40 Advantages & Disadvantages of Technology in Education Reviewed

Advantages & Disadvantages of Technology in Education are all embedded in this article. However, technological advances have made the world a great place to live in. There’s no denying how they make life better and easier, particularly in science, medicine, and education. 

Advantages & Disadvantages of Technology in Education

In fact, some of the more recent inventions are now classified as lazy aids and are considered to be major contributors to obesity and an unhealthy population.

Can we say the same for the equipment used in the classroom?

Tools like computers, mobile devices, and the internet are now being integrated into the education system.

While they are beneficial in certain academic aspects, they also have negative implications.

 Advantages of Technology in Education

1. Promotes Independent Learning in Students

The internet is a treasure trove of information.

We can find practically anything you need to know online.

Although there is a question about the credibility of the source and the data provided, it can still serve as an educational resource for students.

Even without help from parents and teachers, students can just look up their lessons online.

Unlike regular textbooks, electronic books and web-based content are updated in real-time.

Thereby feeding students with the most current information they can get their hands on.

It also helps them become more knowledgeable even outside the classroom setting.

2. Encourages the Development of New Teaching Methods

Rather than spend an hour talking while the students listen, or have them read an entire chapter in silence, teachers and professors now have the option to use advanced teaching methods.

Such as podcasts, blogs, and social media.

When working with a particular group or one-on-one, teachers can take advantage of web conferencing technologies and other online communication tools.

Technology also presents universal tools that enable teachers to educate many students, including those who are struggling or have special needs.

These include voice recognition, text-to-speech converter, translator, volume control, word prediction software, and other assistive technologies.

Technology allows children to embrace their curiosity in multiple ways.

They can try new things without embarrassment because their tech access gives them a level of anonymity.

This process allows kids to work, through trial-and-error if they wish, to see if a different strategy helps them to learn more effectively.

3. Has the Potential to Lower Textbook and Tuition Prices

With resources more accessible and in great abundance, the cost of textbooks is likely to decrease.

It is also possible that students may no longer need to buy a textbook if it is converted into digital format.

The actual books can stay in the classroom, while the content is saved on a student’s computer.

Tuition will also decrease when learning is done online, rather than inside the classroom.

By taking out the factors that contribute to a higher tuition fee, such as utility bills and transportation allowance for teachers, the overall cost of education will be lower.

4. Allows Teachers to Create an Exciting Way to Educate Students

Gone are the days when the only tools for teaching are limited to books, a blackboard or whiteboard, and chalk or markers.

With technology integrated into education, teachers can now incorporate images, videos, and other graphics when delivering lessons.

Specific websites, apps, and programs will also enable teachers to vary how they provide instructions. This creates an exciting learning environment and promotes interest in education.

Other tools available for teachers include Smart Boards (interactive whiteboards), email Skype, and PowerPoint.

5. A Diversity of Information

The internet has produced an array of varying ideas and students can locate reliable information on a variety of topics.

The faculty member needs to incorporate a level of teaching students how to search and verify the information to ensure its accuracy.

The amount of information available is diverse and only limited by the student’s thirst for knowledge.

6. Selling Courses

Schools have suffered in the past because of a lack of proper selling and advertisement of their courses and curriculum.

Technology has solved the issue and made the selling of courses very reliable and efficient.

One of the affected sectors was early childhood education.

Most institutions offering good childhood education were not recognized in the past.

Because of the poor advertisement.

Thanks to technology today, we can feel the benefits of technology in early childhood education.

You can enroll your kid in the best preschool that lays the perfect foundation for your kid.

Special education is also another field that affects the analog system of selling courses.

Currently, you can analyze several special education schools, and what they offer and choose the best for your dependent who is blind, deaf, or dumb.

7. It Enco urages More Communication Between Teachers and Parents

When there is technology in the classroom, then there are more opportunities for parents and teachers to connect with each other.

Using a blog for the classroom can help parents get to see what their children are learning each day.

Apps and software options allow teachers to instantly report on a child’s behavior to let parents know in real time what is happening throughout the day.

