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Students need to function in new world
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At the Western International School of Shanghai, our students have access to a wide range of different technological resources. Our iPads, laptops and Android systems all help students increase productivity and, in effect, increase learning. It helps students with time management, organization and research.
We know that technology can assist students who are different kinds of learners and help them find new ways of learning. Students can also communicate and receive feedback almost instantly, which can be a critical part of learning. They are exposed to a world full of knowledge and given the skills they need to source this knowledge.
Gadgets allow our international students to communicate with family and friends abroad. Homesickness can be a thing of the past. It has made the world smaller and has created a “popular digital culture” around music, film, TV, games, etc. Our students are more aware and updated on the broader world, social issues, natural disasters, and politics.
However, these gadgets can also be a distraction. They can pull students away from their studies, their sports, their social scenes. Students may have focusing issues, taking them longer to do a task because of the multiple “windows” open. Many argue that the overwhelming access to technology results in social skills declining as people use these new, removed platforms for communication. Language is being impacted and it is important to consider the consequences on literacy and human interaction.
Should the students be using all these gadgets? Is “screen” time a danger to our children’s development? The correct question is: How do we school our students to effectively use and manage all this technology that is now at their fingertips? How do we help them to take all the benefits and to understand the negatives involved? We are now in a digital world, and our students need to know how to function in this new world.
(Adrienne Johnson is a WISS teacher.)
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