Education is one of the areas where information technology has been very useful. Its role in the improvement of the education sector can’t be overemphasised. Learning has become much easier due to the use of technology.
It is no longer news that a teacher should possess 21st-century skills relevant to this age, which can be achieved through ICT. This is a way of leveraging learning with emerging technologies, i.e, ICT gadgets. Effective teaching requires that a teacher should be able to make use of the technologies available for proper delivery of his content.
Technology has enabled teachers to be up to date with new techniques and help their students to be updated with the latest technologies in education. Information technology not only helps students to learn new things but also reduces the number of dropouts.
Importance of Technology in Education
Improved Lesson Plan: This is how teachers synthesize the curriculum goals with pedagogy and knowledge of their specific teaching context. So, to be an effective teacher, one must use the latest technology to access enough materials to aid lesson planning. Also, effective teaching requires a teacher to use the technologies available to deliver his content properly.
Effective lesson planning contributes to successful learning outcomes for students in several ways. A well-designed lesson plan: Helps students and teachers understand the goals of an instructional module. Allows the teacher to translate the curriculum into learning activities.
Enhances Independent Learning: Through the help of the Internet, students don’t need to depend on their physical teachers to learn. The internet is filled with enough material that can aid students in learning.
Technology has helped students become more independent in learning through the access they have to global network resources. Although a teacher can teach them how to search for materials or information, the students will have to decide which website he/she can gather the information they need.
During the pandemic outbreak, many students have no alternative but to learn without their physical classrooms and teachers. Even many schools and private tutors look for a way to continue to engage their students. Most of the platforms that most schools use include Telegram, WhatsApp, skype, zoom, LMS (Learning Management System), etc. The LMS is the e-learning platform created on the school portal where students can download lecture materials, submit assignments, take CBT, etc.
Assessment And Grading are less stressful: Most schools are now conducting computer-based tests (CBT) to ease the stress they encounter when faced with many students. This kind of testing has also helped students with disabilities. For example, screen readers, magnification tools, and text-to-voice or voice-to-text applications can help learners with visual, auditory, and motor impairments.
Access to attract students from any part of the world: E-learning has helped most schools to attract foreign students. For example, a student in Nigeria may not be able to attend schools in the USA, but through e-learning, he/she can go abroad without being physically in that country.
Aid Teachers-Students Relationship: The Teacher-student relationship is a state of connectedness between a teacher and his students. In this present age, students will love any teacher who can integrate technology into subject areas. Technology helps make teaching and learning more meaningful and fun. Students are also able to collaborate with their classmates through technological applications.
Enhances collaborative Work: Students can now collaborate with other students in another country, the same is possible for teachers. This is possible because of technology.
