Recent developments in technology have significantly influenced the very concept of education, the way in which people teach and learn. In the past it was necessary for people to physically assemble at one location in order to receive their education. Everything was tightly connected with the time and the space. Nowadays students can learn distantly (Bates, 2005). Modern technologies allow the teachers to reach for their students, scattered around the globe, as long as there is Internet connection available (Moore et al, 2011). Modern technologies also allow teachers to clearly illustrate their words with diagrams, pictures, videos, which can be clearly demonstrated to the students as the concepts or processes are being explained to them. In general, the technologies available have revolutionized the way in which people teach and learn. In the past the process of teaching had a lot to do with memorizing: remembering formula and rules, texts and words, locations and dates. Nowadays teaching and learning are much more about understanding things. A modern teacher first of all teaches their students how to work with information, how to find necessary information and then operate it. Modern specialists have got endless opportunities of looking things up within a very short period of time. Thus, for them it is not as important to keep huge volumes of data in their memory. They can operate much more significant volumes of data, however, in case they understand their discipline and understand how technology is applicable to their field of study.
Modern teachers have got endless opportunities to explain things more effectively and in a shorter period of time on the one hand, while there are numerous issues, which are related to application of technology in classroom environment as well (Selwyn, 2011). A XXI century teacher needs to keep this all in mind and skillfully apply technology in their everyday work, while at the same time carefully addressing the issues which may appear in their practice. For instance, it is easier for the students to cheat, look up things while working on their tests or during exams. This is why it has become a more challenging task to properly evaluate the knowledge of the students for a teacher nowadays. Another important issue, related to technology is, certainly, the distraction, which technologies cause. Nowadays all students have their portable devices (laptops, tablets, phones), which can assist them in their learning process. It is not necessary to carry heavy loads of books around, a one-pound tablet can be a substitute for all thinkable and unthinkable books, providing students access to online libraries, dictionaries, access to search engines and so on. At the same time it is also important to realize, that the very same tablet will provide the students with endless opportunities to do something different from what the class focuses on. Chats, social media, online and offline games – the opportunities are various.
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All this causes a need for a modern teacher to be very skillful in applying technology to their teaching process, and thus to not only be able to use technological solution for more effective teaching, but also to detect distracting factors and address them in a timely and effective manner, eliminating the influence of such factors on the quality of the teaching process. I have come to understand that for me, as a XXI century teacher, technology is a skillful tool and, though they cause certain challenges, I will certainly be able to cope with possible difficulties caused once I have the understanding of the way in which these technologies work. I need to be a very “technological” teacher; however it is also important to work with the traditional, conventional methods, carefully mingling them together with technological solutions for the best benefit of the students.
- Bates, A. (2005). Technology, e-Learning and Distance Education. London: Routledge.
- Moore, J. L.; Dickson-Deane, C.; Galyen, K. (2011). “E-Learning, online learning, and distance learning environments: Are they the same? » The Internet and Higher Education. 14 (2): 129–135.
- Selwyn, N. (2011) Education and Technology: Key Issues and Debates. London: Continuum International Publishing Group.
