Study Aims
The modern world cannot be imagined without the broad use of various devices. Nowadays, digital technology is omnipresent and impacts various spheres of human activity. It is employed to attain better results, increase the effectiveness and accuracy of specific processes, and save time. However, along with the numerous positive effects, technology can also cause adverse impacts on individuals and their performance.
For this reason, there is a critical need for investigating this factor. Thus, education is one of the fields characterized by the massive implementation of technologies to improve the teaching process and acquire knowledge acquisition. At the same time, devices might be the source of distraction and disruption. For this reason, the proposed annotated bibliography focuses on the following research question:
How does digital technology impact learners’ academic performance and achievement?
To answer the question, it is vital to find relevant and credible sources, such as peer-reviewed articles that offer information on the topic and data showing how devices might impact the sphere of education.
Annotated Bibliography
Al-Abdullatif, A., & Gameli, A. (2021). The effect of digital technology integration on students’ academic performance through project-based learning in an E-learning environment. International Journal of Emerging Technologies in Learning, 16(11), 189-210. Web.
The study states that project-based learning models supported by the deep integration of digital technology might positively impact students’ academic performance and contribute to their higher engagement levels. The researchers state that the e-learning environment being established nowadays is associated with using various devices to support learning processes and activities.
As a result, students with specific devices engaged in project-based learning are more motivated to show higher performance levels and have numerous opportunities. It means that incorporating digital technologies in projects of this sort is one of the current trends used in various disciplines. It contributes to higher understanding levels, the readiness to engage, and the desire to show high outcomes.
The authors formulate their hypothesis by using information acquired from the literature review. They use quantitative and qualitative data to describe students’ readiness and willingness to accept technology and their desire to use it in the E-learning environment. In general, they support the idea that technology is one of the central factors impacting the transformation of the sphere and leading to better achievement of existing objectives.
At the same time, to make the positive impact stronger, it is essential to use specific models, such as project-based learning, as they create the basis for the successful and effective use of technologies. For this reason, it can be used within the project to answer the research question and describe the models that can be used to ensure students are motivated and engaged in using devices to boost their performance levels.
Bennett, S., Maton, K., & Kervin, L. (2008). The ‘digital natives’ debate: A critical review of the evidence. British Journal of Educational Technology, 39(5), 775-786. Web.
In their article, Bennet et al. (2008) discuss the inevitability of using digital technology in education. The researchers speak about the term digital natives, or net generation, as the concept applied to young people living today. The article’s central idea is that although there is a critical need for a practical approach to working with this group, the implications for education remain unclear.
The new generation is immersed in technology, meaning they will live all their lives surrounded by fast-evolving devices, so it is essential to select methods to mitigate innovation’s negative impact on young people. Thus, the research offers credible information collected from reputable sources to debate the problem of digital natives. Discussion of the question from various perspectives helps to enhance the overall understanding of the question and the existence of specific challenges associated with it.
The article assumes that although the positive impact of technology is evident, there is a critical need to learn how to use it and prepare the educational sector for it. It emphasizes that various learners have different preferences for using technologies when learning, meaning that the ability to consider these challenges is key to success. In general, the source helps answer the research question as it shows the different perspectives on the role technologies play in modern education. The authors underline that the impact of this factor is strong and will continue to become even more significant. For this reason, it is essential to research the problem and create the basis for its enhanced understanding.
Haleem, A., Javaid, M., Qadri, A., & Suman, R. (2020). Understanding the role of digital technologies in education: A review. Sustainable Operations and Computers, 3, 275-285. Web.
The study emphasizes technologies’ crucial role in the modern education system and its evolution. The authors emphasize that the recent COVID-19 pandemic created the basis for further institutionalizing digital technologies in education and their massive use. As a result, nowadays, the paradigm shift of the whole system can be observed, meaning a new vector of the sector’s evolution emerged.
Technology performs numerous functions, acting as a knowledge provider, mentor, assessor, and creator of information. Additionally, using new devices during learning simplified the process and helped students save time and engage in creative activities. In such a way, technology causes numerous positive effects on the education sector, improves academic performance, and boosts research. For this reason, technology is one of the pillars of modern education.
