Page 167 - Microsoft Word - The Future of Learning April 2017.docx

The impact of technology on learning is influenced by a considerable number of variables, including the space it is being used in, the specifications of the technology (including size, format and software design and purpose), the activity being pursued, whether it is being used for communication, capturing information, publishing or access to knowledge and ideas, the media format being accessed or whether it is being used for individual or collaborative work. The list of variables that will impact the success of the use of technology is almost endless. In summary, assessing if the technology is a valuable learning tool is difficult to prove as it is dependent on how it is used, more than what is used. This does not demean the potential value of technology but we do need to validate and optimise its use in the learning process.
What we do know is that technology provides a vast range of resource and tools that allow learners access to resources across a wide spectrum of media, and that these tools are increasingly intuitive, enabling learners to work collaboratively or individually, to personalise their learning. That these advantages provide benefits is without a doubt and that technology has negative aspects is a valid concern. It is the educator’s role to accentuate the positive, and minimise the negative effects of technological innovations.180
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“The tragic thing is that this - the truth - will never go viral. So I wonder, what is more likely to bring about the death of civilization, children using smartphones to learn about art, or the willful ignorance of adults who are too quick to make assumptions?”132José Picardo:
Resource 67: Technology and Assumptions
Over the centuries, technological innovations have almost always been eschewed as the forerunner to social decay, but in hindsight, once viewed through a historical narrative, they are predominantly seen as having significant benefits for society, once they are optimised and assessed as to how they are best used.
180 Picardo, J. (2016, Jan 16).Technology and the death of civilisation [Blog]. Retrieved from
https://medium.com/@josepicardoshs/technology-and-the-death-of-civilisation-5e831b3f8b5