Technology Is Changing Education :: essays research papers fc

Technology is Changing Education     The best method for improving educational standards is to utilize everytool available, including state-of-the-art technology. Computers and theInternet sport expanded the way in which education can be delivered to thestudents of today. Todays networking technologies provide a valuableopportunity to the practice of learning techniques. Educators be discoveringthat computers and multi-based educational tools are facilitating learning andenhancing social interaction. Computer based telecommunications can offerenormous instructional opportunities, but educators will need to adapt currentlesson plan to comprise this new medium into all the classrooms. The onlyproblem is that some of todays schools are hindered by an under-poweredtechnology based curriculum and, in order to stay competitive, the Americaneducational system must do a better job of integrating.     Computers have made a fundamental change in most industries, providing acompetitive advantage that has come to be essential to stay in business.Therefore, education must also use technology to improve the educational branchinstead of simply applying it to existing structures. School systems oftenconsider acquiring an enterprise computer network, but justify its purchase byapplying it to r issueine administrative tasks, or take period by period attendance.Although these tasks are important, they only represent a small part of whattechnology can do for an educational institution. Technology must go beyondjust keeping attendance, it must focus on keeping students interested andproductive. "Curriculum improvement is the best outline to prevent dropoutstechnology is especially useful in this regard" (Kinnaman 78). Technology canprovide a unique and compelling curriculum resource, that challenges everystudent.The Clinton government has taken steps towards improving educationalstandards 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 encounter that Internet linked computers can providemore current information than what is found in todays "exciting" textbooks.For example, science textbooks and history textbooks are notoriously out of date.In contrast, the Internet offers students a vast pool of current scientificdata. Most of the time the Internet makes learning fun, unlike the plainfashion of the " overlord" textbook. Computers and other technology can alsoheighten the learning process by actively engaging students in the task ofexploring data. Some students may be tempted to simply download informationfrom the Internet that does not have anything to do with a particular subjectthat they were asked to research. This shows that the Internet may have a great impact to education than to learn that information from a typicaltextbook. Since computers and the In ternet have expanded the way with which