Learning with Technology: Advantages and Disadvantages

Learning with Technology: Advantages and Disadvantages The present era is an era of technology. Everywhere we are surrounded with technological devices and everyone is somehow familiar with technology. The foundation of all types of technology is laid down in educational institutions. The education in secondary level plays an essential role since it is responsible for the development of society. Therefore, secondary education can be made more effective by the use of technology and all resources made available through technology. This introduces us to the term Educational Technology. The word was recognised in 1967 with the establishment of National Council for Educational Technology in the United Kingdom.  [1]  N. Venkataiah in his book Educational Technology noted that For different reasons educational technology perhaps will perform support or enriching role relative to classroom teaching in college and University rather than serving a replacement for such instruction.  [2]  Every technology has its merits and limitations and no one technology is useful for all types of learning. Benefits of using technology in the learning context We can talk of many benefits and criticism related to the use of technology in education. First we are going to deal with few advantages of making use of technology in the learning context. Technology in the learning process can increase students motivation. Computer based education can give immediate feedback to student and the right answers. Moreover a computer can give student motivation to continue learning, since a computer is patient and non-judgemental. According to James Kulik, who studies the effectiveness of computers used for leaning, students usually gain more in less time when receiving computer-based instructions and they build up more positive approach to the subject learned.  [3]  The American educator, Cassandra B. Whyte thought that successful academic performance in the future will depend on how computer usage and information technology would become important in the education experience of the future.  [4]   Educational technology provides the way for students to be active participants in their learning and to present differentiated questioning approaches. It expands individualized education and encourages the progress of personalized learning plans. Students are encouraged to use multimedia components and to integrate the knowledge they achieved in innovative ways.  [5]   Criticism to Learning Technology Although technology in the classroom does have many benefits, there are clear shortcomings as well. Not having proper training, limited access to enough quantities of a technology, and the additional time required for many running of technology are just a few reasons that technology is often not used widely in the classroom. Similar to learning a new task, special training is vital to ensure effectiveness when using things like technology. Training is a must when dealing with technology and education. Since technology is not the end goal of technology, but a means to be more effective in learning, educators must having a good grasp of the technology they can use or they are using and its advantages over the traditional means. If there is a lack of training, the use of technology will not give the all the good results that are given when technology is being used correctly. Another difficulty that which might arose when using technology for teaching/learning is the access to an enough amount of resources. Many teachers use technology by using a projector or screen, to show picture or videos, since there are not enough computers available for the students in order to be used by them and create or use it during the lesson. This also occurs when there is limited amount of access to technology because of high cost of technology and the fear of damages. There other cases when there the inconvenience of resources in such cases, such as having to transport the whole class to a computer lab or media room.  [6]   One of the disadvantages of using technology in education is that it is time consuming. Teachers had to prepare not only their lesson plans but had to prepare these resources using technology, which for teachers not familiar with technology can be a bit of headache. Another major issue which arise is that technology is too fast evolving. New resources have to be designed whenever the technological platform is changed. Changing for many times is not possible because of expenses and therefore there is the need to train teachers in order to know how to use new technologies.  [7]   But even there are all these disadvantages, one had to continue support the use of technology while investing in training of teachers, creating resources and made them available. Technologies of information and their implementation in learning In this part we are going to deal with some of the technologies of information available that can be used in education. While observing their strengths and weaknesses, we are going to evaluate their implementation in the teaching/learning context. Interactive Whiteboard An interactive whiteboard is a large display connected to a projector and a laptop/computer. By using a pen, stylus or finger users can control what is seen on the display through these tools. So, by touching the screen one manages and controls the computer. Through a pen/stylus the user can calibrate the system if necessary, activate programs, buttons and menus found on the computer which is connected to the interactive whiteboard. If the user wants to enter text, can either make use of on-screen keyboard or else can utilize handwriting by using the pen/stylus. As technology and software programs are continuing to develop, there is an increase in interactivity, since interactive whiteboards are being supplied with software programs that provide all necessary tools and functions which can give the ability to create virtual versions of paper flipcharts with pen and highlighter options. Such softwares also include tools like protractors, rulers and compasses to make use of traditional teaching tools, since students are more familiar with and more available to use.  [8]   Interactive whiteboards are being used in many schools as a replacement for the traditional whiteboards or flipcharts or video/media systems. Interactive whiteboards can be used to connect to online shared annotations and drawing environments. The software helps teacher to keep electronic records of their note for later use. Also, teacher can record their instruction which they had done during the lesson on the interactive whiteboard, which can be saved as a digital video format and then can post this material for review and revision by the students. This is an advantage for the students to see a revision of what had been done in school, especially when something was not understood well, when they are absent or when they want to revise for examination. Some software programs used with interactive whiteboards allow also the recording of the teachers voice.  [9]   Obviously the main advantage of this technology is interactivity as the name reflects. Students also by the help of the teacher can make use of the interactive whiteboard during the lesson, to choose picture, drawing, write and more. Research by Glover and Miller on the impact of interactive whiteboards in secondary schools, shows that even interactive whiteboards are a technology more than a computer, their use in schools and by teachers reflects that their potential is unrealized. According to the authors of this research the use of interactive whiteboards by teachers is made in three ways: as an aid to efficiency, as an extension device, and as a transformative device.  [10]   Even if technology always is done for the benefit of humanity and to make life more easer, interactive whiteboards also were criticised by many for diverse reasons. According to the Washington Post article, published in June 11, 2010: Many academics question industry-backed studies linking improved test scores to their products. And some go further. They argue that the most ubiquitous device-of-the-future, the interactive whiteboard essentially a giant interactive computer screen that is usurping blackboards in classrooms across America locks teachers into a 19th-century lecture style of instruction counter to the more collaborative small-group models that many reformers favour.  [11]   The Londons Institute of Education in a report on the interactive whiteboards says that, Although the newness of the technology was initially welcomed by pupils any boost in motivation seems short-lived. Statistical analysis showed no impact on pupil performance in the first year in which departments were fully equipped.  [12]  The report also emphasize such issues such as the fact that teacher gives more importance to the new technology than on what pupils should be learning. It was noted that the focus on interactivity as a technical process can lead to everyday activities which were being overestimated and also that in lower-ability classes it would slow the pace of whole class learning since individual pupils took turns at the board.  [13]   Internet In many countries and homes, the Internet and the World Wide Web in particular can be considered as part of the household and as common household term. This is proven by amount of reference to internet in the daily life and the amount of time which people, especially those who are still studying in schools, spend surfing on the internet.  [14]  The popularity of internet had made it as an important tool in education both as a great resource and as tool in class. The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that are accessible to billions of users around the globe. It is a network of networks that is made up of so many networks which are private, public, academic, business and government use. The internet holds a vast range of information resources and services.  [15]   When for the first time teachers were introduced to the internet, there first reaction was about the tremendous educational potentials which exist on the internet. Internet was seen as an instrument to answer the learning needs of many students since it have vast amount of resources.  [16]   The use of internet adds something new, some real value, to teaching. The internet offers a tremendous way of communication between students themselves and with experts regarding the subject they are studying. Moreover students can join groups which discuss their favourite subject to continue enhance their information regarding that particular subject.  [17]   The internet can be a support when teacher using animation, pictures, maps, images and other resources. For example when studying the land in which Jesus lives, to which the student has never been, a virtual tour to some of the landmarks through the internet can make the lesson more attractive and interesting, since they are not only imagining what the teacher is saying about the Holy Land but also seeing how the Holy Land looks like. The use of internet is in contrast with the use of textbooks. Many of our textbooks can be considered outdated. The use of internet can gives us the opportunity to include current data in our lessons. On the other side the internet has also its weaknesses. Teaching involves human process that cannot be automated or manufactured. One important instrument of teaching is the human touch, which cannot be replaced. The extreme use of internet and computer lead to lacking of human touch when computer replace teachers.  [18]   Moreover there is no solid confirmation that computers develop positively students performance, since stories of success are isolated cases. This may result due to time needed for teachers to develop good applications to be used in classrooms. Even if the Internet improves learning, no one is yet to prove that the advantages of teaching using the Internet significantly outweigh the advantages of using other cheaper information media. Every new technology brings with it positive and negative impact. Nobody has taken time to analyze the negative impact of exposing children to the Internet may have on their social development.  [19]   Microsoft PowerPoint or other presentation software The use of PowerPoint during teaching has a significant amount of potentialities for encouraging more visual use and more proficient presentations, since one can put text, audio, videos, pictures, graphs and much more. PowerPoint is a widely used presentation programme which had originated in the business world but today had found also a very comfortable place in the world of teaching. The popularity of PowerPoint in educational technology stem directly from one of its famous features, that is, the ease of use, also by those who cannot be considered as experts on computer.  [20]   Good use of PowerPoint enhances the teaching and learning experience of both teachers and the students. This is continuously developing since the Microsoft Corporation which created PowerPoint is endlessly developing and adding more features to its software to make it more easy and professional look like, such as the integration of video clips and words at the same time and the use of the presenters view, in order for whom is doing the presentation to see what comes next or work with other programs at the same time. As well, the templates provided can help to make simple professional look of the presentation in order to be more effective and successful.  [21]   PowerPoint software also gives the accessibility to print what had been shown in the presentation in order for students to have a copy of the presentation shown during the lesson. Few are those disadvantages when using PowerPoint. An important element when using PowerPoint is the way how teachers should use it when they are making use of it in classrooms. Teacher should give attention to not have large amount of material on one slide which can make difficult for the students to comprehend what the teacher is actually doing in the lesson.  [22]   Video clip The use of video clips in education is developing very faster, since time has pass on static images and pictures. Today we are developing the idea of movement in pictures and in our presentations. The fact that video editing programs are now available for everyone to use on his personal computer, the trend that is developing is to create videos to enhance more the attention and motivation of the students. This developing is made easier through websites such as Youtube.com and Vimeo.com, where one can upload his videos while others can see and download for personal use. This innovative idea had created a planet of video resources which can be use for teaching. Conclusion The use of these available technologies and others can make our teaching more effective and interesting. This use of old textbooks and methods of learning are a bit out of this world, since students are all surrounded by this new technologies which are developing very fast. This does not mean that we have to trash all old methods and textbooks but it is important to incorporate technology to make lessons more enjoyable, creative and effective.

