Gerardo De La Maza

April 3, 2013

Essay #2

A Technological Society

Since the appearance of computers, evolution of all kinds of technological artifacts has been accelerated. Even though the rapid creation of new products makes some people uncomfortable, most people look forward to the new products on the market. As part of this evolution and its spreading along all sectors of society, it is also normal that technology had arrived in the educational system with the main objective of accelerating educational progress. However, there can be a polemic question around that: will computers influence positively or negatively the educational system?

Why do some people avoid the constant technological changes? It is completely true that technology has made life easier for all, but it tends to change constantly and very quickly. This can be an obstacle for many people, particularly the elderly. They tend to be conservative and it takes them longer, if at all, to adapt to those changes. The problem comes when they finally accept those changes in their routines and then there are already new ones. These people end up avoiding new things and the mounting explosion of technological development makes them unable to enjoy the changes.

Will technology influence students positively or negatively?  Definitely, technology has had a positive impact on the educational system. There are many studies about this issue that always support this idea. One of those studies is the one done by Judy Salpeter in 1999. Basically, she argued that the first way that technology can benefit students is that it can accelerate, enrich and deepen basic skills.

"Technology can be a great tool for motivating and engaging students. Brain research shows that if students are engaged, they learn more. If we're able to connect them to real life situations, they're much more interested...what a powerful motivation technology is and what a broad range of skills- scientific analysis, communication skills, problem-solving- are involved." (Salpeter, 1999). Using computers students are encouraged to write more and, actually, they can even write more words per minute. Another reason is that typing is easier than normal writing. Activities using Technology have the potential to allow all students to succeed.

"Today practicing mathematicians and scientists in many cases are not looking for single answers but rather a host of answers through the design of models and simulations...Let's prepare our students for their futures by exposing them to the latest field practices" (Salpeter, 1999). Inside schools technology can become a bridge between academics and emerging practices in professional fields. Encourage students since early ages to use the potential of technology on their learning by, for example, using the internet will help them become better professionals in the future. "Teachers are realizing that there's more information than they can possibly provide students. Instead they need to put tools into the hands of kids so they know how to ask questions, evaluate sources, hypothesize and communicate effectively" (Salpeter, 1999). Technology is a powerful tool to the teachers can enhance learning, increase productivity, and promote creativity of their students.

In conclusion, whether it is because of the exorbitant velocity of this technological development or its widespread presence in every sector of society, such as education, technology is getting stronger each year. We are sailing in a world where technology has become an essential factor in our lives. From computers to smart phones and tablets, nobody can imagine the current world without the active participation of technology.