Excerpt from Digitising Education Key issues: Education and Technology, Digital Divide
An excellent piece for Science and Technology, and education.
Summary: South Korea is planning to digitise its entire educational curriculum by 2015. From 2015, all information will be taught to students using computers and other technological devices. The aim appears to be to eliminate textbooks and to teach using only computer or touch screens.
The article then moves on to talk about potential problems and weaknesses with digital learning, and uses the USA as a case study for some of these problems.
Main claims:
Advantages
1. Extends educational opportunities to those in rural areas.
2. Teenagers should be receptive to learning in this way.
Disadvantages or problems
1. Digital learning within a nation requires a large amount of cohesion in the national education system. (South Korea has this, Singapore has it but the USA does not).
2. Are teachers ready for this change and are they adequately trained? Most teachers would probably feel uncomfortable with a totally digitised education system.
3. It is possible that learning digitally could undermine . . .
Points to Ponder
1. Can you think of other advantages of a fully digital education system?
2. Given the dangers involved, would you support a fully digitised curriculum . . .
End of Excerpt
You must be logged in to post a comment.