Education And Technology
By: Josh, Υя_Ωιѕємαη
Tags: Knowledge, Life, Education, Life Lessons, Growth

A subject often misunderstood and very often used interchangeably, yet very different. But what is it about them that they are often considered as pairs? Is it because of their dictionary definitions or because they are often seen as synonyms of each other?

Today, in a globalized world, where information is mostly digital, living in the information society, education becomes fundamental. It will allow reducing the abyss and the differences between those who have access to technologies and those who do not have. Aiming at the democratisation of access to information, enabling everyone to build knowledge-based on new technologies, making our society more just.

For some decades now, schools in a good part of the world have talked about “paradigm shift” in education. Traditional education would be based on the transmission and accumulation of information what Paulo Freire called “banking education”. Today, society would demand an education more focused on the integral formation of citizens.

This integral formation of the human being, in our current society, involves the construction of skills such as autonomy, responsibility, critical sense/thinking, knowing how to do, knowing how to learn, knowing how to live together, among others. New technologies alone will not build these competencies; they are not an end in themselves, nor a cure.

Information and communication technologies were not created for use in education; they result from economic and political interests. For example, the internet emerged in times of war to maintain communication between military bases. Nevertheless, how do we effectively combine these technologies with education? What do they have to offer that makes them so important and debated recently?

These are not such easy answers, as we are only at the beginning of this process, there are no ready-made answers or perfect solutions. Indeed, there are proposals for the conscious use of these technologies: proposals that remove or at least soften exclusions that humanise and transform the human being into not only a user but also a critical user.

While many private schools in some places around the world access the internet in high school and only a little percentage access it in public schools. But what would public school students be missing from the lack of internet access? They would be missing the opportunity to deal with the digital world, with materials that facilitate, expand, diversify learning, and allow interactivity.

These materials, coming from different cultures and peoples, containing different languages, such as visual, audiovisual, textual, pictorial, etc. These students are being excluded from the globalisation process, from the current cultural process and as a result, they are being excluded from the labour market. The reality is that, for the first time, education is faced with the possibility of influencing our development decisively.

Although the UK's education system may differ to the rest of the world, we know that the reality of education in some if not many countries still lack basic resources. Still, one cannot think that new technologies are superfluous. We must put efforts on both because a school equipped with a computer without desks and blackboards is of no use. Today, we must overcome the delays of the past, making possible a future combined with technologies.

Therefore, new technologies arise often, and schools need to adapt and change their teaching methods, including, to guarantee learning and opportunities, because today nobody can learn everything. Still, one must learn to learn, that way one will be manipulating the technologies, that allow access to innumerable information, but with the necessary awareness and critical sense for a citizen of the information society, because in this universe of knowledge, in this immense network of communicating and interactive vessels, they assume greater importance regarding methodologies, learning to navigate, further reducing the concept of stock of knowledge to be transmitted.

Another facet of our current information society, also linked to learning to navigate is linked to easing, access to information anywhere and anytime, creating new spaces for knowledge, therefore schools today should not lose its status as educators, because today any subject can be in contact with information in different places and times.

The possibility of a truly continuous education arises, that is, the citizens of the globalised world can be at all times, seeking information that facilitates, expands and modifies their knowledge and realities, whether related to personal or professional life.

The planet has become our classroom and our address Herbert McLuhan —

In conclusion

The current society requires us a review of our roles, our relationship with the world, and the other, whether on the part of teachers, students or schools. This change may be slow, different from the productive sectors. Furthermore, it is the beginning, as many have already noticed that it is impossible to change the course of our history, so we must prepare and train citizens to live our time consciously.