Free College Essays - A Separate Peace :: A Separate Peace Essays

A Separate Peace "Holding firmly to the trunk, I took a step toward him, and then my knees bent and I jounced the limb." This is a quotation from the novel A Separate Peace, written by John Knowles. My focus in the following will be on Man's Inhumanity to Man. There is a strong relation of this to the novel for which I read. My first point which I will talk about is about Finny's tragic fall and how Gene was the cause of it. My support from the story is Finny's desire to jump from the tree. Gene said that he was coming to join him but Finny reminded him about studying. Gene's thoughts on the matter were, "He had never been jealous of me for a second. Now I knew that there never was and never could have been any rivalry between us, I couldn't stand this." My second support is Gene's actions leading to the accident. He took a step toward the trunk, put his knees and jounced the limb. Thus, Finny lost his balance and tumbled to the ground. My third support goes back to the scene of the accident after Gene watches Finny fall. And he thinks to himself, "It was the first clumsy physical action I had ever seen him make." More less, this is a sign of pride within Gene as he watches the good athlete, Finny fall out of the tree. My second point is on the scene where Brinker brings Finny and Gene to the mock trial to let everyone know the real truth about the cause of the accident. In other words, it was a way of blasting away Gene and shoving his reputation as a respected individual into the ground. My support from the story is when Brinker and three acquaintances come into Gene and Finny's dorm and pull them out. After they entered the Assembly Room, Brinker remarks, "You see how Finny limps." This phrase was the beginning of his plan to set the truth loose, or primarily break the friendship link between Finny and Gene. Brinker chose the Assembly Room as the setting for this trial since there is nothing humorous about the place. It is a place which would be terrible for Gene's sake to talk about the cause of the accident.

Project Management Essay

By carefully assessing the skills necessary, the relative challenges that such position entails, and the supplementary benefits it contributes to an individual, gives me more reason to be interested in the position as a project manager. Seeing this, it is only proper for an individual to be fully capable to handle such diverse and strenuous work. In the end, by carefully assessing the relevant information regarding project management, only then can an individual assert his/her capabilities to operate in such scenario. Looking at the position closely, it involves multi-linked process that is a determinant for an overall completion of a particular project. Free Management library mentions that â€Å"project management is a carefully planned and organized effort to accomplish a specific (and usually) one-time effort, for example, constructing a building or implement a new computer system. † (1997) Due to this, the project manager should efficiently and effectively coordinate all important and vital segments of the project to ensure and assure its clientele of its relative success. Apart from the challenging scenario involved in the realm of project management, project managers also have the benefit of acquiring different skills needed that can be used in further endeavors and future goals. This may prove to be an important determinant for relative career goals as the work trends during this time demands more adaptive and skilled workers. Free Management Library Mentions further states that â€Å"therefore, it’s important to have skills in forming, leading and facilitating groups. (1997) Dwelling further into the realm of skills acquisition, one thing inviting about the position of project manager is its capability to hone leadership skills as well as logical skills which remain to be a vital part of the overall conduct of work. I want to point out the importance of leadership skills because of its capabilities and lasting effects it can contribute not only to the individual but to the overall dynamics of the group as well. The position of project manager not only enhances and creates avenues for project development but at the same time a method in augmenting leadership capabilities of an individual. Another important reason why I want to become a project manager is the relative challenges it promotes as far as success is concerned. In the creation and formulation of new ideas, risks are involved. These risks can either create hindrances or failure of the project to be implemented further. In the end, a skillful project manager must balance clientele’s plans and at the same time opinions and perceptions of people under him. Only by doing this can the project manager be successful. Also, I am fascinated in the way project manager handles all the decision-making processes. This is one such reason why I am interested in the position of project manager – due to its capabilities to enforce its own decision making. Though such may prove to be good for the part of the project manager, there are numerous setbacks and risks involved. Making the wrong decisions can mean problems for the overall success of the project. In addition, the blame shall only be given to the project manager for every failure and setbacks due to poor decision making. Seeing this, there are indeed positive outcomes and challenges posed by the position of development manager. However, with the relative positive outcomes, the position remains to be challenging and worthy of getting. That is why, given these reasons, I still want to become a project manager in the near future.

