Attaining an effective and efficient leaning via digital media remains a major issue in the current education. Before the invention of digital media, researchers had limited access to materials which would otherwise be essential in their research projects (Sevillano-García and Vázquez-Cano). That is, they had to rely on the physical books within the libraries; which were also limited in number since the demand for the books was high. Secondly, teaching could only be physical, i.e., teachers had to be physically present in class while teaching the students, creating inconveniences to the student and the teachers when the teacher is far away from his/her teaching location(s). Thirdly, students were relatively attentive in class since most of them largely depended on the teachers as their major reference to academics. Besides depending on the teachers, there were no phones, hence less destruction in class. Briefly, before the invention of digital media, several challenges impeded research and general learning.
However, after the invention of the digital media, several things have changed in the education sector. First, the invention has led to increased access to academic materials which are now available on the internet. Accordingly, the challenge that existed where the majority of the students had to rely on the physical books within the libraries is minimized. Secondly, teaching is currently possible through teleconferencing; that is, a teacher does not have to be physically present in class to teach. A teacher in South Africa can conduct his/her lessons in London without having to travel to London. Concisely, the invention of digital media has facilitated the attainment of effective and efficient learning in general.
Global Perspective
The United States, the United Kingdom, China, South Africa among other nations have tremendously benefited from digital media (Siemens). That is, the invention has greatly influenced research and innovations with these countries; hence improving the quality of life of the people in these countries generally. Secondly, the invention has reduced the globe into a small village where information can be shared within a very short time. Consequently creating awareness among nations on issues of security, climate change and diseases among others. Precisely, digital media remains a blessing to many nations such as the US which have interests in researching across different fields.
Positive impacts
Digital media presents students with relatively unlimited access to educative materials that are essential in conducting research projects; accordingly, the students have an opportunity to explore their subject of interest (Greenhow and Lewin). Secondly, digital media has made teaching more flexible as teachers can provide assignments online and mark them online, reducing the burden of having to handwrite the assignment. Digital media has played a role in helping the students to save the environment; that is, fewer books are printed, accordingly less carbon emission in the air. Finally, the invention of digital media has promoted unity as countries can share their curriculum online.
Negative impacts
Digital media has a negative impact on the attention span of the students in the class. Most students spend their time in social media, hence missing learning opportunities within the class. Secondly, digital media negatively influence the social development of the students; that is, most students tend to ignore those surrounding them but instead busy chatting in the social media. Subsequently, they end up less informed about the events of their surroundings.
Conclusion
Digital media remains essential in the development of the education sector and learning generally. More importantly, it has facilitated and is continuing to facilitate research within schools and even at national levels. Accordingly, it is important that the stakeholders within the education sector embrace this invention but also find means to eliminate its negative effects generally.
Works Cited
Greenhow, Christine, and Cathy Lewin. “Social Media and Education: Reconceptualizing the Boundaries of Formal and Informal Learning.” Learning, Media and Technology, vol. 41, no. 1, 2016, pp. 6–30.
Sevillano-García, Ma, and Esteban Vázquez-Cano. “The Impact of Digital Mobile Devices in Higher Education.” Journal of Educational Technology " Society, vol. 18, no. 1, 2015.
Siemens, George. Connectivism: A Learning Theory for the Digital Age. 2014.
