In the last few decades, the way people enjoy their life has dramatically transformed. The latest and most advanced technologies in the arena of information and communication have amended the pace of the transmission of knowledge, workplaces, the world’s economy and even socializing.
The limitations and boundaries between work, learning, leisure and privacy really disappear. People cannot go back to their past, there is no point to oppose the technological changes, rather it must adopt and adapt.
However, it is a common fact that these technologies have wonderful potential, but they also create significant challenging issues. As an instance, now educational institutions have the opportunity to access computers, even from remote areas to enable their students to have access to more information. Nevertheless, technology has the greatest role in the educational world.
ICTs are now one of the main parts of students’ everyday life. Every day on campus, billions of messages are exchanged by the technology; students make thousands of presentations and opens endless web pages. Technology, whether Internet, software, email, integrated platforms, etc. has made considerable changes in the methods of teaching and study. In fact, both the teachers and students have absolutely abandoned the paper and pencils, completely rely on the technology.
In the last few years, numerous studies carried out so as to know the views of scholarly people regarding ICT. The main study was led by Thierry Karsenti, a researcher, in 2006 on two campuses in the Montreal area. It was then distributed almost 25,000 questionnaires to gather the data. The main focal points of that survey were:
- The most technologies used by students;
- The preferred tool for carrying out the work;
- Perceived educational advantages of ICT to the university.
Most of the authors and researchers concur that the main advantage of the use of ICT for a university is the access to information easier. ICTs have provided the facility of access to diverse, open and often free information. It is even said that ICT has kept students to go deeper in their learning.
But what students really think? … This is the scholars’ opinion on the main ICT tools.
PowerPoint Presentation (PPT)
It appears that students immensely appreciate the PowerPoint when they are employed effectively by teachers. Interactive presentations, presentations with images, videos, graphics and animations emerge to ameliorate and increase the attention of students in the classroom. In addition, these presentations have the benefit of assisting students organize and synthesize notes, which facilitates understanding. By cons, most of the students complained that their teachers do not use this tool; they use visual presentations as a “crutch” and not as a tool. This develops the conflict effect, students say so disinterested in the course and say even find boring teacher!
Unlike PowerPoint, students see only upsides to electronic messages. Most of the students disagree that this technology has the advantage of facilitating communication between students and between students and teachers. Several scholarly people have even demonstrated that they were less embarrassed to ask questions via email and in person.
Forums
Students appreciate Forums as it is an infinite source to collect authentic information. They provide a profound material. The scholars and intellectuals argue against teachers that they are not sufficiently involved in the forums. Moreover, some of the students believe that the use of a forum as the method of evaluation greatly minimizes the quality of interventions.
Integrated Platform
It appears that the integrated platform is a tool that most popular among students when it comes to course websites. Students appear to appreciate this tool for several reasons, comprising rapid access to lecture notes and enhancing communication between students and their teachers.
It has been found that students really enjoy the use of ICT in the context of education, but what are the thoughts of teachers? Is this an extra burden on their shoulders (introduction to new and advanced technologies) or is this most effective to them and to the students? In my view, ICT has really improved the educational system across the globe.