There are options for chat boxes, instant messaging, and other forms of communication as well.

Let’s not forget about email here either.

Since the 1990s, when this technology option came into the classroom, it created more reliability in messaging between teachers and parents should there be a need to talk.

8. Technology Options in the Classroom are Very Affordable.

Although the cost of having technology in the classroom can be significant,

If you are introducing new options to an entire district, the cost of student computers, tablets, and class essentials is minimal.

Most student computers cost less than $200 each, and there are several grants available on local, state, and national levels that help to offset these costs to local taxpayers.

“The Internet is the first technology since the printing press which could lower the cost of a great education and, in doing so, make the cost-benefit analysis much easier for most students,” said John Katzman.

“It could allow American schools to serve twice as many students as they do now, and in ways that are both effective and cost-effective.”

9. Technology Allows us to give Students Access to Data from a Single Location

Do you remember when a research project meant a visit to the library so that you could pull 4-5 books to read, have access to an encyclopedia, and even microfilm to view so that you had enough resources to finish your assignment?

Technology allows a student to access every item they need for a project from a central resource.

Instead of spending all of that time searching for something specific or waiting for your library to order it, you can run a few queries on Google and find what you need.

10. It gives us Better Access to Behavioral Data on Students

The various apps, software choices, and technological platforms collect data on students that can show attendance patterns, learning issues in specific subjects, and how they react in particular situations.

This information leads to the creation of a profile where teachers, schools, and parents can work together to identify places where additional learning may be necessary.

Technology can even help a school district find its highly capable students to keep pushing them toward more challenging work so that they remain engaged with the learning environment.

11. The Introduction of Technology Allows for the Teaching of Needed Vocational Skills

Although there are regions of extreme poverty and isolation which do not have Internet access in the United States right now, over 90% of Americans have a home connection to online resources.

By introducing technology to students from an early age, we can teach them the critical vocational skills that are necessary for success in a digital world.

That is why writing continues to be a top priority in the K-4 grades, formatting guidelines and software used after, and knowing how to research efficiently is approached as an essential skill.

12. Technology in the Classroom Encourages Collaboration

Students keep very little of the information they receive when a teacher lectures from a textbook.

When there are interactive lessons on a chalkboard or whiteboard, kids can remember about 20% of what they were taught.

If a teacher encourages a small group discussion, that percentage can quadruple.

Technology gives us an easy way to develop collaboration skills for students using online tools that encourage them to work together in safe ways.

If kids can then practice what they were taught immediately, there is very little that they will forget.

13. It Encourages Students to Stay Engaged in their Learning Environment

Kids get bored easily when they feel like they already know what is being taught in their classroom.

Some children will transform into mentors or leaders in this situation to help their fellow students, but there are many more who disengage because they lack stimulation.

By introducing technology to the classroom, there are fewer places where repetitive learning must take place.

Teachers can introduce new subjects, try new techniques, or use different projects to encourage ongoing learning, which creates more overall engagement.

14. Teachers Have More Credibility when they use Technology in the Classroom

Teachers are sometimes hesitant to use technology in the classroom because they are unsure of what a student might have at home.

Giving homework assignments that require computer access to a student without that technology at home would be a waste of time.

There can also be pushback from parents who are uncomfortable giving their kids additional screen time for learning.

When you can introduce these elements to the classroom and have children learn there, then you can overcome the socioeconomic barriers that are sometimes in place for low-income families.

15. Technology Helps to Prepare Students for their Future World

Even if there are warnings from medical providers about the amount of screen time students receive in their classroom environment, the reality of the modern educational system is that we must have technology exposure now to prepare our children for the world they will face as adults.

Advantages & Disadvantages of Technology in Education

This sector will continue to develop.

If they are not prepared to use these items today, then tomorrow could be a struggle for them.

That means some traditional subjects might not be as important to teach for some schools or teachers.

Is it more important to have a student learn how to write in cursive or know how to type without using the two-finger chicken-pecking method?

Is coding more of a critical skill than learning how to cook?

