Research paper on is technology as beneficial as it seems?

Introduction

Technology involves all the steps and procedures which are involved in making, using and having knowledge of tools and techniques used to solve a problem. Technology means the skills that are involved in making work easier and ensuring the quality production of a given piece of work. Technology affects human species and other animals both directly and indirectly. The use of technology has been in place since time immemorial. (Ellul, 1967) Man initially converted natural resources into simple tools that helped him in accomplishing certain tasks. There have been several technological developments which include the printing press, internet and the use of telephone. These advancements have removed the communication barrier that existed and have today been used to make life easier. However, not all advancements in technology have been used for peaceful purposes. Technology has been used to design and make weapons which have been used during wars and in some cases to cause destructions to the natural resources that existed freely. Technology is very beneficial however if not properly used then it can be of much destructions than ever thought of. (Rudnicki, 2009)

Technology has been used for learning purposes and has aided the learning process to a very big extent however; in some instances it has caused more harm than good to the students who use it. Some of the effects of technology on students’ education include:

Making students lazy: This is a negative effect of technology. The use of technology in schools has made students lazy in the following ways. Most students in countries where technology has advanced spend less time in their studies. They take a lot of their time watching television and interacting with the computers thus leaving very little time for their studies. Since most of the learning materials are available in the internet, the students will do very little research and instead copy and paste the materials from the internet and present their assigned cases to the instructors without conducting any research. (Feenberg, 1999)

Moral degradation: Some forms of technology expose the students to morally decayed society. If the students are not selective on the type of materials to consume from the electronic media channels like the internet and television programs, they are likely to indulge into wayward behavior and lose focus on education. The social networking sites which are available in the internet are one of the major sources for destruction of the pupils in terms of morality. Some television programs are really misguiding and students who stick to them are likely to be affected a great deal. (Feenberg, 1999)There are some materials which are available in the print media with pornographic information. Such materials are usually a major source of moral degradation to the students who access such materials. (Rawles, 2009)

The use of technology has led to technological disasters especially in the learning institutions. Some of the disasters which have been seen in the learning institutions include explosive chemicals being misused in the laboratory thus causing the disasters. In the recent past, some schools do not use physical chemicals to conduct experiments in their laboratories. This has had a positive impact especially on saving the amount of resources in the laboratory as only a small sample is used in the test procedure. However, this does not help the students gain enough knowledge especially when it comes to practical subjects where each student’s input is required in order to facilitate the practical lessons and ensure that they are adequately informed.

Technology allows students to cheat easily and discourage critical thinking as students can easily obtain answers easily without much struggle. Many students who can easily access the internet do not take their time to do any assignment. They simply download information from the internet and hand in to their tutors for marking. This is a vice which has led to the production of less competitive students and professionals at the end of the studying process. (Rawles, 2009) However, currently there is plagiarism software which are used for establishing the legitimacy of any work submitted. This has helped in rooting out the vice but has not been able to control it fully since some students simply edit the information but do not carry out thorough research on a given topic assigned to them by the instructors.

The use of technology can also have negative impacts to students. It gives the students the opportunity to get involved in non-learning activities such as playing video games and participating in social networking and later result into the student’s concentration being deprived off educational activities thus affecting their classroom performance to a large extent. (Pariser, 2011)

Internet also like other forms of technology has its negative impacts. Some of the problems associated with the use of internet in the education process include loss of time doing unnecessary activities when a student is supposed to be carrying out studies. Some students access pornographic sites which makes them lose focus on their studies. The access to the pornographic sites has made the students develop morally and socially unaccepted behavior which in most cases impacts negatively on their education. (Pariser, 2011)

Prolonged use of the computers and the internet in most cases usually exposes the students to health risks. Some of the risks associated to the use of the computers include: eye problems, backaches and pain on the wrist. Prolonged use of computers can also result into frequent headaches and straining which may have negative impacts to the concentration of students in the classrooms. (Feenberg, 1999)

Technology has made it possible for the students to interact with their counterparts from all over the world. As a result, some of the students have acquired bad influence from other students and different groups of people all over the world. Some students have become victims of sexual predators which has greatly affected their education negatively and in some cases led to school dropouts. Cases of school unrest and revolt of the students against the administration have been attributed to technological advancements as students can freely communicate with others thus plan such forms of rebellion. Drug trafficking and abuse has also increased among the students due to the use of technology.

