Essay

I wrote this essay below for an exam I do in the Netherlands. Could anyone please go through it, point out the errors, and give me some advise?

Thanks in advance !

The old but gold education !

In the current era of globalization, technology has completely changed the way we live. There is not one day on which we are not in touch with our smartphones, laptops, tablets or any other kind of device. Undoubtedly technological innovation has contributed positively to improve not only communication and education but also to many other areas such as raising the expectancy age. However recently the results of a study on the digitalization in schools has raised dispute on whether or not devices should be used to educate children. The research found that the more time students spend on computers and tablets, the worse they perform. On schools where computers are used just twice a week, the children perform much better. The aim of this essay is to give arguments against the high use of devices by students in the education system.

Firstly, it should be noted that students will not achieve higher grades if they spend more time learning on computers. In contrast, their performance decreases. This is because children depend starkly on the guidance of teachers. If they are taught physically, that means with a teacher in front of them explaining or learning from books, they are much more engaged in learning than when on a device. Consequently, they will absorb much more knowledge.

Secondly, devices are meant for teachers to enhance their lessons and not for children. After all, teachers dispose over the responsibility to use devices while children do not. To illustrate, if a student gets bored after following a course for half an hour, they are likely to start doing other things like playing games or browsing the internet and waste time. A teacher however, would use a projector or computer for educational purposes, like showing a video or presentation.

Lastly, I would like to address the wrong way computers and tablets are used in schools. Instead of letting students spend long hours on devices, teachers ought to give a student time on computers and tablets as a reward for working hard or completing a course. Furthermore, there should be restrictions on the activities a student can do on a device. Educational games and videos should be on top of the list, whereas the internet, on which they can easily waste hours, should be discarded.

To summarize, the education system should get rid of the misconception that devices help students perform better. Instead teachers should interactively educate their classes and improve the quality of their lessons with the help of technology. Only if a person displays a good work ethic they should be rewarded by access to a device to further educate themselves. In my opinion, we should surely not continue with a too digitalized education system, but rather look back at how it was before the era of digital devices, which seems to be much more effective. Old can be gold !

483 words (minimum 300)