Communication, Technology, and Environment

Education incorporates communication, technology, and environment together in order to create an atmosphere suitable for learning.

Communication is vital to interaction between people, and without it, it would be difficult for education to have full potential. Colleen and Jessica both had a strong focus on communication; they shared their knowledge about deaf communication and how it is so different from spoken language. Even though these forms of communication differ, they can both be used in order to gain knowledge. Education requires communication for discussion, expression, and sharing of ideas. Lauren’s topic ADHD focuses on involvement and responsibility in education, reiterating that communication is necessary and vital in the classroom as well as at home.

Technological advances affect education, and in particular, Joey discussed educational technology. This is extremely pertinent to daily life, because computers and tools used in the classroom are becoming increasingly common. Technology has helped shape education in the ways in which teachers are teaching and the students are learning. Greg’s explanation of geography in education showed how different subjects are taught more or less than other subjects, and how the subjects that students are not well informed about end up having an overall impact on knowledge about things as simple as knowing where a particular country is located. Technology and the invention of the Internet have definitely affected what material students learn, and what they are taught to simply look up online.

School environment really does play a role in education, as shown by Joyce’s presentation on holistic and child-centered education. People view learning from different perspectives, and when the students are taught in differing ways, their knowledge bases and view on education differ as well. Jess’s presentation about coed housing incorporated the discussion of outside factors that affect the educational experience, explaining that there are both positive and negative effects that will impact education. Lisa’s presentation about inclusion and co-teaching also relates to environment because students who have particular strengths and weaknesses are going to be affected differently by whom they are surrounded by. If the students have that extra person to help them, they may perform better in the classroom, but their social skills with their peers may suffer in effect. Maggie’s topic of disproportionality in special education also connected with the environment affecting the education that the student receives.

How do communication, technology, and environment interact in order to create educational experiences?