Should kids know how to put a chair together in the woodshop or can put together their own computer?

16. Teach Digital Literacy to Students

Students today will graduate into a workforce where technology is at the core of their work activities.

This does not matter if they are working in an office or a factory.

Technology is changing everything and the more digitally literate the students are, the easier time they will have to excel in the workplaces of tomorrow.

17. Flipped Classroom Instruction

Teachers in the classroom can use these tools to create a dynamic learning environment.

Feedback can be offered immediately to students, which allows them to correct incorrect assumptions quicker.

Faculty can make use of the flipped classroom model and use technology to deliver instruction to students in the evenings and then use class time to reinforce the learning objectives.

Microsoft Classroom may be useful in pushing the flipped model forward with its integration with student information systems.

18. Classroom Flexibility

Since students are learning more from interaction with technology such as MyMaths Lab, the students can learn at their pace.

This provides the faculty member with time to help students who may struggle with a concept while allowing the more advanced students to work at a faster pace.

19. Technology helps Children to Stay Motivated During the Learning Process

Most students don’t like to go to school if they feel like they are wasting their time.

When there is technology allowed in the classroom, then teachers let kids work at a pace that suits them the best without disturbing others.

They can look up additional information about a subject they are learning about that day, play educational games that reinforce the lesson, or work on advanced material using a program like Zearn.

Because many of today’s technology options allow students to see how well they are doing compared to the average of all users, it gives them a chance to push harder for themselves and their education.

Many of the programs that encourage learning also issue rewards or award certificates, which helps to make the lessons fun as well.

20. Broadened Thinking

For thousands of years, most people developed their sense of beliefs based on the ideas of those people who were geographically close to their homes.

Technology has changed all that.

Now students can communicate in real-time with others across the world as easily as they could converse with their neighbors.

Applications such as Skype and Social Media allow instant communication regardless of distance.

This allows students to broaden their horizons and not see the world through such a small window.

21. More Efficient Use of the Educator’s Time

Through tools such as video recording and distance learning platforms, teachers can be more efficient as they can create a video explaining a complex topic and students can view it as many times are needed to grasp the concept.

This allows the faculty member not to spend as much time on remediation and focuses their time on one of one help.

This ensures students receive enough of the teacher’s time when class sizes have become difficult to manage.

Disadvantages of Technology in Education

1. Technology Can Create Dependencies for Information Recall

If you cannot recall a piece of information instantly, then what is your next step to finding an answer?

Most people would say that they would look online for the data they want or ask a virtual assistant, like Alexa, to give them the answer.

40 Advantages & Disadvantages of Technology in Education Reviewed

Having access to a treasure trove of resources is wonderful, but it can also create dependency because of its presence.

If we do not teach students how to recall info by themselves without the use of a smart device or computer, then the next generation of students may not function unless there is a technology for them to access.

2. The Presence of Technology can Distract Students

When kids play video games, they can react to addiction-like behaviors.

Their focus is on the entertainment they receive more than anything else.

If the educational environment uses reward-based games to encourage learning, then the child might be more concerned with what they receive through the software or app instead of what they are learning.

Although correct answers can show knowledge, there might not be as much information retention as hoped.

Teachers must set and enforce healthy boundaries when using technology in the classroom to ensure healthy results are possible.

3. Using Technology can Cause Some Students to Disconnect from the Classroom

Interacting online with others is a unique experience than when you collaborate over the Internet with someone.

Being behind a screen provides you with a layer of anonymity that you don’t receive with a face-to-face conversation.

Learning how to work with one another using technology is an essential skill, but it cannot be the other option that teachers introduce to their classrooms.

We must encourage social interactions that accurately communicate thoughts, feelings, or emotions so that when a child is offline, they can still make a better life for themselves.

4. Technology Can Make it Easier to Cheat

Remember the TV shows and movies where kids would break into a teacher’s classroom, steal the answer key to a test, and then write everything on their wrist, shoe, or a slip of paper?

Now a student can send themselves a text with that information.

