THE FUTURE OF TECHNOLOGY BASED EDUCATION: ALIENATION, EMPATHY AND SOCIALIZATION
Education has undergone relatively few revolutions in thousands of years. For most of human history, the education that one received--or that one could receive--depended largely on where one happened to live and the abilities of the teachers available. Copying documents for texts was a tedious and time-consuming process, and the difficulty of spreading the written word was one limiting factor in literacy. The invention of the printing press made it possible to educate large numbers of individuals using standardized information across geographically dispersed areas. Standardized education became commonplace, and in the past 100 years, the American education system was codified around students gathering in a classroom with written materials supporting the lectures of an instructor. Today, computers in general--and the Internet in particular--are seen as bringing about another revolution in education. It is no longer necessary for students to gather in front of an instructor at the same time, and instruction can take place across thousands of miles. This research examines the trend toward technology-based education, and considers the advantages and disadvantages that are likely to develop with regard to alienation, empathy and socialization.
THE TREND TOWARD TECHNOLOGY-BASED EDUCATION
Technology-based education can take many forms, from using standalone e-books to incorporating the Internet into a distance-learning program. While many adults use computers as part of their daily work, many educators have resisted implementing computers and other technology into the classroom (Johanson, 1). However, students have recognized the potential for using technology even when their instructors have not, and the Internet has become a valuable learning tool assisting with homework and providing a medium for distance learning.
Advances in technology m...