This has been a major concern as many students who are involved in such activities propagated by technology cannot concentrate in education any more but instead end up dropping out of school. (Akinoglu, 2009)

The use of social networking sites and entertainment facilities by school students have made them unsociable. Most students who use such facilities do not see the need to associate with their colleagues. This has also led to collapse of group discussions in the learning institutions which was used to uplift weaker students. Most students using technology in their studies prefer getting knowledge from the internet more than engaging their colleagues in group discussions. This can in some cases be quite misleading as not all the information available in the internet is always correct. This has led to students getting misleading information which have a negative effect on their performance in the classroom. (Akinoglu, 2009)

If technology is used in the right way, then the students are likely to benefit a lot from the use of technology. There are lots of materials available in the internet which can be very beneficial to the students. Students who use the internet properly and become wise on the types of materials to choose from the internet usually benefit a lot and are always the best in their classes. This is because there are interactive programs and sessions which can help interested students sharpen their minds through interactive questioning and research activities. (Pariser, 2011)

Recording lectures is also a very beneficial attempt in the studying process as it helps the students retain the information taught. They can later on retrieve the information and have a better understanding on the information supplied to them by their instructors. Constant reminder of a given piece of information will ensure taught that the students memorize whatever piece of information taught to them. (Rudnicki, 2009)

The use of technology has made the process of carrying out research very easy. Initially the internet and online library materials were not in existent and therefore students were forced to spend numerous hours in the library searching for a given piece of information. Today there are several research materials which enables the students carry out voluminous work within a very short period of time as they don’t need to waste a lot of time searching for a single piece of information. (Akinoglu, 2009)

Technology allows for faster and more interactive classroom sessions. This is made available through the use of PowerPoint presentations and projectors by the instructors. There are also clickers used by some tutors. The clickers enable the students to take quizzes during the classroom and have their results in real time. This gives the students a chance to sharpen their skills as they can easily make corrections whenever they make a mistake. This process enhances faster acquisition of ideas and correction of mistakes made by the students during the learning process. (Akinoglu, 2009)

The use of online tutoring programs also makes the students gain access to information without travelling long distances. Students can learn from their homes at their convenience. This enables them get remedial and extra studies at their own convenient time. This also helps them improve the mastery skills. (Akinoglu, 2009)

Students can easily deliver important paperwork to their respective lecturers at a faster speed without meeting them physically. The lecturers can also give the students their feedback in a more efficient way. This speeds up the learning process. Applications to colleges are also made easier with the provision of online application capabilities by colleges and other learning institutions. This improves the number of learning opportunities for students in different fields. (Akinoglu, 2009)

Internet is a feature in the development of technology which is very beneficial in the learning process. Some of the most beneficial features of the internet especially in the learning environment include: ease of access of information. This results into the students accessing information easily and faster. It saves both the time and money that could have been use for searching for a given piece of information using the traditional research methods. The use of the internet also makes it easy for the students to communicate with their lecturers. This makes it easy for the students to seek assistance in difficult areas during the learning process. (Rudnicki, 2009)

Technology has made it possible to automate most of the critical processes in homes and in the industry. This has made it possible for the processes to be completed within the appropriate time. This has a positive impact on the education of students especially to those students undertaking technical courses. Technology makes the learning process for such students easier and more enjoyable. Learning process is also made easier as machines take up most of the mundane jobs which had to be done by humans who are in some cases not competent enough.

The students are issued with machine instructions which aid the students in gaining more knowledge in the technical subjects. The use of technology in teaching technical courses ensures that students complete their studies within a short period of time as opposed to cases when knowledge is manually imparted by human instructors. Some of the lecturers may not turn up for a given session thus dragging the learning process. Some instructors may also not be very competent to impart the right type of information the students. All these problems can be eliminated by using preprogrammed machines to impart the knowledge to students. (Ellul, 1967)

The use of computers has changed the face of the world in many ways. The computers can be used for handling large amounts of data. This feature of the computers makes it possible for the instructors to manage data which can be used for a large number of students. If such features are not in place, then admission of students will be limited as there are no mechanisms to handle a large capacity of the students.