They can send that data to anyone else with a phone. Email can relay this info too.

There must also be strict rules in place about the use of technology during quizzes or tests when the exact measurement of student knowledge is needed to evaluate their overall progress.

5. Technology is a Resource that not all Families can Afford

Whether technology is in the classroom or at home, there is affordability to worry about in today’s world.

Some households cannot afford to purchase computers for their kids to manage their school work.

There are school districts that don’t have enough money to pay their salaries each year, much less add new tech components for learning.

When we emphasize having technology in the classroom, then we place those at the lowest end of the wage scale at a significant disadvantage.

Students with greater access can learn more and have access to lessons more often, which means they have additional information exposure that can increase their opportunities to succeed.

6. Some Technologies Could Replace the Teacher in some Classrooms

Interactive learning lessons are so effective today that the software or app can become the teacher instead of having someone present to help a student.

One of the best examples of this potential disadvantage is ABC Mouse, which provides clear instructions to students as young as 3 so that they can start learning when they are ready.

Instead of being in a hands-on role, technology makes the teacher more of an observer. New tech automates the learning process while adapting to changing student needs.

7. There are Privacy Concerns to Consider with Technology in the Classroom

Over 15 million people each year experience identity theft.

It is a criminal empire that costs the economy over $16 billion per year.

Since 2011, over $100 billion in losses have happened because of this issue.

One reason it is becoming more prevalent is that more people have greater access to technology today.

When we introduce technology to the classroom, we are placing the identity of our children at risk every day.

Even when apps, computers, mobile devices, and operating systems have advanced privacy filters that reduce the threat of identity loss, there is no way to guarantee that all risks are gone unless the equipment never goes online.

If we take this step, then we end up losing many of the advantages of having technology in the classroom.

8. Technology in the Classroom could Create Medical Problems for some Kids

Eye strain occurs when you look at a computer screen for too long.

Symptoms of this issue include back pain, eye pain, neck pain, feelings of tiredness, blurred vision, and problems with focus.

Continuous heavy computer usage may lead to issues with early myopia, with a prevalence rate of over 60% for those older than the age of 12.

For some people, the impact of this health issue is cumulative, which means the time they spend in front of a phone, tablet, and television can contribute to eye health issues as well.

9. Kids Often Lose Track of Time when Using Technology in the Classroom

Although kids can adapt to changing environments with little second thought, their idea of normal is often defined by what they experience in the classroom.

Teachers and schools have as much, if not more, time with children than their parents throughout the day, which means the classroom becomes an influential part of life for each student.

Encouraging the use of tech might help to create more learning opportunities, but it can also lead to a lifestyle that is more sedentary.

When children sit for too long during the day, then they face the same health challenges that adults do when not getting enough exercise.

There can be problems with obesity, hyperactivity, muscle fatigue, sleeping problems, and metabolism issues with prolonged sitting.

That is why any school that introduces technology to the classroom should also encourage at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity.

10. Many Classrooms Place Limits on Technology Access

Because of the awareness that schools have of the potential disadvantages that technology can cause in the classroom, there are limits placed on the use of items under the guise of child protection.

Although firewalls and site blockers can prevent the most dangerous content from reaching the eyes of children, it is not unusual to see this issue taken a step further by restricting computer work to word processing and basic research.

Students come home with assignments to use the tech of their own, at a library, or through a loan program to place this responsibility on the parents instead.

If we force limits on children instead of teaching them how to make wise choices, then is that really giving them a learning environment?

11. Some Students may not Know the Difference Between Reliable and Unreliable Resources

There is a lot of information on the Internet today that is fake or exaggerated but it masquerades as being real.

According to research published by New York Magazine, less than 60% of web traffic today is actually human-based searches or content interaction.

Up to half of the traffic on YouTube, each year are bots that masquerade as people.

Not only is the content sometimes fake, but then also the users might not be real too.

Teachers must show students how to access factual information, show them how to verify its validity, and then encourage them to use it appropriately.

12. Cyberbullying

Cyberbullying has become a serious problem in a lot of areas.

