Modern Education in a Digital World

Never before have I learned English with the applying of modern technology until taking AEP reading and listening level 2 taught by Peter Filicietti, feeing that it is a new, interesting, well-designed class although at first I was not accustomed to this kind of teaching style. Also, the combination of between technological innovation (i.e. Google application like Classroom, blogging, online survey, and stuff like that) and traditional teaching in the classroom focusing on the interactive learning has been helping boost the efficacy of my language learning skills and offer the diversity of up-to-date teaching media making class more interesting—rarely found in other language schools in Thailand.

According to "Textbooks replaced by iTunes U downloads" (Coughalan, 2014), many interactive resources such as online library of lessons, course materials , additional links of online resources, exercises and the like have been made on iTunes U to let student can access them anywhere by teachers at the Stephen Perse Foundation school. In addition, students can also get the versions updated, customized, and connected to particular classes as well as recent events by teachers, and those changes will updated on the student’s iPads abruptly; nevertheless, what should be also regarded is that the reliability of such online material is mainly based on the performance of teachers.

This article brought me to think about various aspects of overall technology applied in a classroom. Students can gain a lot of advantages from teachers who have reliable ability in the use of technology. For one thing, it is so flexible that teachers and students are not required to meet in the regular class every day, saving one another's time and cost of both travelling to school and paper-based textbooks/documents. Another thing is that this will facilitate them for rapid communication almost anywhere and anytime. Likewise, for those students who may be embarrassed in asking or answering some questions and even giving any comments in the class, they could use technology-based tools—e-mail, blog, applications—for such actions. By means of hi-tech tools provided by teachers, students can also easily access the updated and systematic (online) information and can follow the notifications and recorded data as to learning resources, activities, and assignments at their own convenience.

Admittedly, instructors and learners may not be able to show and reflect their true feeling and mood through digital learning tools. Their obvious emotional response to lessons and teachers, therefore, are not probably revealed as much as the interactive teaching and learning in a live class. In spite of effective tools, technology used for education may reduce the student's social as well as interaction skills. Although advanced technology will enhance overall educational performance, maybe it is not reflect the close relationship between teachers and students. Moreover, it seems that the implementation of technology may not available for some schools in rural or remote area in consequence of the lack of internet access and/or enough digital devices for education.

In fact, if state-of-the-art technology is creatively and wisely applied for education systems based on different nation's policies, it would contribute to benefits outweighing drawbacks. Hence, both traditional classrooms in each different level and new education using technology should be appropriately integrated in accordance with a current situation in each country. Speaking of Thailand's education system, the government should help allocate enough budgets and support the movement of modern education in the era of advanced technology. It is significant to provide training to teachers together with academic staffs, support standardized devices, improve internet network system covering in all areas and develop the educational policy. What's more, the government should not make the applied technology for learning become a plug-and-play education like TV games; conversely, it should help student gain as many merits from technology-based education as possible. Also, teachers have to provide reliable knowledge and have enough understanding in the use of technology. Similarly, parents and students should be open-minded for the beneficial change in new education system.

I am really looking forward to seeing the good development of effective education system integrated with technology in Thailand soon.

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Reference

Coughlan, S. (2014, March 5). Textbooks replaced by iTunes U downloads. BBC News. Retrieved from http://www.bbc.com/news/business-26249041