Technology Changing the Face of Education

The advances in technology have forever changed how individuals learn around the world. With the ability to distance learning taking an incredible leap in popularity thanks to newer communication technology, learning doesnt have to involve sitting in a classroom. It is possible to earn a highly regarded degree without setting foot in a school. Technology has come a long way since IBM sold its very first commercial computer in 1955. In fact, it is possible to find nearly any degree program online since the increase in popularity of the structure of learning. Classrooms no longer have to be in a building in a school. Students can now take classes at schools around the country and world without actually having to attend in person. This has given students the ability to reach more goals. Those who want to go back to school are no longer limited to local universities and colleges but now can choose from a broad range of programs. This lack of limitations is making it easier for people to get the education they need. It opens them up to possibilities they might not have had otherwise. The ability to earn your degree online has made it possible for people with other commitments to still get the education they want and need. This technology has made it possible for them to take classes and complete them on their own time fitting it into their schedule. They are able to design a course load that allows them to care for their family and even work a full time job and still get the education they are looking for. For many, making the decision of what school to attend is the hardest part of the process. Taking the time to visit earnmydegree.com could prove to be very helpful in your decision making process

Top 5 Tech Advancements Changing the Face of Education

2. There is no doubt that technology has become heavily integrated into our everyday lives. There is almost no escaping it. We rely on our cellphones and laptops for everything whether it be finding a recipe for dinner or researching the hottest stocks. Education has also been heavily influenced by the integration of technology as it is fast becoming the only way to reach students. In addition to the use and promotion of several LMS, there have been several other tech advancements that have forever changed the face of education. The top 5 of these tech advancements include:

Social Media
While the use of social media in classrooms has raised a bit of alarm, the overall benefits of using social media far outweigh the detriments. By using social media platforms, such as Facebook and Twitter, in the classroom teachers have seen an increase in grades and classroom participation even less sociable students have become more participatory. As

social media becomes more prevalent in the everyday lives of students, teachers will have to integrate the platforms into the classroom if they wish to keep their students engaged.

Online Classrooms
Not everyone has the schedule that fits into the traditional university setting. For years, those that were unable to obtain a college degree through traditional means were simply left to do without. However, since the start of online degree programs, thousands have been able to pursue the degrees they want on their own time, affording them the opportunity to pursue more financially stable degrees.

Tablets
Classrooms are becoming more technologically involved than ever before. In fact, most students cant even remember walking in to a classroom that didnt have a computer or some piece of technology that was used on a regular basis. Tablets not only offer students the chance to browse for information in quick fashions, but they also allow them to more easily collaborate on projects and become more engaged in their learning process. They have become exceptional tools that soon every classroom will strive to have.

Smartphones
Schools have long battled the use of cell phones in school; however, the smartphone, like the tablet, have had different receptions. In addition to providing access to social media platforms which allow students to more freely interact, they also provide easy access to useful information which betters a childs overall learning experience. They also offer numerous apps designed to help students better budget their time and create more efficient schedules to complete their school work.

Free Online Resources

Access to education online has by far been the biggest advancement in education. Like never before, students are able to access any type of information about any subject matter they choose. Khan Academy, YouTube, and numerous others forums have bettered the learning experience and allowed student access to resources necessary to supplement their own education. As we continue to build upon our technological age, the use of the internet and different gadgets in the classroom will only become more and more prevalent. The classrooms that survive and thrive will be those that arent afraid to push the envelope and integrate current technologies into their curriculum.

Facebook users are more trusting, have more close friends, are more politically engaged, and get more support from their friends The highest proportion of Facebook friends is high school classmates, and Facebook helps revive dormant ties with lost connections Washington (June 16, 2011) New national survey findings show that use of social networking sites is growing and that those who use these sites, especially Facebook users, have higher measures of social well-being. In a national phone survey of 2,255 American adults last fall, the Pew Research Centers Internet & American Life Project found that:

