Introduction
There has been a rise in the use of technology in learning in the recent past (Mims-Word 271). Educators and students tend to incorporate the use of technology in the classroom to promote effective learning. Students are often allowed to use their laptops in the classroom to take lecture notes. However, technologies used in the classroom have not helped in promoting learning as expected. Video games and exposure to the internet in the classroom often hinder productivity among students since they disrupt the students' attention. Moreover, continued cyber bullying crimes committed by classmates makes the use of the technology in the classroom undesirable. Hence, this paper focuses on providing an insight into why technology does not belong in the classroom focusing on the effects of technology on students' learning and social development.
Arguments in Support of Technology
However, support for use of technology in the classroom exists with arguments that technology in the classroom helps in promoting the teaching-learning process. Sqire argues that use of technologies in the classroom helps in cultivating students' motivation to learn (2). The curiosity to discover new ideas through the internet contributes to increased learning among students. Moreover, technology is seen as a way of improving individual learning among students as every student gets an opportunity to learn at their own speed, reviewing forgotten concepts. Nevertheless, although video games and the exposure to the internet may promote learning, they do not belong in the classroom since students tend to misuse technology thus reducing its efficacy learning.
Impact on Learning Development
Technology does not belong in the classroom as it retards the learning development of students (Handler 7). Computers tend to do all the work for the students thus limiting their ability to think for themselves. The internet provides an ease of access to information that students use when tackling their assignments. Students' overreliance on the internet for their assignments has thus reduced critical and creative thinking among students hence preventing proper learning (Handler 7). Moreover, most students tend to cheat on their assignments by copying other people's work while undertaking their classroom tasks.
Motivation Problems
Moreover, technology in the classroom often creates enormous motivation problems among students (Sqire 3). For instance, different video games offer unique challenges and therefore, in some cases some students may find educational games complex and difficult to play thus demotivating them. Although some students may find a game's difficulty as an important learning opportunity, the difficulty may appear overwhelming to other students thus lowering their motivation to participate. When a student finds it difficult to play a certain game, they may start questioning the importance of such learning methods. Additionally, some students especially the low achievers may feel frustrated when they fail to master the essential components of the video game used in the classroom (Sqire 4). As a result, the students tend to develop a low self-esteem, which may result in low academic achievements.
Disruption in the Classroom
Additionally, some video games involve competition with colleagues, which may cause severe mental harm on a student who regularly fails. A student who fails every time often feels discouraged and may decline taking part in the game in future. Moreover, consistent failure and inability to outdo their peers in a game, lowers a student's self-confidence thus affecting their emotional well-being. However, some scholars argue that use of video games in the classroom may help in promoting students' intrinsic motivation through curiosity and competition. For instance, Sqire argues that learning through playing often motivates some students to learn while others are demotivated by the complexity (3).
Social Development and Behavior
Moreover, technology in the classroom is a major source of disruption among students (Adams 263). Therefore, technology tends to lower a student's academic achievement rather than helping them perform better. Allowing students to use their technological devices in the classroom may pose a serious educational problem as it tends to disrupt the students' attention. For instance, a student may choose to respond to a friend's message on Facebook instead of listening to their instructor. The student, therefore, ends up missing on the important educational message passed on by their instructor (Adams 263). However, controlling what a student does with their technological devices in a classroom is a major challenge for teachers thus limiting a teacher's ability to prevent disruptions. Additionally, use of video games for instruction may also limit a student's attention. Some students may end up addicted to a particular video game thus spending a lot of time on playing. Addiction to playing video games thus consumes a student's time thus limiting their learning time.
Impact on Social Development
Besides, technology does not belong in the classroom since it hinders a child's proper social development (Handler 7). A student who enjoys and spends most of their time in technology particularly on social media or playing video games often has difficulties in forming proper interpersonal relationships with their peers. Spending a lot of time on the internet or playing video games may limit a child's ability to socialize with their peers. People addicted to technology tend to spend more of their free time on the internet than socializing with others. Such students thus have fewer friends, which ultimately limits their ability to develop positive social relationships. Moreover, poor social development limits a student's social cues and the individual thus lacks knowledge on the appropriate ways to interact with others. In most cases, such children tend to offend their peers during play or when participating in a social event.
Impact of Violent Video Games
Notably, in some cases, students may encounter violent video games that promote aggressiveness and violent behavior (Mims-Word 271). A student may, for instance, encounter a video game that involves shooting or knocking down an opponent and choose to practice such activities in real life. Although video games involve fantasy, children may not understand that what is portrayed in the game should not be practiced. The behavioral problems children develop while playing violent video games may have long-term effects on the players thus affecting their emotional well-being.
Conclusion
In conclusion, use of technologies in the classroom has been on the rise due to the technological advancements in the world. People are trying to keep up with the speeding advances in technology with educators, not an exception. Although some scholars argue that use of technology in learning is important in promoting learning, adoption of technology in the classroom has proven less effective in promoting learning among students. Technology tends to promote laxity amongst students as it does all the work for the students thus limiting their thinking process. Moreover, technology in the classroom tends to disrupt students hence limiting their attention span. Besides, over-reliance on technology in the classroom more often promotes undesirable social and emotional development since students tend to spend more time on technology leaving less time for socialization with peers. Therefore, it is important that educators consider the existing disadvantages of technology before introducing them in the classroom. Having reviewed the disadvantages, educators can thus devise appropriate measures to prevent potential technological harms in the classroom to facilitate effective learning through learning.
Works Cited
Adams, William J. Reflections on the University Scene. Bloomington, Ind.? Xlibris Corp, 2008. Print.
Handler, Scott P. "Technology and the classroom: benefit or hindrance to social maturation." West Point, NY: Department of Social Sciences, United States Military Academy (2012).
Mims-Word, Marsha. "The importance of technology usage in the classroom, does gender gaps exist." Contemporary Issues in Education Research (Online) 5.4 (2012): 271.
Sqire, Kurt. "Changing the game: What happens when video games enter the classroom?." Innovate: Journal of online education 1.6 (2005): 5.
