc Prensky: Digital Natives and Immigrant

In this particular video he talks about digital tools widely used by younger generation of 20th century. He gave a certain figures regarding the amount of the time spent by students in using digital tools. Surrounded by technology and video games, today's grads have spent less than 5,000 hours of their lives reading but over 10,000 hours playing video games. It showcases growing interest towards technology. Because of the remarkable use of technology in education as well for other purposes, we become the native of technology while digital immigrants do not believe that students can learn by watching T.V or listening music. Indeed, they are preferably wrong because in this pop culture, along with designed educational course, each and every instrument of pop culture can be served as a new mode of education and it can not be denied.

David Crystal: The Effect of New Technologies on English

In this video, David Crystal makes us aware about the facts, with whom we have been already familiar. It should be hard for linguistic to be acquainted with this changing phase of use of English language in communication. With the arrival of Internet and as its result use of facebook, whatsapp, Twitter and so on, the very meaning of communication is changed. Instead of using correct restricted grammatically English one feel more comfortable with using it in a very shorted form. There are several words which are replaced with the changing phase of time.

For instance

Okay - k

Too,to- 2

You - u

David Crystal: The Biggest Challenge for English Language Teachers in the times of Internet

In this he speaks about changing phase of modern days. In earlier time if anyone had invented a new word, it could take a long time to be familiar with rest of the world. While in this era, if one can invent a word and put it on facebook everyone comes across it within 24 hours. In such a situation complexity arises on the part of teacher. Teacher must have to be familiar with the changing language of internet because now we are turning towards a slang culture. Along with it if a traditional teacher teaches his students to British English and the only kind of accent is receiver pronunciation, it can be obstacle in becoming a global in matter of communication.

David Crystal: Texting is 'Good' for English Language

Here he goes against the idea that texting is only done by kids. This cannot be so far relevant in nowadays. When communication become online through digital platform and it becomes part of our life we can also learn through it. It cannot be only matter of kids but it becomes a new medium of language learning.

In a very short, it can be said that technology is a very mighty medium to reform the current education and as well it stands as an immense tool to shape the future learning.