Humankind form part of a society that is ruled by technological advancement that is beneficial and can lead to our downfall. Technology has become accustom to our daily lives and humans make use of it practically every day. This has been clear ever since the start of the Industrial Revolution and recently the Fourth Industrial Revolution which substantiate that technology have taken over our lives as most things are computerized with the objection to make life easier for us, human beings. One of the most notable impacts of the Fourth Industrial Revolution is in our schools and particularly in South African schools. Although technological advancement has made learning convenient for educators and students it also comes along with numerous disadvantages but at the end of the day it could be merely based on how the individual make use of the technology. But the topic that will be focused on, has technology been beneficial in South African schools. This can be expressed based on one’s opinion and experience of the use of technology in South African schools. The Fourth Industrial Revolution has challenged traditions in South African schools, but the intention is to improve the education system in South Africa for all those involved. Due to the gruesome past that South Africa had to endure and people of color that suffered hugely in the process it is thus why technology have become accustom to South Africa’s school culture. Scholars these days are exposed each day to content on the internet as they have easy access to the internet via their cellular phones, which makes it interesting in today’s time as scholars do not submissively accept everything they are taught from an educator. Instead in recent times educators are challenged in the classroom by scholars on a specific learning topic as the scholar would feel that one can learn more from the internet than the educator which leads to a misunderstanding in the classroom between teacher and learner. There was a report written in the summer of 2016 by the Western Cape Education Department (WCED) that stating numerous feedbacks from educators, on all levels of education, the impact technology has in schools and universities in South Africa. The general expression from high school educators was that certain forms of technology like the cellphone is still a huge distraction inside and outside the classroom as certain learners inadequately get work done due to this notion. Other educators believe that learners need to be thought at school how to make use of technology in an effective way at school in order to get work done efficiently. Technology is part of education and that education cannot fully function without the benefits that technology has to offer but at the end it can be based on opinion or experience of the use of technology in a learning environment.
Zoë's Blog 
In my opinion technology has benefited education in numerous ways. It creates an interactive environment for scholars. Learning does not only come from one source. It allows scholars to be a step ahead(when used properly).
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Technology can certainly be beneficial in schools. For example, information/facts re almost any topic is instantly available and can be easily sent anywhere in the world. Homework can be done electronically and submitted via e-mail. Certain tasks can be completed faster with the result more could be achieved within a short space of time.,
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They say, the age of change is coming and I believe technology proves this daily.
Rapid changes are taking place around us daily. Systems have become smarter, children are brought up to be tech smart, social media has become a platform of small and big businesses and all because technology grows all the time. Yes, we all doubted whether it was a good or bad thing because we feared for certain jobs. But technology has made things so easy that people are no longer needed to slave long hours, instead they are taught to learn how to program a machine and let it operate on its own.
Technology has made life easier, it’s made work, whether at home or at the office easier and it’s made the impossible, possible. Adapting to technological changes around us matters most and trusting that future systems will be used for our advantage and to better the world
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Technology is definitely a good thing for education has more work can be done in a short space of time as a result of technological development in South African schools across the country.
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There are pros and cons regarding the use of technology in the class room, as you illustrated. Like with most issues facing the world, it merely depends on how it is applied in an effective manner. In my opinion and as someone who wasnt exposed to much technology during my formative education, technology in the classroom can provide numerous benefits to students. With platforms such as YouTube and Khan Acadamy, students are able to focus on aspects of their academics that they might be struggling with or that they just dont understand without the need to consult teachers or learners. As a student I found it difficult to continuously ask teachers for help with things that they just taught. Not only is time saved in the class room, but students who use technology can learn at a pace that works for them, As we all learn in different ways and means. Having the ability to rewind or rewatch something you dont understand, having online resources and being exposed to different means of learning can only help students sufficiently prepare going forward. With that said, using technology will provide benefits in the class room, but like with most issues, it depends on how the students plan to use it which will play a role in how effect it actually is.
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Technology is the way to go and yes it already proofs that it is beneficial to the school going learners. It brings the learner and classroom setup even closer as they can engage without assistance from the Educator. This enable learners to actively participate in discussions prior to the actual lesson which then assist with active learning.
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Technology is always benificial… period. Within schools it can only help with the growth of the mind. It speeds up the processes and widens the experience.
