Influence of technology on education

“Technology will never replace great teachers but technology in the hands of a good teacher is transformational” this remark of George Couros lay its emphasis on the importance of both teacher and technology in the process of education. In 21st century education hasn’t confined for only learning the concepts but aimed on the establishment of knowledge- based society.

The scope of using technology in the instruction has maximised and the verbal behaviour of the teacher has been considerably reduced. The technology has been playing a role of Knowledge Bridge between continents and disseminating the knowledge very speedily. There is a sea change in the dynamics of classroom and the students’ quest for knowledge. The ease of access to the technological gadgets and the abundance of online knowledge have erased the borders and the entire globe has become a class room. The evolution new trend ICT (Information and communication technology in the arena of education has brought a shift in the pedagogy and in the process of education.

We are aware of that in past teacher has no other go to impart the knowledge in the form of abstract concepts but now with the technology support knowledge has been offered to the students in a concrete manner. The technology is supporting the teacher in a great manner in providing the direct and purposeful experiences and realizing the Edgar Dale’s cone of experiences objective. The usage of ICT in education has made the student tribe as digital literates and promoted the same to use internet for learning. Further, the governments are keen to change the face of classroom by providing digital boards and to promote student centred education instead teacher centred instruction.

Further, to familiarise with the technology teachers should have to become a fresh learner of technology by realizing the apt remark of Jiddu Krishna Murty “there is no end to education. It is not that you read a book, pass an examination, and finish with education. The whole of life, from the moment you are born to the moment to die, is the process of learning”. Technology has offering diversified resources for learners and strengthening them both academically and technically. I will try to enlist some of them that are supporting us greatly in the process of learning.

Digital Class Room (Dcr): “When we introduce new technologies in to our classrooms we are teaching to our students twice”-Michael Joseph Brown-This remark denotes that classrooms shouldn’t be in traditional form. The digital classroom concept was evolved to cater the needs of 21st century needs. This technology enabled classrooms will help both the teacher and taught to meet the objectives of teaching –learning process. These are becoming windows of the world and providing variety of purposeful experiences and making the citizens as global citizens. Each DCR consists of 2 computers, projector, offline content, screen, speakers, content loading apparatus etc. We can use online content also accordingly.

The DCRs will promote personalised learning, highly engaged learning, competency based learning, collaborative learning, assessment for learning, quality in learning, sharing of knowledge, provide reliable, relevant and updated knowledge, provides variety of teaching learning experiences.

Virtual Class Room (Vcr): Virtual classroom is a simulated classroom via internet which will provides convenient communication environment for distance learners just like to face to face class room. A virtual classroom allows learners to attend a classroom anywhere in the world and aims at to provide learning experience that is similar a real classroom. It is literally highly interactive and greatly reduces time and travel for the seekers of knowledge. It is defined that a virtual classroom is an online classroom that allows participant to communicate with one another two- way communication) to view presentations or videos interact with other participants and engage with resources in work groups.

The VCRs will promote for the removal of geographical barriers, supports for the easy recording of sessions, quick to organize, one to one communication, suitable for heterogeneous learner groups, technology driven learner centric, collaborative learning, cost effective. The features of VCRs are Synchronous learning, live audio-visual support, Session recording, white board, live tech support, sharing of learning resources in desktop screen. The VCRs consists of Desktop Pc, Interactive White board, Video conferencing desktop codec, display screen, Camera and mike and projector.

Augmented Reality (Ar): Augmented reality is the technology that expands our physical world, adding layers of digital information onto it. A view of physical real world environment with superimposed computer generated images, thus changing the perception of reality is the AR. It was used by Ivan Sutherland and Bab Sproull in 1960.Now it works with the help of certain range of data such as images, animations, videos, 3D models to see in the natural light and synthetic light. It can be displayed on various devices like screens,glasses, handled devices, mobile phones, head mounted displays.It involves SLAM (simultaneous Localization And Mapping) and Depth Tracking (A sensor data calculating the distance of the objects) .the important components are Cameras and sensors, Processor projectors for head mounted displays and reflectors.

Now this AR technology viewed as a big leap in education and classroom instruction which has become very accessible for all the smart phone viewers. The advantages of AR in educations are 1.it provides personal attention on every student, 2.removing the physical barriers of classroom, 3. Cost efficient solution 4. Most efficient in visualization. It has been considered a big advantage for medical and science students for offering better visualization.

Artificial Intelligence (Ai): Artificial intelligence (AI), sometimes called machine intelligence, is intelligence demonstrated by machines, in contrast to the natural intelligence displayed by humans and other animals. In computer science AI research is defined as the study of "intelligent agents": any device that perceives its environment and takes actions that maximize its chance of successfully achieving its goals.[1]

Colloquially, the term "artificial intelligence" is applied when a machine mimics "cognitive" functions that humans associate with other human minds, such as "learning" and "problem solving. AI can support the education system in grading, cater the academic needs of learners through adopted edu-software, it can suggest improvisation of concepts, provide additional support to the students as AI tutors, AI can provide useful feedback for educators and students, Promotes interactive learning, confines the role of teacher as facilitator, It can promote trial and error learning and reduces intimidating, AI can make the schools more resourceful with its data and help the student tribe to acquire basic skills about using computers and software skills.

- E Gajendra Nath Reddy