Effects of Technology in Education

Change in student and teacher roles

When students are using technology as a tool or a support for communicating with others, they are in an active role rather than the passive role of recipient of information transmitted by a teacher, textbook, or broadcast. The student is actively making choices about how to generate, obtain, manipulate, or display information.

The teacher's role changes as well. The teacher is no longer the center of attention as the dispenser of information, but rather plays the role of facilitator, setting project goals and providing guidelines and resources, moving from student to student or group to group, providing suggestions and support for student activity.[1]

Increased Motivation and Self Esteem

Technology improves motivation, attitude, and interest when students use challenging, game-like programs and technology applications designed to develop basic skills and knowledge. Multimedia projects and real world simulations motivate students. Students and teachers reported a positive change in student motivation for class assignments when the use of multimedia was incorporated into classroom instruction.[1]


More Collaboration with Peers

Another effect of technology cited by a great majority of teachers is an increased inclination on the part of students to work cooperatively and to provide peer tutoring.[1]
Research studies show that there are several benefits to having students work in groups, even online.

• Students learn better when they have opportunities for collaboration (Millis, n.d.).

• Students tend to learn more material better and retain the information longer than when the same information is taught in different methods (St. Philip's College, 2005).

• Group members not only learn from their own individual efforts, but they also learn from the perspectives of the other members (Betz, 2005).