The Changing Ways of Education in the Computer Age written by Samantha Gary

The Changing Ways of Education in the Computer Age

Written by Samantha Gary

Computers have done many things for our society—there's no denying this. We could (and many have) go on and on about how revolutionary computer technology has been for the current age. Today "the computer age" means so much more than it did even 10 years ago. In just a decade, the "computer age" has become the "age of the internet". Computers and the online world too have done endless things for the betterment of our society. Education is one area that the online world and computer technology have influenced greatly. As the world of computer technology continues to play a larger role in our everyday lives, the world of online education and the online classroom have gained more attention and acceptance. Of course, with anything there are both merits and disadvantages to how the online world and computer age have influenced education.

Accessibility to Higher Ed

For some time, online education was frowned upon in the academic world. With a history of focusing on reputation, the higher education world took some time to adapt to the idea of online learning. However, today many online schools and online learning platforms are praised by academic and student alike. One merit of modern computer technology and online education is broader accessibility to higher academia. Where at one time a college degree was limited to those who had the money and flexibility to attend college for four years at a brick and mortar institution, online degree programs have opened up new avenues for the non-traditional student. More and more people are earning degrees while also maintaining fulltime jobs or raising a family with the help of online learning and computer technology.

Access to Resources

The undeniable merit of modern technology and the online world is immediate and vast access to educational resources. With tools like Wikipedia, TED, Khan Academy, and so much more, students of any age have access to endless knowledge and tools for learning. These resources help students understand topic they've explored in school, introduce them to new and exciting topics, and provide a more thorough understanding of academic issues. The web is a vast expanse of useful information and tools that students, parents, and teachers can all utilize to better experience the educational world and academic material. Online platforms have made it easier for collaborative learning across cultures and the online educational world has broadened our perspective as human beings.

Possibility of Misinformation

While vast amount of information can be an extremely positive thing, it also comes with its setbacks. Because the web offers a completely open experience, there is the ever-looming possibility of misinformation. This issue in academics often comes up when discussing online research and Wikipedia. Because anyone can make a claim and post it somewhere online, the validity of information found online should be examined. While many of the tools and resources out there work to provide useful and educational material, there is always the possibility of mistake. While this can make online research more difficult and brings a somewhat negative perspective to online learning, the web should not be discredited for its usefulness. Technology has given the educational world so much. With greater accessibility to quality learning material, there comes greater accessibility to bad learning material.

Samantha Gray is an expert in online education and a freelance writer. Pursuing an online bachelor's degree is often fraught with myths and misconceptions. Samantha shows her readers the way. She wants to hear your feedback and ideas, too, at samanthagray024@gmail.com.