Technology + Education: How has Technology Impacted Millennial and Gen Z Education

Technology has gained tremendous advancement over the past few years, and it has revolutionized almost every aspect of our lives. It has had an immense impact in the millennial generation and has constantly evolved over the years creating a modernized, advanced, and much better opportunity for the present generation.

Even if a toddler is handed a smartphone, he will figure out a way to open it and run it somehow. Children are becoming computer and smartphone experts at a very young age. School kids these days attend classes on computers and many of them have been using tablets, laptops, and smartphones even before going to school. Kids these days have access to smart devices all around them. Some have their own smartphones and tablets at home.

Traditional education system did not have such advancements and children then yearned for resources that are available now. Children now have the best of the facilities and technology that helps them to get any information without even having to step out of the house.

Benefits of Technology for Millennial Education:

1. Captivate Education:

Traditional classrooms learning was all about black boards, chalks, notes and textbooks. Students needed more immersive education which comprised of three-dimensional images which appear to surround the user. Today’s young generation is very clever and curious and they are very much concerned about gaining immersive education. Technology has improved so much that VR (Virtual Reality), AR (Augmented Reality), and Mixed Reality has made immersive learning gain heights.

2. Distance is just a Number:

Technology has made long distance leaning possible. With the introduction of distance learning and virtual classrooms, it has become very easy for the students to attend classes in just a matter of few clicks without even having to step out of their comfort zone. With this, students can enhance their knowledge and skills even with their busy schedules. They won’t have to travel long distances to get to the classroom. They can access classes and all the learning material by sitting at home.

3. Increased Level of Flexibility:

The main advantage of modern distance education is its flexibility. Online education gives both the teachers and students the flexibility and freedom to conduct classes based on their own schedule and availability. People need not worry about getting things done in a hurry and rushing up to reach the institute to attend classes. Its just a matter of learning at your own pace by setting up a schedule that fits both the teacher’s and student’s agenda.

4. Collaborative Learning:

Distance education has made it possible for every type of education to be achieved from any part of the world – be it any continent, any country, any city, or any village for that matter. Anybody sitting anywhere can access any course of their choice just in a matter of few clicks and a simple registration process. Technology has made it possible to people living in various parts of the world to collaborate and learn together. This in turn gives rise to mutual benefits such as exchange of language, culture and knowledge between people who belong to different parts of this world.

5. Cost Effective Learning:

Online teaching has facilitated cost reduction for institutions. The technology has made it possible for learners to get unlimited access to plenty of study material free of cost. A huge amount of electricity is being saved due to the online classes. It has also reduced the usage of considerable amount of paper because of the introduction of online question papers and online submission of electronic documents. The use of technology in education has made learning smarter and more convenient.

6. All the Information on Fingertips:

The present millennial generation and Gen-Z don't have to worry about visiting teachers just to get their doubts clarified. Unlike the traditional classroom education, the modern education has brought every facility close to the students in the form of Google and YouTube. Unlike the previous generations who used to refer to multiple books in the library to get their doubts resolved, the young generation now can simply sit at home and access any information of their choice on their mobile phones. Clarification to any doubt can be obtained just by browsing through the Internet. Students these days do not require any professional support for most of their educational needs and this is possible because of the presence of Internet.

7. More Inclusiveness:

Online learning provides teachers an efficient way to deliver lessons to students. Technology is much developed and online classes have an advanced feature called self-assessment that helps the students know their potential. It helps students pay attention, take notes, listen to the teacher, ask questions, respond to questions, participate, and react in a more efficient manner. This in turn increases engagement and the learning environment turns out to provide more fun and inclusiveness.

8. More Comfort for Learners:

Ed tech facilitates learning and studying at an environment that is comfortable for students. When students learn at home (their comfort zone), they feel that they are in their own unique atmosphere that is favourable for their studying needs. Online learning gives children a comfortable workspace and eliminates distractions. Students can have all their books and stationery handy at home without having to carry everything to the classroom.

9. Parents Can Stay Connected to their Children:

During the traditional classroom education, parents had very little insight about their children’s progress because they could not find out about the learning process or the student involvement/ behaviour at school. Parents were only aware of what was conveyed or informed to them during the parent-teacher meetings. Technology has made it possible for parents to have a better communication with teachers. Students attend classes at home due to which parents can be more informed and involved in their learning process. When parents are involved in education, students are more likely to succeed and be motivated to study.

10. Provides Opportunities and Offers Career Preparation:

Technology allows students to engage in project-based learning. Students and teachers use technology to deliver education that helps students acquire necessary skills to succeed in desired career paths. Online learning promotes project-based and inquiry-based learning. Tools like Google Classroom allow students to work together, edit together, create projects, and provide feedback in real time. These projects help students to work on any future projects that can help shape their career. The new education system is preparing young people for the rest of their lives.

However, with constant improvement in technology, there are some concerns about how this technology impacts child development. Small children these days spend almost 8 hours a day in media. Older children and teenagers spend around 11 hours per day with media. This shows that young people are spending more time with technology than they do in school. The problem with teenagers is that they stay up and awake until late night playing online games, sending text messages, and scrolling social media posts. This can be harmful at times.

Here are some negative effects of Technology on Millennials:

1. Decreasing Grades:

Not all but most of the students spend more time scrolling on their phones and tablets and hence spend very less time on their studies and homework. This leads to loss of interest in studies and falling grades.

2. Much Screen Time:

Kids these days spend a huge amount of time per day on smart devices. Some screen time is obviously essential for schoolwork, but it is recommended to limit the screentime for better health and eyesight. Parents must make sure and assess how much screen time is safe for their children, and take care of activities their children engage in.

3. Easy Distraction:

Students get distracted easily because of social media and lose interest in doing anything worthwhile. All people these days are addicted to social media and hence it is a challenge for youngsters to chuck away social media stuff and concentrate on their studies and responsibilities.

4. Health Issues:

People these days are so busy that they have forgotten to take care of their own health and lifestyle. Whenever people find time, they just sit and start browsing the internet, or play games on their tablets or spend time on social media. Due to all this, people have started neglecting their health. They don’t move their body often; they don’t exercise and just begin to procrastinate. This leads to health issues.

Conclusion:

Technology has changed the education system and the traditional classrooms have changed into modern e-classrooms. In today’s world, technology has incorporated itself into every aspect of life including the education system. Virtual classrooms, AR, and video tutorials have made the classes interesting and interactive. Not only this, but there are also many digital tools to store student information and to link students with various resources. Educational technology is mainly focused to improve educational experience by significantly bringing all learning resources into a single platform. Technology is shaping the future of education so it is important to be well equipped and up to date with the latest trends in education if you want to stay ahead in the competition and work on strategies that can help you in your field of work.