Counterargument - Darby Jackson

While my argument for my research paper says that technology in education is a very beneficial thing, it is also extremely important to look at the opposing view in order to have an all-around valid argument. One of the issues people who are against technology in education is the funding used to provide all of these technologies to students. With education funds scarce to begin with, how can we justify spending even more money on technologies that are not necessarily necessary? Another concern presented is what’s called the “digital divide”. Many people believe that the presence (or absence) of technology in schools creates a deeper economic chasm for rich and poor schools and communities, so students do not have the same opportunity to learn as other students. The role of distance learning, like online and virtual classrooms and schools, also make critics wonder if all students are able to successfully learn in online environments and if students are still learning as much as they would in a normal classroom. Online plagiarism, even though new technologies have made it easier to detect, is now a huge issue with having technology available for students. Students are now able to turn in work that is not their own, from places and people all around the world. Another issue is information literacy. As our culture becomes more and more dependent on technology to communicate information, students must learn to not only communicate effectively without technology, but with it as well. It has the potential to create a whole new divide for communication. With the argument of the benefits and downfalls of technology in education, I truly believe the pros outweigh the cons with technology in education. There is much more good involved and many more doors opened because of the use of technology in our classrooms. While these are valid arguments, we cannot forget the ever-changing culture we live in and we must make the most of the utilities we have at hand.