Do we lose human connection by connecting to the internet?

While this may be a very abstract thought process, I think that the role of the internet technology in an instructional setting is connection. When you mention any sort of educational dynamic, the foundation of any useful resource should assist with connections.

Connections between students and teachers, connections between students and resources, and connections between teachers and educational resources. When I first began teaching, I received some valuable advice from my grandmother, “the most important aspect of teaching is the relationships you build with your students.” The connections you create with your students is what will carry you through the ups and downs of that year or years together. The role of the internet is to further the connection in every way possible.

The internet powers resources such as interactive whiteboards. Interactive whiteboards such as Promethean Boards give students and teachers the opportunity to interact with materials and resources instead of simply reading from a traditional book. These internet resources serve as a foundation for a “flipped classroom” and for learners to take more of an active role in their education.

According to “A Survey on Role of Internet of Things in Education”, the “smart classroom” offers incredible insight where mobile devices that are in the hands of students are powered by the internet. Students are become researchers by having the devices they are accustomed to using at their fingertips. With mobile devices, students are able to read ebooks, take virtual field trips to places they might not otherwise experience, and interact with peers in a global community.

The internet offers possibilities we have not even created yet. With the world wide web being wide open, we are only limited to our own imagination. So plug in that ethernet cable or connect to the WiFi and make some connections!

References:

Gul, S., Asif, M., Ahmad, S., Yasir, M., Majid, M., Malik, M. S. A., & Arshad, S. (2017). A survey on role of internet of things in education. International Journal of Computer Science and Network Security, 17(5), 159-165.