Teaching and Learning with Technology at MIS

by Ms. Bintang Simbolon

Technology is becoming essential to learning in this digital era that can’t be separated from school. Digital learning is learning facilitated by technology that gives students and teachers some convenience over time and space. Technology allows students to assess the lesson anytime and anywhere and it allows students to access various digital resources without having a dependence on printed books. The students pushed to explore beyond the confines of school’s textbooks. 

In this digital era, technology has brought learning to a substantial change to traditional education in almost all areas and levels. Technology has not only impacted students’ access to lessons and resources but has enabled students to collaborate with other students and teachers without being confined by physical constraints. Students from around the world have the opportunity to connect since the distance is not a big problem anymore. Not only that, learning in this digital era has altered students’ learning because they can be exposed to complex real-world problems and phenomena to provoke their thinking and ideas to problem-solving. Technology has brought enormous privileges for students to accelerate their learning and challenges such as an overload of information that might need to be more reliable. This information not only evokes their understanding of real-world problems but also creates a stress level for the students that requires critical thinking. 

The using of technology has benefited the teachers to record the progress of each individual student. The teachers can use the data to inform their professional decisions, identify students’ strengths and weaknesses, give feedback, create assessment tools, and develop the teaching approach. 

While technology has brought significant benefits to teachers and students, technology has come with several disadvantages that need to be addressed. Teachers and students need to be aware of the challenges: 

1. Too much screen time can bring bad physical impacts such as dry eyes, eye strain, and vision problems. Additionally, too much screen time can increase the risk of obesity and other health issues.
2. Security risks. Technology exposes everyone to cyber risks that require critical consideration
3. Young students who are exposed to the internet for more than two hours are more likely to experience emotional, and social issues. 
4. Educational issues with a lack of intention skills are another challenge faced by the students. 
5. Screen time before sleep can decrease sleep quality. The light from the screen disrupts the brain’s natural sleep and it may cause insomnia. 
6. Over dependence on screens decreases the hands-on ability and experience of learning of the students 

As technology is becoming more popular and bringing huge positive and negative impacts on human life, especially in students, teachers should empower themselves and their students of how to utilize technology effectively. Teachers can build the students’ awareness of the negative and positive effects of technology by exposing them to any experiences of using technology. It would be pointless to stop the young generation from using technology in life, rather, teach them how to be responsible with what they do.  

MIS embraces and equips teachers and students with the needed skills to operate technology responsibly. Every class in MIS is provided with decent technology used for teaching such as an iMac, projector, Notebook, and iPad. These technologies made teaching more attractive and advanced. MIS is actively preparing the students for their future so they can excel in future competitions. 

For the PYP students, iPads are available in each classroom and enough for every student to use. The MYP students are required to have their own laptop or Notebook to help them access their lessons easily anytime and anywhere. All teachers mostly post their lessons and homework digitally and expect their students to be independent with their learning. 

To mitigate the challenges of using technology, MIS has a regulation to disallow handphones in school areas even during break time. Students are only allowed to access their handphones with teachers’ permission. Laptops are only used for learning under teachers’ supervision and are not to be used at break time to encourage students to socialize with their friends. MIS has a Technology Policy that is known to all students and parents and all teachers are never tired of reminding the students to use technology responsibly. 

In conclusion, MIS is aware of the benefits and challenges of the surge of technology in students’ life learning, as a result, MIS tries to help the students to be responsible learners by guiding and creating school policy. Teachers’ guidance and school’s policy work together to help protect the students from the prone of technology.