How has Technology influenced the Classroom?

 

During the last 50 years or so, technology has evolved rapidly. This means that different teaching techniques have been developed. However, this change of technology has also impacted students’ mindsets, beliefs and behavior.

 

From the 70s onward, educational software was employed in the classroom across the United States. In the UK, the BBC Micro Model B released in 1981 was the first mainstream educational computer [1]. Fast-forward 40 years, in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic and UK schools have to use remote learning and digital tools to teach its students. This event has driven forward change in traditional, board teaching methods for more modern and digital ones using slideshows and digital exercises, which can make the classroom feel more engaging for students and perhaps make them learn better. In May of 2021, a survey showed that 71% of secondary schools were using educational technology in school [2]

 

As mentioned earlier, technological advance has also brought by social media and direct communication. A big problem is students’ attention span, which decreased by over 30% in the last 20 years on a screen, mostly by the need to always check their phone (FOMO, fear-of-missing-out) and multi-tasking. This can lead to issues when sitting through long school days, doing homework, writing essays or even sitting through GCSE/A Level exams as the average attention span in front of a screen is just 43 seconds [3].

 

In conclusion, although there are many positives in the use of technology in classrooms, such as more graphical and visual, or more interactive and interesting teaching methods, the ever increasing distraction provided by laptops, PC and mobile phones are a huge issue and something that has to be combated for future generations.

 

[1]: https://www.computinghistory.org.uk/det/182/Acorn-BBC-Micro-Model-B/

[2]: Education Technology Survey 2020-21, https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/621ce8ec8fa8f54915f43838/Education_Technology_EdTech_Survey.pdf

[3]: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/are-attention-spans-getting-shorter-and-does-it-matter/