Technology and Education: Effects of Online Courses in Education
Writing assignment #2 will be an essay in which you analyze either causes or effects. You have two choices for this essay, both of which are very wide open. For both choices, you are required to integrate two sources into your essay to support your argument.
1. TECHNOLOGY AND EDUCATION
Analyze the effects of a particular trend in educational technology.
Our discussions in the class up to this point might be helpful for you as you consider ideas for this topic.
You might analyze any one of the following. These are just examples. Many approaches are possible for this topic.
a. The potential effects of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) in higher education. You might focus on a particular field of study for this choice.
b. The effects of online courses on education. You might focus on a particular field of study for this choice.
c. The effects of using digital media in online courses
d. The effects of computer use in writing courses or courses in other disciplines
e. The effects of certain forms of technology on reading skills or reading habits
f. The potential effects of video games being introduced into schools and used to help educate students
You must use at least two sources to support your points in this essay. You will cite your sources in APA style, using both in-text citations and a “References” page at the end of the essay.
Some interesting articles that might give you ideas for this essay, and that you could use for one or two of your sources, are the following:
• Clive Thompson, “The New Literacy”
http://www(dot)wired(dot)com/techbiz/people/magazine/17-09/st_thompson
• Cynthia Haven, “The New Literacy: Stanford study finds richness and complexity in students' writing“
http://news(dot)stanford(dot)edu/news/2009/october12/lunsford-writing-research-101209.html
• John Sutherland, “Cn u txt?”
http://www(dot)theguardian(dot)com/technology/2002/nov/11/mobilephones2
• Michael Agger, “Lazy Eyes”
http://www(dot)slate(dot)com/articles/technology/the_browser/2008/06/lazy_eyes.html
Technology and Education
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Technology and Education: Effects of Online Courses in Education
It is undeniable that the digital revolution has taken over the world, and the education sector is not any different. Online learning has grown to become an integral element of higher education throughout the world with millions of students taking their certificate, undergraduate, masters and doctorate levels of education through online courses (Inoue, 2007). Moreover, online courses have contributed significantly in nurturing professionals in different fields of professionalism, a factor that has consequently curbed the incompetence in the global labor markets.
Online courses have continued to gain popularity worldwide in the recent past. A majority of students prefer online courses because of their convenience and affordability. Many countries across the world have increasingly embraced online courses over the past few decades. For example, about 6.7 million students in colleges and universities in the United States have registered to at least one online course (Wang, 2014).
Through online courses, universities and colleges have provided educational services to larger populations. The courses have enabled millions of people across the world to advance their professional knowledge through the internet. Students are able to enroll for programs in different areas of specialization without necessary attending lectures in physical (Inoue, 2007). Colleges and universities across the world have embraced online courses with intentions to reduce the level of illiteracy among their citizens while simultaneously empowering the labor markets. For instance, 70% of universities in the Africa have online programs. The courses have enabled institutions of learning to admit students from all over the world; hence, providing them with an opportunity to take programs from some of the most prestigious colleges and universities across the world, without travelling to the institutions (Wang, 2014).
In addition, research suggests that many professionals prefer online courses to school-based courses (Wang, 2014). This is attributed to the convenience and affordability of the courses as compared to school-based programs. Furthermore, researches show that 85% of people with families prefer online courses to school-based courses while advancing their professional knowledge. For many families and professional persons, the enrollment in online programs is preferable because it gives them time to perform their family and professional responsibilities while simultaneously undertaking educational programs. Moreover, online courses, just like on-campus courses, are accredited at both national and international labor markets. This is because; students taking online courses use similar syllabuses as the campus-based courses.
Technological applications are the basis of online courses. Students and instructors interact through such platforms as emails, faxes, and online chats, which are entirely dependent on internet services. In online courses, students take educational programs by attending to recorded lectures. Instructors prepare lectures and post them on students’ portals from where students can access. The posted lectures are downloadable. Online projects and discussions are equally important schemes through which students take online courses. They use internet applications such as video calls and instant messaging to consult one another and engage in academic discussions.
Video conferencing is also an important strategy that instructors and students use to take online cour...