Dull eyes and forced grins, the careless turns of pages: it’s a collection of students and their broken interests. They offer no comprehension. They ask no questions. All seconds are spent instead staring at books, reading the same sentences again and again. There’s no love of learning. There’s just resignation for it.
And this must change.
Education has too long been defined by tradition — the common texts and lectures, the bland explanations. Such things were once accepted by students. Now, however, they’re only causing passive rebellions: lowered test scores, waning curiosities and refusals to acknowledge the materials. Children (whether primary bound or trapped in high school) are unconcerned with what they must know. They’re only wanting to escape to their homes, indulge in technology. Their passion is for their softwares… and such passion must now be brought into the classroom.
Technology in schools has often sparked worry among instructors. There’s a fear of lessons being overwhelmed by keyboards, of information being lost among virtuality. The truth, however, is far different. Introducing a curriculum through computers has instead been proven as a way to generate interest and solidify facts.
Children learn through immersion. Information can’t (and won’t) be remembered when it’s simply read. Studying books doesn’t lead to comprehension — it instead only offers brief memorization, with chapters forgotten once a test is taken. Using computers, however, ensures that the lessons can be recalled for much longer. Through images, sounds and interaction students are encouraged to understand what they’re being taught. They’re given a variety of ways to experience it; and this ensures that all senses are engaged. Memory can be strengthened because it’s provided with more data.
Too often is technology denied, thought to represent the downfall of education. Instructors believe that history, mathematics, grammar and science can’t compete with software. There’s no need for competition, however. There’s only the need for complementing. These elements can be combined, providing easy advantages and endless rewards.
Students can gain knowledge; and teachers can gain a sense of purpose — no longer battling for attention but instead channeling it through a monitor.