GADGETS
ELECTRONICS and gadgets are two words that fit very well together. Have you had the opportunity of watching the Fast and the Furious 6 as yet? So far, initial reviews and feelers on the movie have proven to be massive; and while the show continues to defy the laws of physics and gravity, it has managed to retain one particular characteristic:

A franchise that has its timeline all screwed up, but is still capable of drawing in the viewers, never mind that they want to hear Vin Diesel do his mumbling act. Well, you might be wondering just what you can do in order to spruce up your ride’s capabilities on the road; and apart from making sure that it is well serviced all the time, how about throwing in a fair bit of electronics to get the ball rolling?
A gadget is usually a technological (but not always), small to med-size device or object with a strong novelty flavour. Gadgets could be a Tablet computer or a Smartphone; on the other hand, it can also be web-based software with a specific functionality. Gadgets can also be found in kitchens, autos etc.
Children today more comfortable using tablets than textbooks; they’re definitely a step ahead of their technologically-challenged parents. And, often, they’re the ones telling their parents which email server to use, what phone to buy, and even giving them a lesson or two on how to use the appliance.
One parent recalls the time the Internet was a completely unknown territory to her. She would ask her children to teach her Google, but after a few lessons with her son on his laptop, she now has her own email ID, uses Skype frequently, and searches for recipes Online.
There is enough literature that suggests technology can impede a child’s development. Many schools have also embraced technology in teaching, having come to realise that it isn’t just a necessary life-skill now, but also changes how students learn.
Technology enables learning to be individualized, allowing students to work at their own pace, using different resources.
Technology is central at some schools, in that students are allowed to submit their assignments via email; Online learning management systems allow teachers to upload assignments, and monitor students’ progress; and students blog, make movies and podcasts, and deliver digital presentations. Google Maps is used in geography lessons; students create programmes such as an Online voting system to use during school elections.
To ensure maximum benefit to students from available technology during school hours, there are firewalls and monitoring systems that block access to social networking sites, and campaigns to promote awareness on the dangers of the Internet.
Technology can be a powerful tool for learning, and it can be the same for cheating. It can be used to inform, and to distort. It can boldly open new doors, while allowing access to some that were perhaps best left closed; not every topic is appropriate for all age groups.
While some elements in the world of education still want to stress cursive penmanship and hand-editing, it is hard not to admit that technology, specifically and mostly the Internet and gadgets, have transformed the modern world.
Ask anyone over the age of 50 with a PhD what it was like in their time to access information they badly needed, and they will generally begin to swear and discuss how young people these days have it so good.
Nothing is free; everything has a cost. While technology can have very positive effects, it can also have some very negative impacts. Things such as cheating are now simpler than ever; and I don’t mean writing on your hand. Is your class allowed to use a graphing calculator at test time? Then, write a programme on it that contains all the formulas you need, and you pass the test. Chances of being caught? Zero!
Or just take a picture of your homework, and send it via SMS (Short Message Service) to your friend, who copies it on the bus on the way to classes, using his gadget.
The use of “white-out” for changing or correcting a word is passé; it is much easier and faster to delete a word from your touch-screen tablet than to erase it from you book. Why go to school with tons of books on your back when you can walk with an e-reader gadget that has WIFI capability?
Using gadgets and the Internet, people from the North West District can be trained by someone who is stationed on the West Coast Demerara; you could be living in Guyana and take classes from India.
Technology is changing our world, and we have to understand the implications of its use for our children’s education. Education is affected by technology in a very real way; however, the timeless goals of education should be respected all the way.