Technology Is Changing Education :: essays research papers fc

Technology is Changing Education The best method for improving educational standards is to utilize every tool available, including state-of-the-art technology. Computers and the Internet have expanded the way in which education can be delivered to the students of today. Today's networking technologies provide a valuable opportunity to the practice of learning techniques. Educators are discovering that computers and multi-based educational tools are facilitating learning and enhancing social interaction. Computer based telecommunications can offer enormous instructional opportunities, but educators will need to adapt current lesson plan to incorporate this new medium into all the classrooms. The only problem is that some of today's schools are hindered by an under-powered technology based curriculum and, in order to stay competitive, the American educational system must do a better job of integrating. Computers have made a fundamental change in most industries, providing a competitive advantage that has come to be essential to stay in business. Therefore, education must also use technology to improve the educational process instead of simply applying it to existing structures. School systems often consider acquiring an enterprise computer network, but justify its purchase by applying it to routine administrative tasks, or take period by period attendance. Although these tasks are important, they only represent a small part of what technology can do for an educational institution. Technology must go beyond just keeping attendance, it must focus on keeping students interested and productive. "Curriculum improvement is the best strategy to prevent dropouts; technology is especially useful in this regard" (Kinnaman 78). Technology can provide a unique and compelling curriculum resource, that challenges every student. The Clinton administration has taken steps towards improving educational standards via its "Goals 2000: Educate America Act of 1994" (Thornburg 23). However, several interpretations of the Act never mention the use of technology. Advocates of the Act need to realize that Internet linked computers can provide more current information than what is found in today's "exciting" textbooks. For example, science textbooks and history textbooks are notoriously out of date. In contrast, the Internet offers students a vast pool of current scientific data. Most of the time the Internet makes learning fun, unlike the plain fashion of the "almighty" textbook. Computers and other technology can also heighten the learning process by actively engaging students in the task of exploring data. Some students may be tempted to simply download information from the Internet that does not have anything to do with a particular subject that they were asked to research. This shows that the Internet may have a greater impact to education than to learn that information from a typical textbook. Since computers and the Internet have expanded the way with which