How Can Computer Improve Education?

Xavier Johanis A. Elnas

Content Organiaztion Technicalities Content TOTAL

35% 30% 35% 35% 100%

Mrs. Lilia P. Angub English IV Del Pilar 16 January 2012

Acknowledgment

First of all, the researcher is grateful to the almighty God for helping him complete this research paper.

The researcher would like to help to express his sincere thoughts to Foundation University Library for providing all the necessary needs for his research paper.

The researcher also thank Mrs. Lilia P. Angub , the researcher is extremely grateful and indebted to her expertise for giving the researcher knowledge and valuable guidance and encouragement.

Lastly, the researcher takes this opportunity to record his sincere thanks to all his classmates for their admirable help and encouragement. The researcher is very thankful to Foundation University faculty and staff for sharing useful ideas and good deeds and the researcher would thank lastly his parent for their increasing encouragement and warm support.

Controlling Idea: Books has always been the daily basis of learning and it has been said that you can learn everything from it, but there is technology/ computers can also help but how can it improve our education more?

I.

Background of Computers

a.

Common Features of Computers i. Web Browser ii. World Wide Web

b. How to use computer II. Uses of Computers

a. Higher Education b. Faculty Usage

III.

The Roles and Functions of Educational Technology. a. Explanations of how can technologies improve education.

i. Improve of Teaching ii. Improvement of Learning

IV.

Advantages of Technology

V.

a. Provide students with the best educational opportunities. b. To assist educators, policymakers and education experts understand how technology may boost the quality of education. c. Home Computers Improve Educational Outcomes.

VI.

Works Cited

Xavier Johanis A. Elnas English IV Del Pilar Mrs. Lilia P. Angub 16 January 2012

How Can Computer Improve Education?

Policymakers and development experts seeking to improve the quality education are interested in the role technology can play (See Figure 1). Not only do they want to use technology to directly aid learning, but they also want to ensure that students in developing countries and poor communities everywhere get the same exposure, and same education benefit t, from technology as do their counterparts in wealthier parts of the world. Bringing computers into the schoolroom (See Figure 2) is seen by experts as one way to do this. But just making technology available may not be enough. Policymakers and development experts need to know how to ensure the technology is used effectively.

The World Bank is at the forefront of helping developing countries provide their students with the best educational opportunities, while working to meet the United Nations Millennium Development Goal of ensuring primary education for every child (See Figure 3). To assist educators, policymakers and education experts understand how technology may boost the quality

Elnas 6 of education, the World Bank supported a two-year study of a program in Colombia that places computers in public schools. The study failed to find that the computers led to any measurable increase in student test scores. Researchers suggested this could be because teachers and students mainly used the computers to learn how to use computers, instead of using them as a part of the teaching process. The results do not mean that computers and other information and communications technologies cannot raise educational quality. But it does offer a cautionary note to those seeking to increase the availability of such technology tools: being able to access technology is not always enough people may also need training in how to use the technology to reach the stated educational goals.

A public-private partnership in Colombia, called Computers for Education, was created in 2002 to increase the availability of computers in public schools for use in education. The national program gives a public school refurbished computers and provides training so teachers learn how to use the computers in class (See Figure 4). To be considered, schools must have a separate room that can be refitted to place the computers.

Schools picked are linked to a local university, which designs a teaching strategy and helps implement 20 months of training in the schools for the teachers. Training covers computer installation, classroom management strategies and a separate phase focused on

Elnas 7 using the computer to strengthen student skills, with a focus on science and math. Teachers are introduced to and taught how to use educational software in classroom teaching. Since starting, the program has installed more than 73,000 computers in over 6,300 public schools in more than 1,000 municipalities. By 2008, over 2 million students and 83,000 teachers had taken part.

To test the effect of the program, researchers randomly assigned 100 schools eligible for the program into either a treatment or a control group. A baseline survey was conducted before the program started, followed by another survey two years later. Researchers collected data from students in grades three to 11, the math and Spanish teachers, and the principal. A follow-up was conducted two years later. In both cases, the survey for students included questions about socioeconomic background, school attendance, study habits and grades, attitude toward school and use of computers. A short version of the national Colombian Saber assessment exam was also given. Researchers focused on students who were in grade three through nine at the baseline period. By focusing on lower grades, they avoided including students who were more likely to drop out or graduate before the study was over. Teachers were asked about their knowledge and use of computers in class, while school heads were asked about the school in general.

Elnas 8 A total of 8,216 students began in the study, with an even distribution of students across grades and genders. Two years later, 37 percent of all students in the study had dropped out of school, likely because the schools were in rural areas where migration was high. The drop-out rate did not affect the distribution of students in the treatment and control groups. Students in schools that received the computers and teacher training did not do measurably better on tests than students in the control group. Nor was there a positive effect on other measures of learning. The programs stated goal was to train teachers to use computers in specific subjects, with a focus on incorporating the computers into classroom teaching of Spanish and math. In Spanish classes, students on average correctly answer about 40 percent of test questions. Among students in the schools that received computers, test scores were 1.7 percent higher than students in the control group, a statistically insignificant result. In math, another subject included in the program, there also was no positive or negative difference in test scores between students in the treatment and control groups. This was consistent regardless of grade, subject and type of student. Researchers did not find any difference in test scores when they looked at specific components of math and language studies, such as algebra and geometry, and grammar and paraphrase ability in Spanish. There simply was no difference in how well students did, regardless of whether or not they were in a school that had the additional computers. Overall, the study showed that the program had little or no effect on everything ranging from student test scores to the probability that a student liked school. Part of the reason may be that although computers were available, teachers did not use them very often. Less than half of language teachers in schools that received computers and training reported that they used a computer in the previous week, compared with 17 percent of teachers in the control group. Math

Elnas 9 teachers reported similar usage. And when teachers did use the computer, it generally was not as a teaching aid or for other classroom activities. Teachers in schools that received computers and training reported using the computers about half a day more a week than those in the control group. But they did not report that they used the computers as teaching aids during math and language classes. Researchers suggested that teachers might be using the computers to help prepare for class activities, instead of for teaching.

