A Closer Look on Technology integrated in Education

         Due to the unquenchable emergence of gadgets and other instructional media, the different educational institutions have made their steps also in achieving this call for progress among the students through the use of technology. According to the book Educational Technology 2, it has been mentioned that the effectiveness of the book wanes in comparison with the visual images school children have become become used to after the advent of television, video and computer gaming. Moreover, surveys have shown its effectiveness in terms of  mental concentration, memory retention and closer-to-life experiential learning. 

          In order for me to search more about the integration of technology on education to the foreign country, I made my online interview with Fr. Julius Yasinto, SVD, MA, MSc., Rector of the Catholic University of Widya Mandira, Kupang, Indonesia. 

My letter was stated this way:

October 12, 2013

FR. JULIUS YASINTO, SVD, MA, MSc

Rector

Catholic University of Widya Mandira

Praised be Jesus and Mary!

I am a student enrolled at St. Mary's College of Tagum, Inc. at Tagum City, Davao del Norte, Philippines. I received your name from S. Grace Casianan, CM, and I would be most grateful if I could get more information from you on your institution.

We, the fourth year Education students, taking up Educational Technology-2 subject, are currently at the brink of widening our understanding on how technology helps the learning of the students especially on the learners in your institution. Thus, I would like to ask you the following questions:

1. How is technology being integrated in your education system?

2. What are the facilities of your school that are related to the use of technology?

3. Do these facilities maximize the level of participation and performance of the students? In what aspect?

Your immediate response would be a great help for me to accomplish my report on the integration of technology on the educative process of foreign learners.

May the enlightening light of the Holy Spirit shine upon you.

Most respectfully yours,

MARY JASTINE S. TORREON

Student

St. Mary's College of Tagum, Inc.

      I was fortunate that Fr. Julius Yasinto, SVD, MA, MSc. immediately responded to my queries but for the reason that he was out of town, he answered all my questions through sending it to S. Grace Casianan, CM, a Carmelite Missionary who helped me to coordinate with Fr. Julius.

1.How is technology being integrated in your education system?

First, it is integrated through Digital Admission System, Academic and Student Computerized Data Maintenance, Financial and Facility Computerized System, Digital Library and University Website. Second, it is integrated into Audio - Visual teaching facilities.

2. What are the facilities of your school that are related to the use of technology?

The facilities are: audio-visual instruments in class rooms and meeting rooms, wireless and cable internet connection, computers labs and digital language labs.

3. Do these facilities maximize the level of participation and performance of the students? In what aspect?

Yes, these facilities maximize the level of participation and performance of the students. For instance, power point presentations increase the attention and participation of the students during lectures. Digital admissions system helped prospective students to apply online, online registration shorten registration process.

As you can observe, their school has never been left behind in terms of the instructional media used in their educative process. They are even more advanced compared to other schools here in the Philippines. I could see that their facilities really gives every student an opportunity to enhance their learning through technology. As a future professional teacher, if those facilities would also be present in every school in the country, I believe that there will be no longer students left educationally incompetent.

Moreover, in my field of specialization which is English, the facilities mentioned above like the digital language laboratories and audio-visual instruments available in every classroom, will be an assurance that the learners will be proficient in different macro skills including the listening, speaking, reading and writing.

In a nutshell, when technology is integrated in the school's educational system, it would give the students an avenue to participate more actively and creatively. With that, it would surely heighten up the students' learnings and experiences.