Module EF5231 Academic Writing for non-native Speakers of EnglishAssessment 002JIACHENG-CAO (Rex)S131416712 December 2014Essay OutlineEssay Title:The use of technology in education has increased in recent years. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of using technology in education, with regard to both teachers and students. Give examples from your own experience of studying to support your argument.Technology in classroom is not new. Indeed, technology has been around in education for decades-one and might be argued for centuries, if we classify the blackboard as a form of technology. "Tape recorders, language laboratories Tape recorders, language laboratories and video have been in use since the 1960s and 1970s, and are still used in classrooms around the world. Computer-based materials for language teaching, often referred to as Call (computer Assisted Language Learning), appeared in the early 1980. ”(Dudeney, 2007, p8)Technology is a tool in the classroom which tries to constantly improve the quality of teaching and the efficiency to allow people to become easier and more convenient in learning through science and technology tools. Technology products have been gradually integrated into our life, and even have become an integral part of our lives. There are many technology products used in education. It has become a hotly-debated issue, whether the educator should greatly accept the development of technology. Advocates of using technology in education argue that the science and technology can effectively improve studying, such as network education system, computer and multimedia tools. They are the leading cause of improving education diversity. However, other people believe that school should follow the traditional education. There are many uncertainties in technology products. Students may be faced with many temptations and adverse influences from technology products. Technology in the classroom needs to spend a lot of money. They claimed that it is wasteful, unwise and unacceptable. This essay intends to explain the pros and cons with use the technology in education.First of all, the computer is the most representative of technology products used in education. It can offer a range of services and convenience for students to study, such as e-learning, reading online and researching information. With the help of these resources, the students' learning will be improved greatly. Clark (2008, P 37) claims that “reading online content is similar to reading printed material, but online material is designedvery differently from a book.” Student will no longer worry about taking a number of books to school. Aside from convenience, distance education programs can be economical and environmentally friendly. It is not necessary to connect with the internet; It will be easy to find a book which read. Maybe in the near future e-books will replace paper books.Furthermore, Tele-education has been increasingly popular on the internet. Wireless Fidelity is now widely available on trains and in hotels, cafes, libraries and a variety of other public spaces. (Clark .2008) Students can use lap-top, Ipad or mobile phone to study anywhere by connecting to the Internet. Technology provides the possibility of learning while on a bus or outside. It is not necessary to own the technology produce; the Cybercafés has already offered the service. It is only necessary to pay a little money then to use their computers. Even if far away from home or college, the students also can carry on with their studies. (Clark, 2008) Technology products are available to the learning spaces. In the students' learning sites are not limited at school or at home. The way and place of studying is also becoming flexible.On the other hand, technology products also bring some threat to studen ts ’study. Although technology products can bring convenience to study, it may also influence them in undesirable ways. People like to use e-learning because they can save every-thing. There is no need to read the material or make any particular effort to understand the content. It may lead to impairing the ability of students to analyst information and it may be easy to make mistakes in their studying. (Clark,2008) Students will grow dependent on learning tools to study and it may reduce their autonomous learning. Over relying on electronic products may take a heavy toll on student’s study.Moreover, contacting with electronic products and network for a long time may easily suffer from a series of threat, such as, Internet addiction, Internet pornography and cyber-violence. Admittedly, exposure to violent movies may lead to aggressive and antisocial behaviors. An avid pursuit of science and technology products probably may lead to internet crime. Many parents said that children’s’ prolonged time working on the computer easily lead to testiness, decadence and selfishness. A growing volume of experience suggests that under the impact of negative net-culture, youths willpower isweakened, which results in the increase of juvenile delinquency, personality defects, and damages to their physical, emotional and mental well-being.Technology not only plays an important role in students’ study but also influences the teachers’ job. Students studying in school may find that technological devices are increasing gradually. Undoubtedly, the technology devices have become an indispensable part of educational tool in the classroom.Firstly, technology products probably offer a lot of information for teachers to prepare for their teaching.Dudendy claimed that (2007, p8) technology is offered with published materials such as radio, photo or resource books for teachers. For example, in the Internet an educator could find numerous materials and create a power-point courseware. Class education will not be trapped in text reading, because technology can provide the condition which would makes the course more enriching, interesting and easier to grab the attention of the students. According to experience, technology products have a great probability of improving the quality of teaching and promoting education.Furthermore, technology may help teachers to increase their efficiency and reduce workload in the school education. Davies stated that (2010, p8) “if designed appropriately, computer-assisted assessment offers a number of benefits that can enhance learning and reduce the workload of administrators.” For example, assessments online, it can access a greater range of locations for paper examinations. Teachers could transport students’ work from home and access grades from multiple locations. Teachers may also teach in a tele-teaching format, which allows them to potentially take on more students and course sections because meeting times are more flexible or non-existent. Experience suggested that online assessment is feasible. Students could submit their assessment to the campus network system, and then the teacher could check the homework and return marks, all online.While technology use in education could bring a range of benefits, however, it also has some limitations. Technology is essential for teachers but there are some instanceswherein this technology is seen to be disadvantageous for both teacher and student having as well.A number of students and teachers lack technology knowledge. They do not know what it is or how to use it. Dudeney stated that (2007, p9) teachers having negative attitudes to technology is usually the cause of a lack of facilities, a lack of confidence or a lack of training. If a teacher is not comfortable teaching with technology, this can be worse than teaching without it. It leads to an inability to see the advantage of using technologies in the classroom. People cannot imagine that in the class room over half of the time the teacher struggles how to use the computer.Moreover，according to experience, lack of support is one of leading causes of limited use of technology in education. Technology can provide much frustration to the students and teachers if the instructors cannot support the hardware in the classroom. If schools cannot support their purchased technology, then the equipment goes unused and may waste money. Even if, school decided to purchase some computers, they cannot guarantee to provide enough computers for every student to use. Many students claim that (Dudeney, 2007, p9) “A teacher may want to use more te chnology in their teaching, but the school may not have the facilities.” Last, with technology constantly being renewed, maintenance of these devices may become a serious problem.In conclusion, this essay has discussed the effects of technology used in education, and has shown that it may be both negative and positive. Although in some situations technology products used in the education still have many problems, technology is still the hope in the future for development of education. The use of technology in the classroom is a good way to enhance educational innovation and diversification. Consequently, it can be suggested that governments should take steps to fund technology used in education and strengthen network supervision to reduce the spread of unhealthy information, and provide technical guidance in order to improve teachers and students IT skills. Technology use in education has become a development trending most of people still believed it may bring more contribution to education.Reference:Clark, C. (2008) ‘Traditional skills’, Palgrave study skills: e-learning skills. 2nd edn. Hampshire: Palgrave Macmillan, p. 32Clark, C. (2008) ‘Learning environments’, Palgrave study skills: e-learning skills. 2nd edn. Hampshire: Palgrave Macmillan, p. 111Clark, C. (2008) ‘Traditional skills', Palgrave study skills: e-learning skills. 2nd edn. Hampshire: Palgrave Macmillan, pp. 36 - 37Dudeney, G. & Hockly, N. (2007) Teach English with Technology, Harlow: Pearson LongmanOnline Effective Assessment in a Digital Age, A guide to technology-enhanced assessment and feedback/media/documents/programmes/elearning/digiassass_ead a.pdf(2010)(Accessed: 1 December 2014)。