Writing for an Academic Discussion Is using digital tools in class good for learning? - revised -

Can digital tools enhance learning experiences and better prepare students for the modern world or too much technology might introduce various challenges in the classroom? (a class on education)

 

 

☆Let’s Think

1.        Give examples of digital tools for studies.

2.        When and how do you use digital tools for your studies?

3.        What were the advantages and disadvantages of Zoom learning during the Covid-19 lockdown in 2020?

4.        Have you ever noticed or heard of any other drawbacks of using digital tools for your studies?

 

 

☆Hints for Points

Positive Effects

1.     Learning apps facilitate comprehension and acquisition efficient. For example, visualization of new teaching points or complex ideas facilitates and expedites learning.

2.     The inquiry functions make researches faster, more extensive, and more comprehensive.

3.     The amount of information available has increased thanks to digitization of the classroom.

4.     Some tools make learning fun and motivate children to keep studying.

5.     Customized, or personalized learning, is possible owing to learning applications.

6.     Machines make up for what human teachers cannot provide for students. For example, tutoring is available regardless of time and place. Moreover, machines are more accurate than teachers and they do not get tired or angry.

7.     Digital literacy equips children with skills necessary to work in today’s digitized world.

 

Negative Influence

1.        Face-to-face interaction with other students and teachers will decline, leading to confusion and dissatisfaction of learning.

2.        Students may depend overly on getting answers through the Internet instead of actually working by themselves. They may make less efforts for thinking and memorizing.

3.        Students may become out of touch of the real world if they are exposed too much to virtual reality.

4.        Reading and writing skills of long passages have declined since the advent of social media.

5.        Digital inequality, or digital divide, can halt learning of some students who lack the environment to make digital learning possible due to poverty or other causes like disaster.

6.        Distractions like instant messages and advertisements may prevent concenteration.

 

 

☆Sample Answer for Ideas and Expressions

【Thesis】While Heather’s point cannot be denied in that learners benefit tremendously from digital technology, Marcus’s warning about its potential risks of using it like constant distraction is true, and I think the risk is more serious than where discipline and moderate use can prevent.

【Supporting Details】Departure from reality due to digital learning would be the thing we should pay more attention to. There is a Guardian article reporting that young neurosurgery trainees lack dexterity due to lack of real-life experiences of creative handwork as a result of spending much time on virtual reality. Now the teachers of young brain surgeons are recommending that they should start with curving Halloween Jack-o-lanterns. As we can see in this case, digital learning has an unescapable flaw coming from its construction. It makes the learner detached from reality, at least on an extremely delicate level like brain surgery. The harm might still be limited in such sophisticated areas as neurosurgery, but still the phenomenon is degeneration. It is not clear how much this degeneration will develop in generations, but we had better take a precaution of its long-time impact on humankind.

【Counterargument-treatment】There is no denying that digital tools enhance learning of all kinds of subjects. As Heather points out, videos provide comprehension and inspiration. They also facilitate memorization. YouTube and social media expedited language acquisition. Zoom helps share diverse perspectives. The list just goes on. However, behind the positive effect experienced by students, some irreversible defect might be developing in their learning. It is unknowable whether Googling to consult math geniuses for a quick solution of a math quiz, even if you do it only after you have tried to solve it for a while, making us smart or dumb.

【Conclusion】Therefore, I believe relying too much on technology in class can bring about challenges in human intelligence in the future. (305 words)

Write your response in 10 minutes. Show each other your responses. Write down questions or suggestions to each other’s response.

 

 

                                                   DRAFT