Lecturers can post assignment and notes over the internet for the students to access. This makes it possible for them to handle more students thus boosting the opportunities available for the students to access education. (Feenberg, 1999)

Technology has also brought about the development of the software and hardware industry. This has opened several avenues for the students to become more innovative and produce features that can handle more information and data. Other areas of technology like communication has also made students more innovative and made them become critical thinkers. This has helped the students to develop their techniques further and thus become more productive people in the society. (Ellul, 1967)

Conclusion

Technology is a very important aspect of our day to day life. It is usually a good servant but a disastrous master. Technology has been used in different sectors of the economic life and has always improved production and made work easier. However, if not properly managed it can cause more harm than good. Students use technology to aid them in their learning process which has been a big plus. Though in some cases, the students’ attention have been distracted by other forms of communication media which are freely available. This has resulted into the affected students acquiring some wayward behavior which is not beneficial at all to their learning process. Several institutions and departments are implementing the use of technology so as to maximize on their output. Learning institutions are also incorporating the use of technology in their curriculum to facilitate the learning process. Some of the students have however, taken the advantages provided by technology and misused the opportunity. This does not make technology a bad idea since the pros of technology far much outweigh the cons of technology in education. Parents and the training authorities should therefore move with speed to ensure that prohibited materials do not gain entry into the students’ learning process. This can be achieved by blocking the internet sites which contain the illicit information. The computers should be availed to the students only during the learning sessions so as to ensure that the students do not waste a lot of time with the computers. Proper technological behavior should therefore be developed to the students and their parents/teachers monitor the types of materials they access in order to ensure that they use the computers appropriately.

Annotated Bibliography

Delgado-Almonte, Milagros, Hernando Bustos Andreu, and Liliana Pedraja-Rejas. ” Information Technologies in Higher Education: Lessons Learned in Industrial Engineering.” Journal of Educational Technology & Society 13. 4 (2010): p 140-154.

This article compares a class taught over the internet, using technology as resources and ebooks without a real person in front of you or any paper or pencils involved. It compared the grades and the number of passing students. I think this article shows how technology can benefit education in some ways.

Bertrand, William E. ” Higher Education and Technology Transfer: The Effects of “ Techno-Sclerosis” on Development.” Journal of International Affairs 64. 1 (2010): p 101-119.

< http://search. ebscohost. com/login. aspx? direct= true&db= aph&AN= 57850854&site= ehost-live>
This article emphasizes the importance of universities to keep up with today’s technology. It stresses the importance of changing the structure of the schools that are falling behind technologically and calls for action. I think this article has valid points that I could use in my essay as reasons that technology is essential to improving education.

Akinoglu, Orhan. ” Internet and Internet Use: Teacher Trainees’ Perspective.” Journal of Instructional Psychology 36. 2 (2009): p 97.

< http://search. ebscohost. com/login. aspx? direct= true&db= f5h&AN= 43843912&site= ehost-live>
This article is about a study done among teachers, it gives their input on the internet and how it affects their students. The teachers in this article talk about the benefits of the internet and its’ harms. They take into account the good and the bad and propose percentages of how much is used by students. They also talk about how valid some of the information on the internet is. I think this article can be useful for giving both sides of the discussion on internet and education. Since all the other articles I’ve found have been talking about how good technology is for education, this article can serve as a buffer.

Rudnicki, Wendi. “ Faces In The Crowd: Technology, a helpful tool for one Alvin counselor Tim Gusey using Skype to talk face to face with those living, working overseas” Houston Chronicle.  Houston, Tex.: (Jul 23, 2009): p 2.

I liked this article because it’s about a person who uses technology to keep connected to his friends and family. Even though it’s not about education necessarily, it is just a general benefit of technology. This article has uses a lot of Pathos persuasion which I think will be a big benefit to my paper.

