Impact Of Information And Technology On Teaching And Learning

Technology has also changed the way in which learning occurs. Television and computers spawn a literacy among many people who are unwilling to read anything of substantial length that requires concentration. Brevity, 5-second sound bites, channel surfing, instant gratification, fast moving images, constant stimulation, and shorter attention spans all reflect today’s society. One need only look at USA Today, which has become one of the most popular newspapers because of its abbreviated style. The role of the printed word in learning is changing. The intent of university libraries was to allow scholars and would-be scholars to search the tomes of knowledge contained within the library walls. Currently, many books, journals, and newspapers are on line. In the future, all books and journals will be available on line, accessible from home computers. Sales of electronic encyclopedias already exceed sales of printed encyclopedias.

Interactive media books offer learning that appeals to every learning style. Sounds, images, and words are all available at the same time. If you are learning a foreign language, you need only click on a word to find the correct pronunciation. Technology has also changed the methodology of teaching. The creation of universities in the 1900s enabled a large number of students to learn from a single master teacher. This was commonly referred to as learning “at the feet of the master.” Teaching and learning at that time followed an oral tradition of communication. The expert’s sharing of knowledge with the student happened most efficiently when a large number of students gathered together in one place. Today, with distance learning, a campus with large classrooms is no longer necessary. For example, in Canada the majority of master of business administration (MBA) programs are completely available through distance learning. A master teacher can reach thousands of students around the world in a single session.

To accommodate the change in learning style and to compete for students’ attention, teachers have added brevity, movement, color, and technology to their lessons. Elementary school children use graphics presentation software to give presentations in class. Teaching keyboard skills has moved from the middle-school level to the elementary level. Book reports and other large visual assessments at the fourth- and fifth-grade levels are word-processed rather than handwritten. Children learn about the world, both past and present, from software programs instead of, or in addition to, traditional textbooks. To be able to teach children how to use technology, teachers have had  to learn how to use it. However, acceptance of new teaching methods is not always quickly embraced and adopted. For example, in the early 1800s an “amazing device” was introduced into the classroom. It was the blackboard. Entire books were written about how to use the blackboard in the classroom. However, early anecdotal reports suggest that teachers were not accepting the new device well. The introduction of new technology into the classroom may create a reaction similar to the introduction of the blackboard.