Distance Learning

The youth of the 21st century have more options in education than any generation before them, due to the encouragement of digital literacy and changes to technology. Nowadays children are able to attend classes from the comfort of their own homes. They are able to attend virtual classes when they see fit. No more waking up at 6 AM to get ready for school. The youth of today are able to be educated anywhere, at any time. This is called distance learning. The use of technology in education today is causing a problem for how this generation’s youth learn and interact with other students.

The education system and the growth of technology have always gone hand in hand. When there is a change or growth in technology it causes change to many areas of the organization of education. Not only does it change the way that people interact with technology, but it also changes the way the education system teaches the students. Educational organizations are always trying to better the way students taught. Over the decades, technology has changed and influenced change to the education system. Today the developments in technology are moving the student further away from the classroom. Today’s generation is influenced heavily by the changes in technology. This begins a debate about how technology and its influence on education impact a youth’s future.

Technology changes in education produce students that no longer need to attend school to receive an education. When a child falls ill they no longer have to miss a lesson. In many cases, they can watch a video of their missed class or even listen to it on a podcast. Traditional learning environments are no longer the norm. According to Belanger and Ordan, “improvements in telecommunication technologies have paved the way for development of new instructional technologies and communication tools that can deliver knowledge without the limitations imposed by traditional learning environments” (2000, p. 2). The ability for a student to be sick, and not miss a day of class is one way technology has broken through the limitations of traditional learning environments. The limitations that they refer to are not only the limitations of course work but also the limitations of class dynamics. Each student learns in his or her own ways. Traditional education does not necessarily fit that mold. However, distance learning can produce a better way of learning for students who need extra time or help. Today’s technology is producing a new way for youth to learn.

Children today are not provided with the same education institutions of previous generations. With every new development in technology, there come new methods for educating a child. There are more options available to students who do not wish to be educated in a traditional manner. “There have been major changes to the organization of educational provision; the obvious difference is that students are no longer required to attend a campus at regular periods” (Bates, n.d., p. 17). The ability of a student to attend lessons whenever they choose is one effect of technological changes. Bates also states, “as technology changes, so does the need to reorganize institutions to lever the benefits of new technology” (n.d., p. 17). The result of education organizations changing their way of teaching is majorly influenced by developments in technology-based learning. The issue of young students not having to attend a classroom at all is a controversial issue.

Technology changes the way that people identify. Older generations do not understand how a young student could learn without being in a classroom. However, children who grow up with today’s technology are better able to use it to help them learn. Older generations also had to interact with other students on an every-day basis and learned valuable social lessons from these interactions. Technology has taken away from today’s students the ability to socialize with others their age on a regular basis. Distance learning gives students new ways of learning but also takes away from the more social parts of traditional education. The rapid growth of distance learning is due to younger generations being more familiar and less fearful of the technology (Belanger & Ordan, 2000). Although the younger generations are able to learn outside of the traditional classroom, they face other obstacles because of this.

Schooling is not just important to youth because of the knowledge they receive. It is also important from a social standpoint. Attending school in a traditional classroom allows students to learn how to socialize. One noted issue of distance learning is the lack of sociality it revolves around. The result of distance learning for some students is the problem of social separation. Distance learning allows a student to learn remotely from the rest of the class. In return, this causes the student to never fully be able to develop relationships a traditional learning institution would involve.

In conclusion, developments in technology are the cause of changes in the way the education system works, and how students interact with the education systems as well. When there is a new development in technology it causes the education system to change the way students learn. Distance learning has been one way that technology has directly influenced youths. It has provided students with the ability to learn at their own pace, as well as never miss a lesson from being sick. Students now have the ability to learn from the comfort of their own homes. The traditional method of classroom teaching and classroom hours is no longer mandatory. Results from advancements in technology let a student decide when and where they will receive a lesson. There is much controversy with the issue of distance learning. Technology has provided a new way for students to learn, but social interactions are lacking for youths. All in all, technology is the cause of changes that influence how the education system teach their students, and how today’s youth interact with one another.

References

Bates, A. W. Technology, e-learning and distance education. (n.d.) (2nd ed.). London and New York: Routledge Taylor & French Group. Retrieved from http://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=wfiBAgAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PP1&dq=youth and the use of technology in education&ots=4cg1B2yIpe&sig=Ws_becmvxfE_4l1LO346S7V_lso

Belanger, F., & Ordan, D. (2000). Evaluation and implementation of distance learning: Technologies, tools and techniques. Hershey, PA: Idea Group Publishing.