Technology has become an integral part of education in the 21st century. It can help students and teachers with collaboration, communication, engagement, and 21st-century skills ¹. The COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated why online education should be a vital part of teaching and learning ¹. By integrating technology into existing curricula, teachers can harness online learning as a powerful educational tool. The effective use of digital learning tools in classrooms can increase student engagement, help teachers improve their lesson plans, and facilitate personalized learning ¹. It also helps students build essential 21st-century skills ¹. Virtual classrooms, video, augmented reality (AR), robots, and other technology tools can not only make class more lively, they can also create more inclusive learning environments that foster collaboration and inquisitiveness and enable teachers to collect data on student performance ¹. However, it’s important to note that technology is a tool used in education and not an end in itself ¹. The promise of educational technology lies in what educators do with it and how it is used to best support their students’ needs ¹.

Educational technology has its challenges, particularly when it comes to implementation and use ¹. For example, despite growing interest in the use of AR, artificial intelligence, and other emerging technology, less than 10 percent of schools report having these tools in their classrooms ¹. Additional concerns include excessive screen time, the effectiveness of teachers using the technology, and worries about technology equity ¹. Prominently rising from the COVID-19 crisis is the issue of content. Educators need to be able to develop and weigh in on online educational content, especially to encourage students to consider a topic from different perspectives ¹. The urgent actions taken during this crisis did not provide sufficient time for this.

In conclusion, technology can enhance learning and support students’ success in the future. However, it’s important to be mindful of the challenges that come with it and how to best use it to support students’ needs ¹.

Source(s)

1. How Important Is Technology in Education? | American University

2. Why technology in education must be on our terms | UNESCO

3. Top 5 Benefits of Technology in the Classroom – Walden University