Abstract
The introduction of information technology in the educational process is a phenomenon that causes a lot of controversies. On the one hand, the advantages of the technologization of education are undeniable. On the other hand, people are afraid of changing the traditional educational system. However, the advantages of the digitalization of education far outweigh the disadvantages. In the 21st century, education must comply with modern trends in technological progress to meet its goals and objectives. With the proper use of educational information technologies, both the institution and teachers will be able to work more efficiently. The limitations include difficulties in the implementation: the need to retrain teachers and re-equip classes. The solution to the above problems can be the moderate use of information educational technologies within the framework of the traditional system.
Introduction
Modern education widely uses the achievements of technology; this process is going faster every year. Computerization is one of the priorities of education in the new technological era. The technical advancement of education makes it accessible; students approach newer tools that make it easier to find and master information. Despite significant benefits, the use of technology in education is controversial. There is an opinion that the introduction of technology in the educational process distracts students from classes. Considering both sides of the issue, it becomes clear that the advantages of this process outweigh the disadvantages. Through the history of the educational process, it becomes clear that the desire for modernization is characteristic of all stages.
Summary and Context
Before the age of technological progress, world pedagogy was trying to modernize the educational process by using new teaching aids. Pedagogical technology has paid maximum attention to the widespread use of technical means in order to increase the information content of education (Smith, 2020). Previously, radio and television were considered traditional technological educational means. With the development of technological progress, outdated tools have replaced personal computers, databases and electronic networks. Computer networks have transferred the learning process to a completely new quality. The new possibilities of modern education are primarily associated with the ability to access information from anywhere in the world. Electronic libraries, file storage and databases have become instantly available to anyone who has a personal computer.
Modern education uses e-mails and chats to quickly exchange information. For online communication, software has been developed that allows people to transfer media and text data, which is actively used for distance learning. The modern education system actively uses office programs and the achievements of information technology to prepare presentations, perform tasks in text editors, and calculate in spreadsheets. Technology has helped develop educational platforms that enable faculty and students to communicate quickly.
Critical analysis
With the proper use of the achievements of technological progress in new forms of education, it is possible to solve a number of didactic tasks that traditional means do not fully cope with. For the successful implementation of the task, the teacher must recognize the favorable properties of information technology, possess technical knowledge and be able to correctly apply technical means. First of all, technology helps to improve the teaching process itself. An important aspect is to increase the level of self-preparation of students. Technologies influence the formation of the student’s motivation for learning. Technological advances make it possible to provide a continuous and flexible learning process that meets the needs of each student. Moreover, by technical means, students form skills and abilities that allow them to select and systematize information. Modernization of the learning process trains the skills of critical thinking, which is important in the modern abundance of various reliable and inaccurate information. Technological advances make the job of teachers easier by simplifying the process of grading, delivering course assignments, and sharing teaching materials.
An example of modern technology in the learning process is Web 2.0 Tools, which are digital programs that help students create and distribute their products. The main advantage is the ease of use and versatility of this tool. With these benefits, digital platforms encourage students to work in teams while developing communication skills. Web 2.0 tools provide learners with fun ways to interact and, most importantly, learn from course content (Hursen, 2021). Web 2.0 tools are useful for increasing student engagement and motivation. This tool is especially relevant in cases where students are required to use the skills to generalize and analyze information. Web 2.0 is proving to be more effective than traditional exercises (Sahin-Topalcengiz & Yildirim, 2020). Web 2.0 tools allow learners to interact with others as they share their knowledge. Students can share their thoughts and finished products not only with their fellow students but also with students from all over the world, thereby learning to work in a team and complementing existing research.
Despite the advantages, the rapid digitalization process has several disadvantages that complicate the process of implementation in the educational system. One of the most common concerns is the negative impact of information technology on the physical and psychological state of the student. Frequent work at the computer may deteriorate vision, and posture, and decrease physical activity. In addition, information technology leads to the individualization of the educational process. Total individualization can lead to a decrease in the dialogical communication of students with teachers and among themselves. Distance learning offers an analog of live communication, which cannot fully replace face-to-face dialogue. Students’ speech activity is reduced when working with information and communication. This form of learning does not involve all students in the process, allowing silent students to sit out the entire lesson. In the long term, distance learning leads to the uselessness of the area of the human brain responsible for the objectivization of thinking.