Digital Nation. “ Distracted by Everything” Frontline by PBS. Created 2-2-2010. Accessed 5-1-2011. Online Video.
This online video gives good perspective on the good and bad of technology. It talks about the importance of being up to date but also addresses the issues that technology is essentially dumbing down society. This is the first source I’ve found that interviews real students and talks about their “ digital life” which is basically talking about how huge a part of students’ lives technology is. This video addresses students in MIT, one of the top schools in the nation, who use technology for a big portion of every day. These very smart students are so capable of paying attention that they multitask during class and this video shows the negative effects of that multitasking.

Steven Levy, In The Plex: How Google Thinks, Works, and Shapes Our Lives. Simon & Schuster Publishers. 2011

This article takes a look at the contradictions which exist on the internet search. The author takes an insight view of the benefits of using the Google search engine and how it affects our lives both directly and indirectly. The author also looks at privacy implications . Simon of the Google and its drive to sponge up all information. The author also offers plenty of information about Google since he had the opportunity to observe the company’s operations and developments. The book also gives both the pros and the cons of using the Google search engine.

Andrew Feenberg, Questioning Technology. Routledge Publishers. 1999

This piece of work is a cutting edge philosophy of technology which advocates for the democratization of technology and pushing for the adoption of technology. It is one of the most important books of technology in the present era. The author describes several aspects of technology which may become appealing but at the same time quite misleading. The author shows that technology is the medium of daily life and that there is need for everybody to embrace technology and live better with it and manage it.

Jacques Ellul. The Technological Society. Vintage Publishers. 1967

This book shows how different human activities have been made technical. The book embraces technology and explains on how technology can be considered a servant of man. The author gives an insight on the advancements that have taken place in technology and how each innovation improved life.

Eli Pariser. The Filter Bubble: What the Internet Is Hiding from You. Penguin Press Publishers. 2011

This book is in form of questions and answers. It attempts to root out all the contents of the internet which might not seem to be obvious. The book gives an insight depth on the negative and positive impacts of the internet. It also shows the reader how internet can be used efficiently and the dos and don’ts when using the internet in order to ensure maximum output.
James Wesley Rawles. How to Survive the End of the World as We Know It: Tactics, Techniques, and Technologies for Uncertain Times. Plume Publisher. 2009

This book takes a look at the negative effects of technology and the steps that people can take so as to ensure they are not in the wrong side of technology. The book comprehensively analyze technology in terms of its negative impacts and positive impacts and then giving a recommendation on maximizing the output.

Work cited list

1. Akinoglu, Orhan. ” Internet and Internet Use: Teacher Trainees’ Perspective.” Journal of Instructional Psychology 36. 2 (2009): p 97.
2. Andrew Feenberg, Questioning Technology. Routledge Publishers. 1999
3. Bertrand, William E. ” Higher Education and Technology Transfer: The Effects of “ Techno-Sclerosis” on Development.” Journal of International Affairs 64. 1 (2010): p 101-119.
4. Delgado-Almonte, Milagros, Hernando Bustos Andreu, and Liliana Pedraja-Rejas. ” Information Technologies in Higher Education: Lessons Learned in Industrial Engineering.” Journal of Educational Technology & Society 13. 4 (2010): p 140-154.
5. Digital Nation. “ Distracted by Everything” Frontline by PBS. Created 2-2-2010. Accessed 5-1-2011. Online Video
6. Eli Pariser. The Filter Bubble: What the Internet Is Hiding from You. Penguin Press Publishers. 2011
7. Jacques Ellul. The Technological Society. Vintage Publishers. 1967
8. James Wesley Rawles. How to Survive the End of the World as We Know It: Tactics, Techniques, and Technologies for Uncertain Times. Plume Publisher. 2009
9. Rudnicki, Wendi. “ Faces In The Crowd: Technology, a helpful tool for one Alvin counselor Tim Gusey using Skype to talk face to face with those living, working overseas” Houston Chronicle.  Houston, Tex.: (Jul 23, 2009): p 2.
10. Steven Levy, In The Plex: How Google Thinks, Works, and Shapes Our Lives. Simon & Schuster Publishers. 2011