It is amazing how technology changes people’s lives; how they think and how they view things.
Before, I thought that no one can taught us, but our teachers. The projects, paper works, and other matters are submitted to no one, but only to the teachers. Books, magazines, newspapers, and articles are the materials that serve as references; it’s only them that are always use by the teacher to teach students, but now, it’s far different from what I’ve thought…from what I’ve experienced.
From the emergence of technologies, everything has changed as well as how teachers educate and how the students learn. It’s cool that even the students can create their own website to post the projects and outputs they have made and share it to a large number of people so they can use such as references. From traditional materials, teacher and students nowadays always find information through the internet and rarely use books and other printed materials. As I observe, information from the internet are often updated and there are some details that are not included in printed materials. When a teacher gives an assignment or ask them to do research about a particular topic, they never think twice what sources are they going to use. They always use the internet or WWW.
People say that students who are engaged in technology are more likely to be more competent and efficient in the future. To train them, teachers can provide group activities that enables the students to use the WWW to develop their investigative skills and critical thinking. The Web appeals very much to the way the students now prefer to learn. They play, are entertained by, and learn with the computer.
Speaking of the teachers, the Web can play a prominent role in fostering development of these skills in students. It would be absurd to state that the Web is the only tool that teachers and students should use, but there is a natural match between the Web and development of these skills. They can encourage students to explore the Web with the goal of having them weigh evidence, judge the authenticity of data, compare different viewpoints on issues, analyze and synthesize diverse sources of information, and construct their own understanding of the topic or issue at hand. By doing so, teachers will be well on their way to having students develop critical thinking and problem solving skills. It is true that teachers have always had students do this kind of task with print material. What the Web can offer that traditional media cannot is information that is instantly available, often very up-to-date, worldwide in scope, and presented in a more motivating format for students to explore.
It is evident that internet makes the people’s world go round. As teachers, we must not fail to justify the importance and contribution of it to our students so they can enjoy the advantage brought by it. Successful teaching and learning, as far as I understand, does not definitely depend on the internet or other means of technology. It depends on the efficiency and effectiveness of the teacher and the willingness of the students to learn.
By: Marie Buena S. Bunsoy