Since the student does not yet have all the necessary tools for dialogical thinking and dialogue for professional communication, the development of these skills is critical for future work. Independent thinking, which is a monologue communication with oneself, may also suffer. If an educational institution chooses the path of total individualization, teachers may miss the origins of the formation of the creative process, which is directly related to the skill and ability to communicate.
Electronic resources allow not only to obtain the necessary information to solve any problem but also make it possible to completely copy the data found and pass it off as the result of one’s activity. Even before the age of technological progress, students had the opportunity to write off, but now plagiarism has become much easier and more accessible. A person who plagiarizes violates not only intellectual property rights but also deprives himself of the opportunity to understand the problem independently. When copying text, a person does not need to invent something new, think, or make discoveries.
The ability to store and edit data on the Internet gives rise to another drawback of using information technology, which is the unreliability of the data. The amount of information and the ease of dissemination makes it impossible to control its quality and correctness. A considerable number of unverified sources, errors, and typos can lead to errors in students’ work. It is impossible to correctly solve the problem and get the correct answer based on deliberately false data. Any user can post the work results, articles, conclusions, and assumptions to the public, while no one will check their calculations for literacy and truth. There are no restrictions on using this data, and there is no guarantee that no one will use it as the basis for their work.
Another significant disadvantage of expanding the use of information technology in the teaching process is the difficulty of retraining teachers and refurbishing classrooms. Teachers face the need to adapt to new conditions and the difficulty of constantly having to keep students’ attention. Tensions have arisen between digital pedagogy, systemic rules, and teachers’ digital skills (Greenhow et al., 2021). For the competent introduction of technologies into the educational process, teachers themselves must be active users of them. Since the generational gap affects the perception of the modern world, this can be difficult. Refurbishing classrooms and equipping each school with computers is a challenge. In poor areas, educational institutions continue to use predominantly traditional teaching methods (Flores, 2020). The rapid pace of computerization of education significantly increases the gap between students from prosperous and disadvantaged areas.
The issue of the rapid development of technology, including in the educational process, worries believing Christians. In general, the Church is not hostile to progress and technology; on the contrary, the monks have shown significant scientific and technical ingenuity results over the centuries. The monasteries were centers of the exact sciences; mathematics, zoology, chemistry, and medicine developed there. The main criterion in the adoption of information technology is moderation. Simplicity, modesty, and humility as the supreme virtues mentioned in the Bible, are applicable in the use of technological advances.
Despite the presence of several polar points of view on the issue of the use of technology in the educational process, the pros outweigh the cons. The prospects for the use of technology are comprehensive and multifaceted. The education sector will have to implement them to stay in tune with the progressive society of the 21st century. Difficulties in implementing information technologies are due to fears of the inevitable change in the educational process. For the final and painless transition to the digital age, complete retraining of teachers will be required. All teachers should be aware of the importance of using technology in education and should be technically prepared. The use of technology can undermine the usual traditional educational process. However, when used correctly, they will only benefit students and teachers.
Conclusion
Despite opposing opinions on the use of technology, the benefits outweigh the disadvantages. The advantages of using technology in the educational process include the availability of education, developing skills in collecting and analyzing information, and increasing self-training. The negative aspects of this process are characterized by difficulties in implementation, the creation of distractions for students, and an increase in the possibility of cheating. However, the development of technology is an irreversible process in modern society. The solution to the problems of technologization of the education process can be moderation in using new information tools and not a complete replacement of the traditional educational system.
References
Flores, M. A. (2020). Preparing teachers to teach in complex settings: Opportunities for professional learning and development. European Journal of Teacher Education, 43(3), 297-300. Web.
Greenhow, C., Lewin, C., & Staudt Willet, K. B. (2021). The educational response to Covid-19 across two countries: A critical examination of initial digital pedagogy adoption. Technology, Pedagogy and Education, 30(1), 7-25. Web.
Hursen, C. (2021). The effect of the problem-based learning method supported by Web 2.0 tools on academic achievement and critical thinking skills in teacher education. Technology, Knowledge and Learning, 26(3), 515-533. Web.
Sahin-Topalcengiz, E., & Yildirim, B. (2020). Teachers’ opinions about distance web 2.0 tools training and teachers’ in-class web 2.0 practices. Journal of Turkish Science Education, 17(4), 561-577. Web.
Smith, S. J. (2020). Windows into the history and philosophy of education. Kendall Hunt Publishing Company.