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My exposure to technology on high school was quite minimal. Despite the fact I did not have a cellular device up until the eleventh grade. High school was pretty much simple, when it came to learning. During classes teachers made use of technology through power point projections and smart devices. The learners however were not allowed to make use of any device. I am now at university, and the use of technology is everywhere. Through personal laptops to finish assignment, lecture recordings (often seen as a massive luxury in teaching), constant connectivity to the internet, etc. It took me quite some time to adapt to this new environment as opposed to school. I do believe technology is fundamental to teaching in this day and age. I also agree it could be use to the detriment of the studies of learners (I experienced this first hand through social media activity). However, with all tools of empowerment, it depends on the user itself, as to whether it will be used for their benefit or their downfall. Self discipline is key to our interaction with technology, which is rapidly increasing daily.
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I believe technology has been beneficial in South Africa, but only to the schools with the facilities and those normally are private and model C schools. There are not enough schools in rural areas who are getting facilities with Computers to help them. We also have to look at what technology schools kids are using, as using Social media isn’t necessarily developing their technology skills. Technology is the future, and if South African scholars don’t have the basic skills, knowledge and training then will be setting them up for failure in the future.
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Technology forms part of the Market Environment and it is evolves at a rapid pace daily. Of cause its beneficial to our education system how else are our children able to cope and adapt in this modern World? In my opinion these are the three most important benefits of Technology in SA schools:
*Latest Information- Computer Skills helps students connect with the latest modern world information. A well-informed population may lead to a better society. Not taking anything at face value, researching fact and then giving my factual based opinion is something I personally pride myself in doing.
*Self-Education-The ability to educate oneself beyond the classroom becomes possible. If you have an interest in learning to speak for example German you can do so in the comfort of your own home with a simple computer hence widening your knowledge and skills set.
*Connections-Equipping learners with computer and technology skills allows them the benefit of making connections to those outside of their culture group example Facebook- understanding the bigger world/people/things……
In conclusion times are changing the World as we know it is changing. We now have Alexa your very own digital personal assistant that is able to open and close your home windows on command and give you weather and news updates while you are busy getting ready for work in the morning. How else are we going to move from a third world to a first world country when are future is not technologically inclined? So in my opinion this is not even a matter of yes/no/maybe… Technology in our schools is a MUST!
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Education should be accessible to all people as it is their human right. Majority of the South African population are still suffering from poverty, yet you will still find that they use technological advices everyday. Cellphones and computers are the bread and butter of the technological era and even within the South African poverty striken area’s you will find that people have or have access to these devices. In terms of education through using technology it not only accesses the children to a world of information it helps them to be inquisitive. I believe that it is necessary to include using technology in the South African systems as it will enhance the teaching relationship between students and teachers and break barriers of children fighting with their educators. For example if more children were able to access their work and submit their work online both the teacher and students would have a more conducive learning environment, as well as it reduce the chances children making excuses about work they did not do or if a child missed a class they wont fall behind if they have access to notes online.
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Yes, technology has definitely been beneficial in the schooling education system. It allows learners to access a wide range of information in an instant – and in a world that is continuously changing at an exponential rate, it is imperative that learners are able to ‘keep up’. It has made learning much easier for e.g, teaching with a projector instead of a chalk board, being able to use a tablet or iPad for short tests. That results in wasting less time, and makes the marking process much easier for teachers as it is computerized. Technology can be both wonderful and harmful, depending on how it is used. Because of the easy access to information on the internet, it also brings risks such as easily believing false information. Ultimately, I think technology should be used to FACILITATE the learning process, it shouldn’t be solely relied upon. To me, nothing beats having a read in a solid, hardcover textbook.
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Technology is needed in schools yes, it is vital for the schools in S.A to expose children to technology as much as they can because almost any and every work you get nowadays has a certain amount of technology that is at work in the market place.
So in conclusion technology is beneficial yes and it is needed but the necessary Discipline should not go unwarranted, children need to be monitored and kept in line with how they do technology and for what.
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Technology has definitively been a benefit in my life. It has taught me so much and is needed in schools. If used correct students are able to access most-up-to-date information quicker and easier.
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I strongly feel that in this century technology in our schools is a must. We have to prepare our learners for their future careers and without the knowledge of technology it could be their downfall.
Lovely article to read
Keep up the good work
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I think that technology is beneficial to schools even though teachers often feel that technology is a threat to education. Technology has become so important that it forms part of our education and could help ease the process of learning. Many older people especially in edcaution would argue that learners are exposed to material that influences their behaviour and even their education.
With all this in mind I think that through e-learning, a teacher could be assisted with the teaching process as ebooks and activities is able to be done on these platforms. This also assist learners in making education fun and exciting. Learners tend to learn much more faster with visuals and activities which they enjoyed and technology is therefore a key role player. Technology is anyones friend including teachers – projectors, laptops and cellphones (Tablets) is the way to go.
This is an interesting topic and up for great debate. Looking forward to other comments.
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