¶ … Technology has had -- and will continue to have -- a significant impact on higher education." (week 5 outline)
a) The history of technology in education can be traced to the use of mathematical instruments like the abacus, or measuring sticks. However, technology in education now connotes information technology. Information technology has transformed the nature of how education is delivered and received. However, there are some barriers to adapting to the proliferation of academic technologies in all educational institutions. Cost is one of the great barriers to incorporating information technologies. Unequal access to education is already a significant social and humanitarian problem. Access to technology may be an even bigger problem because of the costs involved in implementing technological tools in places of learning.
b) Argument 1: Technology use should be maximized in educational institutions because it is crucial to expose students to technology throughout their education. The more students are exposed to technologies throughout their academic careers, the better off they are.
Argument 2: Technology facilitates the delivery of learning to students worldwide, thereby making education even more accessible to greater numbers of people. In fact, technology is an equalizer. It does not divide the world further into haves and have-nots.
Argument 3: Technology should be minimized in education, which should focus more on content and curricular issues than on the tools to acquire knowledge.
Argument 4: The emphasis on technology has made it harder for some people to acquire an education, due to financial constraints.
c) This topic impacts me directly because I rely on technology to learn, and want technology to become a tool that makes education more democratic.
d) Resolving the issue requires policies that promote equal access to educational technologies within the entire population. It...
The reason why online and
distance learning has proliferated is because of advancements in the technology. However, educational institutions are relying more and more on hard evidence to design their distance learning programs. This is because an effective and credible distance learning program must be rooted in
empirical evidence.
b) Argument 1: Distance learning is equally as effective as traditional
classroom learning.
Argument 2: Research shows that distance learning helps make education more accessible to persons who would otherwise not be able to receive a higher education, such as people with full-time jobs and families.
Argument 3: There is still insufficient evidence to support the efficacy of distance learning.
Argument 4: Research in distance learning is inconclusive, and does not account for the subtle issues at stake when a student learns in a classroom and has social interactions with other students and the instructors.
c) I am conflicted about the issues surrounding distance learning, because there is not yet enough research to support it. However, distance learning does make education more accessible for a greater number of people. Education using distance learning is cheaper too.
d) To resolve this issue, the best
intervention is more research. Schools can develop more effective…