Organizations Essay

An organization can be defined as a group of persons or individuals that unite to perform a common task. Each individual within an organization usually has a relatively well-defined job description, so that the group is â€Å"organized† in a way that will ensure that all tasks necessary for the completion of the goal will be covered. Organizational behavior involves applying the behavioral theory of how persons act within groups to the practice of working within organizations. It is the practical application of research done in such disciplines as psychology. The approach taken in organizational behavior is known as â€Å"systems† through which relationships are probed and defined according to the level of organization and the types of individuals that make them up. The human side of organization is directly related to organizational behavior, as it acknowledges the factors such as personality and behavior that may cause different types of managerial strategies to be employed. The personality of the manager may cause him or her to display a certain type of leadership style, while the personalities of employees may make it necessary for the manager to display a different style. Because an organization is made up of humans, it is practically impossible to separate it from the behaviors that are common to humans. Work is an important part of human life. Because people spend so much energy preparing and educating themselves for the jobs they perform, work tends to define the individual. Also, a large portion of any person’s day is spent doing the work from which they derive monetary and other resources. Therefore, work is more than just a means of earning money. It is also a method of channeling one’s creativity and can be the area in which one offers a unique gift to mankind. I, for example, take inventory for a copier company and I enjoy it because it allows the staff of the company to remain organized. My job is also necessary as it allows the managers and owners to have tangible evidence of the company’s health by gauging the speed at which the stock leaves the shelves and goes into the hands of consumers. Finally, it is a fulfilling job because I am able to make sure that customers are satisfied when all the goods they need are there on the shelves. Reference http://www.nwlink.com/~donclark/leader/leadob.html

Abortion3 essays

Abortion3 essays Women must have access to safe abortion. No matter how any of us feel about embryos and fetuses and their "rights"...about women and sex and responsibility...about God's will, Karma, or the Bible...the fact still remains: Women have always used abortion as a last resort to prevent the birth of a child, and they always will, regardless of what the laws say or the rest of us think. But when abortion is illegal, it is unsafe and dangerous. Therefore, abortion must be legal, and it must be accessible too. Here are some reasons why legal abortion is necessary, taken from various sources available online and offline. Even if you disagree, take a look! Laws against abortion kill women. Making abortion illegal has little effect on the number of abortions, as history and present-day evidence from all over the world show. But illegal abortion is much more dangerous. In the 1930s, there was "an epidemic of criminal abortion" in the United States. The number of births dropped by about half, as women who refused to bring children into a depressed economy resorted to illegal abortion to end their pregnancies. As a result, about 2500 women died each year from abortion complications, accounting for nearly one in four maternal deaths.1 From 1950 to 1965 in the US, there were 200 to 250 abortion-related deaths reported each year, a number that is acknowledged to be lower than the true death count.2 But even using these statistics, and assuming that illegal abortion was two or three times as dangerous as legal abortion at that time, a simple calculation shows that there were at least 500,000 illegal abortions each year.3 It's not worth the death of one woman if that's what it would take to cut the number of abortions by 60%, let alone fifty or a hundred women. Thanks to changes in the law, today the mortality rate from legal abortion is almost zero, and abortion accounts for only 3% of maternal d ...

