Computer encompasses almost all facets of human endeavors. So much has been written on it and its relatedness to all areas of human disciplines, which include computer/information technology, engineering, agriculture etc. However, much work has not been done on computer and its application and relevance to education. The computer is a technological innovation under the control of stored programme that can perform some of the intellectual roles of man even beyond human capability. It is a power-driven machine equipped with keyboards, electronic circuits, storage compartments, and recording devices for the high speed performance of mathematical operations. Computer helps students to learn at their own pace. It produces significant time saving over conventional classroom instruction. It allows students’ control over the rate and sequence of their learning. It gives appropriate feedback. It promotes individualized instruction through personalized responses to learner’s action to yield a high rate of reinforcement. It provides a more positive affective climate especially for slower learners. It provides appropriate record-keeping and thereby monitors students’ progress. It puts more information in the hands of teachers. Novelty of working with a computer raised students’ motivation. It provides reliable instruction from learner to learner regardless of the teacher/learner at any time of the day and location. It directs instruction to learners. It provides instruction at comparable expenses to other media.
The new competences and skills needed for the knowledge-based society demand the continuous change of educational practices. Learners growing up in the digital age are far more experienced and able to process information rapidly than were their predecessors. Therefore, teachers should give priority to learners’ own explorative, constructive and communicative activities instead of a teacher-centered knowledge transfer model of education. Though using computer applications in education has shown educational benefits, changing traditional teaching and learning is yet a challenging process. Some progress is being made, but there is a need for more and advanced research aimed at improving and generalizing the positive effects of using computer applications in education and eliminating the negative effects of these practices. This could lead to better learning and teaching processes and also to the development of new and attractive methods for teaching and learning. Promoting good practices of using computer applications in the educational field could contribute to increasing the trust in these new methods.
By: CHELSEE MARIANO ENRIQUEZ
