Effective Principals 2020 | Dr. Sanghamitra Banerjee, Principal of Gateway International School

Technology/Social Media: Are they major distractions or necessities of life we live in?

Technology and social media has been an integral part of our daily life. Remote learning is the new “normal” added to our life. All distractions and disruption aside ,mobile technology has changed everything. We live in a world where learning is connected and through this, the impact of social media on education is becoming a driving aspect.

So, what are the positive impacts of social media on learning and education? Some positive influences are that social media sites can increase student collaboration. It is very easy to communicate via these mediums. Conversely, social media platforms are full of unimportant and surreal stuff.

Also this enhances the students’ ability to filter information and learn only to use the relevant sources. The present pandemic has shown us the unseen episodes of changing world where technology barged in as the ray of hope creating Tyndal turbulences of joy and hope establishing connectivity across the globe.

The students have lost much during this phase of complete lockdown. They have lost their PET hours, games block, lunch block, sharing and caring time, fun at school and every bliss of the school hours. They are home-locked where only ray of hope to get connected with their school and friends is the digital platform.

Thanks to technology that we educators are continuing to inspire lives imparting knowledge and giving wings to many thoughts as like before. Technology has made the school available at home. Be it celebration or assessment, sports or music, academics or beyond, every session is made reachable to students through technology.

However every coin has its two sides. If technology has offered heavenly bliss by making the world reachable to us in one click then it’s the same digital platform which has also played an important role in promoting digital pollution. Children are much distracted with digital pollution such like games, social networking sites, unwanted videos and prank episodes which hampered their mental growth and thought process.

Many adverse consequences and health ailments are figured in growing numbers but the boon of technology can’t be ignored. Digital pollution can be restricted with proper guidelines and guidance. Creating awareness is important before learning any new change. As known, any new chapter comes with responsibility in our life.

It is important for every educator to create necessary awareness among students before they get habituated to the new normal. Although it may appear that the problem students have with technology will become worse as technology advances, there is a way out of this growing trend. Let’s think differently .

Look up from your phone and start conversation with the person next to you. Handwrite your notes during class instead of typing them. Spend time outside throwing a football around with your roommate instead of watching Netflix in your bed. If you show initiative to be more personable, technology will not be able to control your life.

I believe in initiating new ideas and implementing them in real life with my students be it a volleyball evening or a match between the ultimate and penultimate teams. It’s important to appreciate our surroundings and be aware of everything around us.

We as guiding star can show them the correct pathway of using every opportunity of life, be it technology or any new changes in future that breaches without our permission in our life. The whole world is just a click away. Children enjoy refined lecturers of dignitaries and educators right at the comfort of their homes.

Assessment, resources, testimonials, ideas, thought filtration and huge knowledge bank is available on the palm top. It has opened many new doors for students and budding entrepreneurs to give wings to their thoughts, to dream big and achieve it.

Education has stepped into a new era of improvement and development through buzzing new heights of innovation and creativity. Let’s continue inspiring lives by inculcating awareness, honesty, simplicity, togetherness and mutual respect in children to build a better and responsible tomorrow.

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