Facebook users are more trusting than others. Controlling for other factors, the research found that a Facebook user who uses the site multiple times per day is 43% more likely than other internet users and more than three times as likely as non-internet users to feel that most people can be trusted. Facebook users have more close relationships. Controlling for other factors, the research found that someone who uses Facebook several times per day averages 9% more close, core ties in their overall social network compared with other internet users. Facebook users are much more politically engaged. The survey was conducted over the November 2010 election season. Compared with other internet users, and users of other social networking platforms, a Facebook user who uses the site multiple times per day was an additional two and half times more likely to attend a political rally or meeting, 57% more likely to persuade someone on their vote, and 43% more likely to have said they would vote. Facebook users get more social support. The survey explored how much total social support, emotional support, companionship, and instrumental aid (such as having someone help you when you are sick in bed) adults receive. Controlling for other factors, a Facebook user who uses the site multiple times per day receives more emotional support and companionship. For Facebook users, the additional boost is equivalent to about half the total support that the average American receives as a result of being married or cohabitating with a partner. Facebook helps users retain high school ties and it revives dormant relationships. In our sample, the average Facebook user has 229 Facebook friends. They reported that their friends list contains: 22% people from high school 12% extended family 10% coworkers 9% college friends 8% immediate family 7% people from voluntary groups 2% neighbors

Over 31% of Facebook friends cannot be classified into these categories. However, only 3% of Facebook friends are people users have never met in person, and only 7% are people who have met only one time. The remainder is friends-of-friends and social ties that are not currently active relationships, but dormant ties that were meaningful once and have been at least somewhat maintained through use of Facebook. There has been a great deal of speculation about the impact of social networking site use on peoples social lives, and much of it has centered on the possibility that these sites are hurting users relationships and pushing them away from participating in the world, noted Prof. Keith Hampton, the lead author of the new Pew Internet report. Weve found the exact opposite that people who use sites like Facebook actually have more close relationships and are more likely to be involved in civic and political activities. This survey also showed that more people are using social networking sites the figure is now 47% of the entire adult population, compared with 26% that was measured in our similar 2008 survey. Among other things, this means the average age of adult social networking site users has shifted from 33 in 2008 to 38 in 2010. Over half of all adult social networking site users are now over the age of 35. In Pew Internets first-ever reading on specific Facebook activities, the survey found that on an average day:

15% of Facebook users update their own status. 22% comment on anothers post or status. 20% comment on another users photos. 26% Like another users content. 10% send another user a private message

Facebook has become the dominant social networking platform in terms of both number of users and frequency of use, and it is striking to note that the makeup of the population is changing, noted Lauren Sessions Goulet, co-author of the report. We also found interesting variation in the characteristics of users across different social networking sites. People pick the platforms which best meet their social and professional needs. For instance, the report found:

Nearly twice as many men (63%) as women (37%) use LinkedIn. The average adult MySpace user is younger (32), and the average adult LinkedIn user older (40), than the average Facebook user (38), Twitter user (33), and users of other social networking sites (35). MySpace and Twitter users are the most racially diverse mainstream social network platforms. MySpace users tend to have fewer years of formal education than users of other social network services, whereas most LinkedIn users have at least one university degree.

There were several other surprises in the survey the authors found notable:

Social networking sites are increasingly used to keep up with close social ties. Looking at those people that social networking site users report as their core discussion confidants, 40% of users have friended all of their closest confidants. This is a substantial increase from the 29% of users who reported in our 2008 survey that they had friended all of their core confidants. MySpace users are more likely to be open to opposing points of view. We measured perspective taking, or the ability of people to consider multiple points of view. There is no evidence that social networking site users, including those who use Facebook, are any more likely than others to cocoon themselves in social networks of like-minded and similar people, as some have feared. Moreover, regression analysis found that those who use MySpace have significantly higher levels of perspective taking.

Social networking sites have become increasingly important to people as they find ways to integrate check-ins and updates into the rhythms of their lives, noted Lee Rainie, a coauthor of the report. People use them now to stay in touch with their best friends and distant acquaintances alike. But the story hasnt ended. Its clear that the world of networked individuals will continue to change as the platforms and populations of users continue to evolve. In this survey, 2,255 American adults were surveyed between October 20-November 28, 2010, including 1,787 internet users. There were 975 users of social networking site such as Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn, and Twitter. The margin of error on the entire survey is plus or minus 3 percentage points, on the internet users is plus or minus 3 percentage points, and for the social networking site users is plus or minus 4 percentage points.