Rock Tumbler Basics and Buying Guide

Rock Tumbler Basics and Buying Guide Basically, there are two ways you can go about buying a rock tumbler. You can pick up the standard educational-toy model online or at most toy stores or you can get a hobbyist/professional model. Whats the difference? The Standard Model Most toy stores carry various takes on the same model of ​a  rock tumbler. This is a rotating tumbler that comes with rocks, grit, and some jewelry findings. This model is fun and can last indefinitely with proper care. Be advised that your choice of rock size is limited by the small rotor power and that it may be difficult to get replacement parts (e.g., broken belt from overweighted tumbler). Rotating Tumblers The toy stores carry a type of rotating tumbler, where the rocks fall over and over and over, polishing rocks in much the same manner as the ocean has for millions of years. I recommend buying a tumbler from a company that has been around a while, with an established record of quality and service. Eventually, you will need a replacement part; you want the company to still be there when that happens. Lortone offers several sizes of tumblers, some with double barrels.   Vibrational Tumblers Vibrational or agitating tumblers dont actually tumble the rock, but use either ultrasound or spin around the vertical axis. They cost a bit more, but have two characteristics that make them more desirable for certain users: they polish rocks much more quickly and they retain the essential shape of the rocks rather than producing only rounded rocks. They are a bit quieter, too. Raytech is an established manufacturer of vibrational tumblers (and other lapidary equipment). Size Does Matter ...and for most people price does too, so balance the needs of your inner rock hound against the limitations of your bank account. Tumblers are sized according to the weight of the load they can continuously bear. The most common cause of rotor failure and belt breakage is improper or over-loading of the barrel. Smaller barrels hold smaller rocks (no big surprise), so larger barrels can hold both bigger rocks and more small rocks. Double barrels can be used to polish lots of rocks or to ensure a really good polish (if you reserve one barrel for that purpose). Helpful Preparation Tips Okay, so youve selected your tumbler! First, keep the time it takes to tumble in your mind (about a month for a rotating tumbler/ week or two for vibrating or agitating types). Get vaseline to seal the barrel against leaks! Buy extra grit (unless you want to keep that as an excuse to go out and buy more stuff). If noise is a concern, consider getting a cooler or other sound insulator to house the tumbler.

Benefits and Strategies of Performance Management

Benefits and Strategies of Performance Management Armstrong and Baron define performance management as ‘a process which contributes to the effective management of individuals and teams in order to achieve high levels of organisational performance. As such, it establishes shared understanding about what is to be achieved and an approach to leading and developing people which will ensure that it is achieved’. They go on to stress that it is ‘a strategy which relates to every activity of the organisation set in the context of its human resource policies, culture, style and communications systems. The nature of the strategy depends on the organisational context and can vary from organisation to organisation.’ In other words performance management should be: Strategic – it is about broader issues and longer-term goals Integrated – it should link various aspects of the business, people management, and individuals and teams. It should incorporate: Performance improvement – throughout the organisation, for individual, team and organisational effectiveness Development – unless there is continuous development of individuals and teams, performance will not improve Managing behaviour – ensuring that individuals are encouraged to behave in a way that allows and fosters better working relationships. Armstrong and Baronstress that at its best performance management is a tool to ensure that managers manage effectively; that they ensure the people or teams they manage: know and understand what is expected of them have the skills and ability to deliver on these expectations are supported by the organisation to develop the capacity to meet these expectations are given feedback on their performance have the opportunity to discuss and contribute to individual and team aims and objectives. It is also about ensuring that managers themselves are aware of the impact of their own behaviour on the people they manage and are encouraged to identify and e xhibit positive behaviours. So performance management is about establishing a culture in which individuals and groups take responsibility for the continuous improvement of business processes and of their own skills, behaviour and contributions. It is about sharing expectations. Managers can clarify what they expect individual and teams to do; likewise individuals and teams can communicate their expectations of how they should be managed and what they need to do their jobs. It follows that performance management is about interrelationships and about improving the quality of relationships – between managers and individuals, between managers and teams, between members of teams and so on, and is therefore a joint process. It is also about planning – defining expectations expressed as objectives and in business plans – and about measurement; the old dictum is ‘If you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it’. It should apply to all employees, not just managers, and to teams as much as individuals. It is a continuous process, not a one-off event. Last but not least, it is holistic and should pervade every aspect of running an organisation. How does performance management work? Because performance management is (or should be) so all-pervasive, it needs structures to support it. These should provide a framework to help people operate, and to help them to help others to operate. But it should not be a rigid system; there needs to be a reasonable degree of flexibility to allow people freedom to operate.