DIGITAL EDUCATION: A Personal Opinion on Using Modern Technology for Educational Purposes

Certainly, Technology has affected practically every aspect of life and procedures; making things easier and in
some cases more complex.

Information and (or) Digital Technology has changed a lot of things in the academic world, generally, I would
like to smile to a lot of those changes, however, I also have my reservations about some of them; from class-
work routines to course assignments, from lectures to quizzes, tests and exams, from applications to
admissions, from studies to researches, all aspects of education has greatly been affected by the digital
technology. Also, people have changed in reaction to these changes, and the cycle continues.

I would personally like to focus on the schooling structure(s) and class routines, especially at the University
levels, and how all these are gradually changing and also the interpretations of these changes and their effects
on the students, system and society.

While the number of study-hours in schools has over the years remained the same, the methods of instruction
and administration applied have changes with time. Computers are now very common with classes, with a lot
of introduction of online study and courses. This has tremendously increased the study range and knowledge,
while also greatly increasing the flexibility of study with respect to time. While learning at GOETHE here in
Lagos, Nigeria, I could go online for free test samples and exercises online, watch DW online, download a wide
range of German exercises, vastly increasing my knowledge of the study course; German, while also giving me
the flexibility of choosing convenient study hours. This is just a simple instance of how most academic courses
are run. The digital experience, while giving very vast range of knowledge sources, also gives the advantage of
less bulk, when considering books involved; a library can simply fit into a smart phone, which is a lot of more
convenience. Thus, in making study broader and knowledge wider, digital technology has also added a lot of
flexibility to my life. This in turn affects my pattern of life and how I combine study with both work and
recreation.

With just a click, every information you need appears on the screen, this is how easy digital education has
made things. School applications are less stressful; I know of some universities that offer 100% paperless
admission application processes.

Digital Education has tremendously changed a lot in the teaching and learning processes also; although it is not
so common yet in Nigeria, however, in some institutions instructions are given using digital screens, and
illustrations are more elaborate. The instructor finds it easier as well as the students, although most classwork
and assignments are still not digital, but some are. As well as, most international tests, exams and results are
internet based, and this has over recent time proven more reliable and efficient.

The digital experience makes my approach to study easier and friendlier, and this yields better results. A report
from a research conducted by Durham University on The Impact of Digital Technology on learning, reports on
point stated that it is certain that .technology engages and motivates young people.

No doubt that most studies have shown that the Intelligent Quotient (IQ) has shown a growing trend over
recent time, but I also believe that this increase can be attributed partly to the way and method of study. The
conditions surrounding how we study does affect the results we get from such study, it is actually how we
study that mostly affects our study results.

It is very true that digital education has enhanced gains on time and convenience, as well as knowledge. It has
also reduced efforts made to gaining this knowledge, while greatly increasing reliability on these digital
technologies. For instance, students now find it almost impossible to do simple arithmetic calculations without
punching buttons, or a reminder is needed for every schedule, and sms reminder needed for every upcoming
event, an all these seem to make or depict our brains as seeming to do lesser and even lesser work. Sincerely,
there are no proofs that these trends have reduced the brains capability or intelligence; however, it remains a
thing of worry.

Achieving a lot by a simple click on a mouse or a button, or even just a swipe across a screen, one does not
have to do a lot of work; rather, one achieves a lot with so much ease and convenience, anyone and practically
everyone would think this is a huge plus on how things work, but findings strongly suggests that technology in
learning is most effective when applied as subordinate or complement, rather than when introduced as a
substitute to the existing teaching-learning procedures. With this I totally concur

Application of digital technology has even shown greater results with special students, and the results are far
more evident. In all cases, it has been proven that results whether positive or negative are chiefly
dependent on the how and not on the what is being taught. These show that the educational process is of
very great importance if effective results are desired.

Digital education is however rapidly changing not only the way things are done, but also the means involved,
the technology pace is quite a fast one. A documentary showed that children of ages from four (4) to seven (7),
could not identify a typewriter or fax machine, which have been around for decades are almost extinct with
just few decades of digital technology.

The argument is on; whether the digital case is an all-win one? Personally, I can only see a very few downsides
to digital education.

I strongly believe that institutions, which firmly embrace digital education, are definitely on the high path to
achieving great successful results, if rightfully and adequately applied

Thanks

Igwebuike Onyeka Daniel.

Reference

The Impact of Digital Technology on Learning: A Summary for the Education Endowment
Foundation
Full Report Professor Steven Higgins, ZhiMin Xiao and Maria Katsipataki School of Education, Durham
University