In general, the authors use credible research works to outline the main aspects associated with the use of technology in education and its effects on it. They outline improvement in teacher productivity, promotion of distance learning, inclusivity, and focus on creativity. Thus, as against other studies from the list, this one mainly focuses on technology’s positive effects on education. For this reason, it is a valuable source that can help establish the framework for discussing the theme and various improvements to determine whether negative aspects follow them. Using the article, it is possible to answer the research question and show how technology influences the evolution of the education sphere and its transformation and creates the basis for future achievements.
Junco, R., & Cotten, S. (2011). Perceived academic effects of instant messaging use. Computers & Education, 56, 370-378. Web.
The article states that college students use messages at high levels and demonstrate high multitasking skills; however, it might have specific detrimental effects on their academic achievement and schoolwork. Thus, the investigators admit that there is a radical shift in how learners use information and communication technologies. Most individuals use the Internet for instant messaging, finding information, playing games, performing regular tasks, and remaining in touch with friends.
At the same time, they have high levels of technology usage in their academic activities, which means they have the necessary skills and employ them in learning. However, instant messaging and other types of activity associated with using technologies might serve as a distraction and have detrimental effects on outcomes. For this reason, this activity should be controlled to avoid undesired outcomes.
Thus, the credibility of findings is evidenced by using descriptive statistics to analyze survey samples and collect data necessary to prove the adverse impacts of using technologies and instant messaging during academic activities. The source accepts the positive impact of technologies on multitasking among students and computer skills; however, it admits that it is essential to consider that it is associated with adverse effects and distractions.
In such a way, the article might be helpful when discussing the topic as it will prove the idea that the problem of technology in education has numerous layers and should be considered from various perspectives. The positive effects might come along with the negative ones, meaning there is a need for a framework for using the tool.
Margaryan, A., Littlejohn, A., & Vojt, G. (2011). Are digital natives a myth or a reality? University students’ use of digital technologies. Computers & Education, 56, 429-440. Web.
The study states that the current appeal to start transforming the education sector because of the massive use of technologies is fair. However, students’ shifting patterns of learning and technology use should not be considered the significant reasons for the change. The study shows that the use of the tools for creating collaborative knowledge was low. It means that students might use the technologies available to them; however, the relationship between this factor and their learning activities is mediated by numerous factors. These might include belonging to the group of digital natives or digital immigrants, people who use technology daily, and those with lower rates of its use. In such a way, the article offers credible information on how technology impacts learners’ adaptation to different conditions and demands.
The source’s credibility is established using relevant information and references to other works. The authors follow the dominant idea of technology’s critical impact on learning and academic success; however, they also offer the idea that university students’ use of technology might differ regarding their level of skills and tasks. For this reason, it is essential to consider this factor when promoting change within the education sphere and trying to mitigate the negative impacts of devices on learning. The source might help answer the research question by offering information on how students view and use technologies in various fields. For this reason, it can be employed when discussing the topic and offering perspectives.
Ramirez, S., Gana, S., Garces, S., Zuniga, T., Araya, R., & Gaete, J. (2021). Use of technology and its association with academic performance and life satisfaction among children and adolescents. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 12. Web.
The researchers admit the significant increase in the use of technology by all population groups, which leads to the increase in concerns about their impact on the cognitive abilities of individuals. Having conducted the cross-sectional study with 2,440 students, the authors conclude that using technology for playing games or amusement was associated with decreased self-reported academic performance.
The reduction in this sphere was linked to sleep deprivation, high anxiety levels, and overall tiredness. In such a way, there is a dangerous tendency to acquire decreased levels of attention and academic performance because of the popularization of different technologies. Furthermore, the study shows that around half of all respondents played video games, which resulted in the emergence of sleep deprivation.
The study’s credibility is ensured by the cross-sectional research performed on a high number of participants. This means investigators can use credible and relevant data to prove their assumptions. In general, the article supports ideas offered in the previous studies, precisely the various effects of technology on the learning process and academic performance.
The article can be considered a valuable source that might help to answer the research question. It speaks about the effects of technologies on the cognitive development of individuals and their ability to engage in educational processes after using devices and playing video games. It might help understand the nature of technology, how it influences everyday activities, and numerous spheres, including education. For this reason, it can be used when working on the formulated question.