Bullying is not a new kid who has been doing it forever, but through technology, it has become more of an issue.

Bullies use technology, such as social media, to inflict a constant barrage of torment on their victims.

The abuse can start at school and persist even after school.

Before social media, it was not as easy for bullies to follow someone home.

Now all they need is a cell phone.

The anonymous nature that one can employ on the internet has also led to more bullies stalking their victims.

The bullies may not harass someone in public, but they will sometimes feel emboldened hiding behind a phone.

13. Social Skills Suffer

Students who spend too much time online may have trouble interacting with people in person.

They spend so much time online and may even create unique identities that they have trouble interacting with real people.

14. Access to Inappropriate Material

At the beginning of the commercial internet in the late 1990s, many people flocked to the new technology, hoping to make their fortunes.

Many investors lost a lot of money as business proved to be unsustainable.

One business model that survived was the porn industry.

This caused an influx of websites dedicated to the topic, and many still survive today.

This means there is an abundance of inappropriate content out on the web that students can access.

Educational institutions have installed web filters to restrict this type of content, but it’s not just this that may be inappropriate.

There is a lot of tasteless content out on the web and students will share this type of stuff with their friends.

This is something educators should know and take precautions to keep students on task.

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15. Lack of Interest in Studying

Because everything is now accessible online or through data saved on a computer or mobile device, students are likely to develop poor studying habits and a lazy attitude towards education.

Some of them may even think they can skip school because they can find answers and lessons online.

Who needs teachers when you have internet and Google, right?

This can also lead to students forgetting the basics of studying.

They would rather rely on computers and the internet, instead of their books and the input from their teachers.

Most of them will misspell words because they often use spell checkers.

Rather than solve mathematical equations the traditional way, they would seek help from computers or look for the answers directly through search engines.

When it is time to take the tests in the classroom and with no form of technology, students are likely to fail.

16. Makes Students Vulnerable to Potential Pitfalls

While computers prove to be invaluable educational tools, they can also be a source of problems.

This is especially true for students who lack the skills needed to maximize a device’s functionalities.

Technical problems and computer malfunctions can cause the loss of assignments and other materials.

Resulting in high levels of stress that students would rather not experience.

The difference in internet speeds and a device’s capabilities can also lead to certain difficulties that will de-motivate students.

Add to these other things that they will discover online, which are completely unrelated to school and education, and they will be distracted to no end.

17. Negative Views on Technology

Consumerism has taught us that technologies, from computers to mobile devices, are widely viewed as tools to entertain rather than educate.

Textbooks are tools for learning.

So, between a tablet and a textbook, students are likely to gravitate toward learning when reading a book.

While they are likely to use a tablet to play games or spend time on social media.

18. Raise Instructional Challenges

For professors and teachers to stay abreast of technology, they may need to be retrained.

Those who have been teaching all their lives using traditional methods may not be very susceptible to the changes being applied.

They may even see it as a threat to their job security and shun technology altogether.

In fact, a majority of teachers believe that the constant use of digital technology is affecting a student’s attention span and his ability to persevere when a challenging task is thrown his way.

Although such a belief is subjective, scholars, experts, and teachers all agree that technology has changed the way students learn.

19. The Quality of Research and Sources They Find may not be Top-notch

The Internet is a blessing and a curse.

Your students may need guidance on identifying proper sources and unreliable sources.

Many schools have writing centers that can help with this.

You can also use OERs, which are open educational resources in the public domain that anyone can freely use, copy and adapt.

They range from textbooks to lecture notes, examinations, and assignments.

There are moments when technology can provide a student with new experiences.

Teachers can use applications and tools to meet children who could normally withdraw from the class.

Classroom technology opens more doors, brings in new perspectives, and provides more opportunities for self-discovery.

The positive aspects that occur with school integration typically outweigh any of the issues that a district might encounter.

Almost everything that has an advantage has a disadvantage too.

The key is to find the balance to maximize the benefits of tech and reduce the consequences.

There is never a time that isn’t right to share the love.

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