Technology: Tool for Teaching and Learning

        How Technology does influences People? “We are living in the Information Age” (Forcier, 1999), in which no one can avoid the use of technology. There are many categories of technology, either mass or printed media. But the most influencing media are the mass media and the example of this are, computer, radio and television. However the printed media are magazines, books, and newspaper. Technology is our everyday companion along the way of our life. One of the example of this is on my teaching, technology is very useful to me when I am searching for pictures and definitions of a specific topic of my lesson to present for my students. Also, for the new information that my students need to know. (Forcier, 1999) refers that, computer is one of the most recent tool in education. Because, now a days, technology is very easy and useful to use in terms of education. It is easy to access with the used of internet, it is serve as the learning references of every students for further and depth learning. This is how technology influence me as a teacher.

As a teacher, you must enter the classroom well prepared for the new beginning of learning, and your students will be excited, because they know that they will learned more and more every day. So, if a teacher are lacking for more information, technology is the easiest way to consult, since every students are along the way who are growing in learning it. (Catherine, 1998) says that, Technology is many things. It is the pencil we used. It includes the eraser for the white board in our classrooms. There are many categories of technology that serves as the tools for teaching that write new information to every students mind and erase the traditional or old learning that is not appropriate for the present time, though that information is serve as the foundation of the new learning. Since, learning is a never ending process in which every people are includes in this process.

Not only the teacher like me are influenced by the technology, even the students are encountering technology in their everyday life. One of the example of this is the online education. But this king of learning are provided for the students who are well known about technology as (Kearsley, 2000) states that, online education is most extensive at universities and colleges, especially at the graduate level. Like me, I experience the partial online education in which submitting an assignment or requirements are need of technology, but the advantages of this is, it is useful wherever and whenever you are, you will attend a class without worries and the quality of education is good. In the sense that all you need in the education are provided through technologies.

But how about the young generation that influenced by the technology? In good side, it serves as the tool for learning and for entertainment. This is how technology are very useful among people. One of the good side of technology is a helper and a tutor among children who are disabled. (Forcier, 1999) states that, computer are patient tutors and provide simulated environments in which students with mild physical disabilities and students with learning disabilities will work. This is how technology influenced people, even the impossible things that will happen inside the traditional schooling will happen with the use of technology. (Forcier, 1999) refers that, computer is a valuable tool in teaching written and spoken communication to students to the students who are culturally and linguistically different. So, even if a students has a disability in terms of written and speaking skills, technology has an appropriate way to help and teach this students to become productive in their life’s situation.

Computer is very essential among people, especially to teachers and students. Another essential example of this is, the gifted children may be at risk, because of boredom, lack of challenge, lack of recognition of a sometimes unique learning style- any and all of these factors may contribute to the talented and gifted children being at risk of dropping out of school or of getting far less out of school that might be possible (Forcier, 1999). This is how technology affects the students, it gives them opportunity to learn more.

For teacher, according to (Forcier, 1999), there is an inscription that is carved in the stonework above the entrance to the Instructional Technology building at Western Oregon University: “Who dares to teach, must never cease to learn”. So if you are a teacher, you must be a students pursuing more information and learn.

According to, (Marcinek, 2014), Integrating technology doesn't have to consume your life as an educator. In fact, if a little time is spent on, say, Google Drive, teachers can eventually save time and paper, while collaborating more effectively with students. So teaching with the integration of technology will ease the work for teacher, also save time for paper works. Among students, technology will motivate them to become active or participative during discussion. Also, technology now a days is an ordinary among teacher and students, because they encounter it in their everyday life. It is also serve as a social experiences, since mass media like internet is an example of social networking that gives more information among teacher and students to learn more.

 Effective technology integration helps the teacher change teaching strategies and learning processes among his/her students so that it become more meaningful to the learner. For teacher, he/she will become facilitators and collaborators; and that instruction must move from memorization to problem solving. With the use of technology, it will become more advantages for both teacher and learner in terms of education.

Also, for students another researcher states that, computer technology provides abundant opportunities for students to build or modify their personal knowledge through the rich experiences that technology affords (O'Hara & Pritchard, 2014). Indeed, technology is very essential now in terms of education.

            Based on these statements, I can say that technology can give more opportunity among teacher and students for deep learning. I conclude that, technology serves as a helper for students and serves as a teacher too. But I cannot say that computer will be act as a teacher.

I would like to end with one statement of the author that says for teacher, we must seek the unknown so that we can provide the information and the guidance that will allow our students to create new knowledge and understanding (Forcier, 1999).