The higher computer use by teachers also was concentrated among those teaching grades three through five. By sixth grade, the computer usage in treatment schools declined to the same levels of that in the control group schools. Schools in the program reported a 20 percent increase in use of computers by 3rd grade Spanish teachers, declining to 16 percent for 4th grade teachers, and further declining in higher grades. Similarly, students did report using computers more often than those in the control group. About 66 percent of students in schools in the program reported using a computer in the previous week, compared with 41 percent of students in the control group. Most of the increase was in school, which makes sense because the schools had received additional computers. but they used the computers mainly in classes in which they were taught how to use a computer, not in math and Spanish (See Figure 5).

Most of the increased usage among students in the treatment group came from using the computers for their computer classes. Only three to four percent of students, in both

Elnas 10 the treatment and control groups, reported using computers as a learning aid in Spanish classes, for example. Overall, the program did meet its goal of putting computers in schools, increasing the number in the treatment schools by almost 300 percent. In the control group, schools had an average of 5.1 computers, compared with 13.4 in schools in the program. (Each school had 80 or more students.) It also successfully provided special computer training. Some 95 percent of teachers in the treatment group did receive training, compared with 8 percent in the control group. But teachers did not implement the final, and key part, of the program, which was to incorporate the technology into their teaching (See Figure 6).

The Colliers Dictionary defines technology as the application of scientific knowledge and advances to practical purposes. The application of this definition to the educational system, means that technology can and will only seek to improve the educational system. There are numerous reason why this is so, there is the boost it will give to students self esteem, it helps them to prepare for the world of work, the educational opportunities it presents for students whether they are physically challenged or not.

The use of technology in the classroom will improve students' motivation and attitudes about themselves and about learning (See Figure 7). Students are found to be challenged, engaged, and more independent when using technology. By encouraging experimentation and exploration of the numerous things they can learn on their own through the use of technology, students will

Elnas 11

gain a greater sense of responsibility for their work, creating better assignments that will reflect the increase in knowledge and talent through the use of this technology.

Some students will find it hard to retain information thorough oral presentation; technology will make this process a lot easier through the use of graphics and interaction. Technology presents lots of educational opportunities and possibilities for the student. There is no limit to the amount of information you can get through the use of technology, one the many great opportunities lies in correspondence courses. By using this type of educational system, students who find it difficult to learn in the classroom environment could learn at their own pace, while tailoring the courses to the their specific needs.

The educational system of the physically challenged can also be enhanced, making learning easier for them, while giving them a sense of independence. The many devices that can assist in this area of education could be voice recognition software for the visually impaired, this will allow them to give voice commands to machinery to perform task for them, for example, dictating an assignment for school. Students who have limited hand mobility could use a keyguard on a keyboard, which will help to guide the pointing device they will use to help select a single key on the keyboard at a time.

Technology in the educational system can also help to prepare our students for the world of work. The business sector whether it is private or public, is highly computerized. Without the familiarity of technology and what it does, our students will be lost in the business

Elnas 12

world. We need to help make our students computer literate at an early age as possible, doing this will make their transition into the world of work easier.

Technology can be used as an administrative and management tool, this will enable principals and vice-principals to streamline the operation of the educational system. They could monitor students progress, which will help them to be more aware of the those students who are having problems in school, dealing with them on an individual level, and finding appropriate ways of dealing with the students particular problems, so they would not get lost in the system.

In Barbados today we are moving in the right direction by introducing the use of technology in the form of our Edutech Program. This leads me to believe, that our government is seeing the importance of technology within our education system and is making all efforts to introduce it in the education of our youth.

Technology is not going to fix the problems associated with education, but, at the same time, the problems that plague our educational system are not going to be remedied without the presence of technology (http://selfgrowth.com/articles/how_technology_can_improve_the _educational_system.html)

Appendix

Figure 1 Teacher seeking to improve technological education.

Figure 2 Bringing Computers in the schoolroom

Figure 3 World Bank

Figure 4 Training for teachers on how to use computer in class.

Figure 5 Students taught how to use computer

Figure 6 Computer as the best result of technology is considered as best tool for learning/teaching.

Figure 7 Improve students' motivation and attitudes about learning

Works Cited

How Technology Can Improve the Educational System http://selfgrowth.com/articles/how_technology_can_improve_the _educational_system.html

How are Computers Used in Education http://answers.com/science/other/how_are_computers_used_in_education.html

Teaching and Learning with Technology Clark, William W. "Gothic Art." World Book Encyclopedia. 2002. Volume 8.

Computers and the Internet World Book Encyclopedia. 1999. Volume 8.

Advantages of Technology Oxford English Dictionary. 2nd ed. 1989. Print.

Computers: The Roles and Functions of Educational Technology Encyclopdia Britannica: Macropdia. 15th ed. 2002. Print.

How Can Computers Help Students Learn http://siteresources.worldbank.org/EXTHDOFFICE/Resources/54857261288802844934/Brochure-correct-4.pdf