In the modern era of digital devices, the activity of using gadgets in all spheres of human activity increases at a rapid pace. The emergence of new technologies in the global arena promotes the introduction of new technologies into the educational environment. There is a question about the possibility of using modern gadgets, which are currently available to the general public, in the learning process.
The introduction of new technologies affected the educational environment drastically. Education is the most important part of modern humanity, and it shows the level of social development. The number of people who cannot imagine the learning process without cutting-edge gadgets is growing all over the world. Scientists found out that the most frequently used gadget for the consumption of educational services is a smartphone. The use of smartphones in the learning process increases its intensity and provides additional opportunities to improve the quality of education. Many modern teachers successfully apply new gadgets and ICT tools in their work.
The main advantages of using information communication tools and technologies in the educational process include the following:
– Easy and fast way to extract information;
– Visualization of educational information of a different nature (virtual and natural objects of study);
– The programmed solution of information retrieval and computational problems;
– The possibility of communication with the teacher at the right time and in several different ways;
– Simplification of monitoring performance for the teacher and student;
– Instant access to educational materials required by the current class;
– Archival storage of significant amounts of textual and graphical information.
With the development of the functionality of mobile devices, an increasing number of students cannot imagine college life without using modern gadgets, the use of which bears the next positive features:
• Touch screen;
• Active interaction;
• Use of the wireless network function;
• Ability to work in a group;
• Not tied to a specific place;
• A quick search for the necessary information;
• Remote study.
However, despite the active and fairly successful use of smartphones in the educational process, for certain students, they adversely affect the results of their education. It is advisable to find an answer to the question: “Why does the use of gadgets help to increase the educational level of some students, while others hinder the mastering of the curriculum?”
University teachers are currently focused on creating educational content on the websites of educational institutions. In many educational institutions an electronic university is already operating, where there are online books, educational materials, tasks for independent work of students. There is also open access to educational programs for the formation of the necessary competencies of the student in various disciplines, containing tests, tasks, exams, for which students must use various information and communication tools. Sometimes it is almost impossible for students to prepare a particular paper or research, and in such a case, the best cheap essay writing service comes in handy. Students are provided with the opportunity to find new fresh ideas and enrich their own researches. These benefits help students to stay on top and manage their study in the right way.
Undoubtedly, this gives a huge advantage in the possibility of using electronic materials in the classroom. Nevertheless, experience shows that students use gadgets to access social networks directly during a lecture or a practical lesson, which certainly has a negative effect on the learning process. It is necessary to motivate youth to obtain high-quality knowledge and the use of modern devices to obtain educational information.
The results of a survey of European universities students, conducted in order to identify the most popular gadgets among today’s youth and assess the impact of innovative devices on the educational process show some interesting output.
Students consider smartphones as the most effective gadget (72%), followed by a laptop (41%), and only the third place was occupied by tablets (15%). Such unpopularity of tablets is most likely related to prices for high-quality equipment in Europe, in particular, for tablets. These students have adopted a mobile phone to the requirements of the educational process. About 90% of respondents announced that their portable devices are a valuable assistant in achieving educational goals. 55% of respondents reported that gadgets help them to stay prepared for classes, and some of them expressed a desire to be able to use innovative communication tools and mobile devices during seminars when they need to declare a large amount of information. They are confident that the gadget will improve the quality of their performance to the audience. 8% (and this is quite a lot) admitted that they use their gadgets to “wander” on social networks and entertainment sites during lectures or seminars.
In addition, some students frankly admitted that they often use their portable devices in the classroom as cheat sheets or a quick search for an answer to a given question (57% of respondents). To work with the electronic textbook, gadget applies 41% of students. Every tenth student (12%) imprints lectures into his mobile device. 2% of students do not use electronic devices in high school.
Summing up, it is worth noting that modern gadgets play an important role both in the field of communication at different levels and in the process of education at the university. With their help, people acquire new information, record lectures, prepare for classes, and use mobile learning applications that positively affect the quality of their learning. In a row with the positive features of the use of mobile equipment, there are some negative effects of gadgets on the learning process (communication in social networks during lectures and cheating during tests and examinations). Nevertheless, taking into account the results of the student survey, and also taking into account personal experience, it should be concluded that the assessment of the identified pros and cons of using gadgets in the educational process suggests that they have a greater positive effect on the educational process and the development of youth.
