Contemporary Advancement in Communication Technology
Communication technology or information technology refers to all the programs and equipment used in the processing and communication of information. Modern generations rely a lot on advanced communication technologies from education to other life aspects(Luo & Murray,2018,p.93). Electricity application on communication has led to the emergence of technologies such as telegraph and telephone, which are used to connect people separated by long distances. The communication technology has made tremendous improvements with time making individuals have a lot to choose from at affordable costs. This advancement has redefined the way people interact and communicate. One of the popular advancements in technology is social media technology.
Evolution of social media has impacted both negatively and positively on family environment, face-to-face communication and relationships. The new social media messaging platforms have connected people globally and led to an increased flow of information for people in a different location. Messages and information can be sent to many people at the same time without much cost being incurred. This aspect has helped companies in advertisement and promotion of their products and also manage to reach the target group using an affordable budget. The social media platform has its negative implications, especially in relationships and communication habits of young people. The evolution has made young people become lazy and prefer the company of their phones, computers or video consoles.
Research has shown many young people prefer to stay in isolation in their imaginary world rather than going to the real world and interreacting with real friends, elders or even families. The social media platform, for example, Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp have changed the communication habits of many individuals. Face to face interactions has largely reduced due to reduced communication. Parents find it hard to restrict the young generation from using the applications which consume most of their time. This has ruined relationships and brought about antisocial people.
Education realm has not been left behind in technological advancements; innovation has massively taken place digitalizing the educational ream. The advancements that have taken place include Virtual reality (VR) in the classroom where big tech companies such as Sony, Google, Facebook Oculus, and Samsung have enabled the use of 3D technology in learning. Learners and tutors can now interact and learn virtually in a 3D environment using the technology. Artificial intelligence and machine learning are also an advancement in the educational realm. AI has been applied in many areas form the highest level to the lowest levels. Schools are using this specific technology advancement in major activities such as grading of performance and providing feedback on areas to be improved (Salehi & Largani, 2020,p.14). Artificial Intelligence can also be used to personalize the learning activity among students, especially those with special needs. Adaptive programs apply AI in attending to individual needs of the students. The technology also uses AI tutors to develop technical subjects such as mathematics.
Cloud technology is another advancement in the education realm, where educational resources can be accessed from a commonplace. An important resource such as journals, audio and written lessons, audios, videos and assignments can be kept safe in a cloud terminal, and students access them for the comfort of their homes (Ahmed et al. .2019). Social media has also brought improvements in the education realm. Social media sites have been developed for schools and campuses where important announcement are accessed at the immediate effect. Learning institutions can also use technology to communicate with one another and exchange ideas. The sites can be used to hold contests, parties and meeting between institutions enabling the exchange of ideas. Another advancement that has ensured truancy and cheating is a thing of the past is the use of biometrics technology. This technological advancement has streamlined the education sector and also ensured all students maintain discipline. Facial recognition, voice recognition, fingerprint sensors and eye-tracking are used to track the class attendance, maintain a good record of school materials borrowing and in very few institutions monitor content absorption.
Communication and technological advancements have also taken place in the educational sector and helped a lot in delivery of content. Technology has been applied in major technological concepts for discussed below. It has made learners passionate in their leaning because of its interactive nature. Doing research and feedback received has been made much easier through the advancement of technology. For example, the learning of geography has been made easier through the Google Earth/Maps instead of using paper maps. New technology has also encouraged the use of real-world issues in a classroom setup. Internet, which has been improved globally, is being used in the research of real-world problems as they occur, making students related better to real people and real problems. Technology has been of much help in the simulation and modelling of the classroom setup. Software used in the simulation has helped bring real activities to the classroom. Theories can now be simulated to make students understand better, for example, use of the simulation tools to explain the planetary movements.
Internet in school can be used to hold online conferences that are used for education purposes. Activities such as debate can be held online and connect individuals living in different geographical location. Online groups, virtual communities and web pages are also used to connect learners in different regions where interaction takes place. Listening, reading and giving of feedback is achieved when the technology is used since tutors can engage the students through an online platform such as zoom and google classroom. Technology has also enabled the use of learning management systems (LMS) to assist students in accessing online resources and also get assistance from teachers. With the new advancement in technology, distance learning has been achieved helping people access degrees remotely, especially in times of pandemic like the covid-19. Students can now complete their degrees remotely without physically attending classes.
An organization being always-on connected has its pros and cons. The pros are; employees’ engagement is increased, which is a competitive advantage that most companies try to maintain. An engaged employee is passionate, motivated and invested in their work, ensuring goals are met. There’s also effective communication between employees, where changes, general information and news can be communicated at ease. Business also has the advantage to exploit technology and use it to their advantage by adding value. The improved technology helps an organization create collaborative platforms and build a reputable social network that attracts and maintains talent. The advancements also have a positive impact on income and overall efficiency of the processes making sure resources are utilized well, and capabilities maximized.
The advancement also has its cons that include; loss of communication skills. Digital platform in workplaces improves online communication to a huge extent through the constant messaging through the platforms. Social interactions are minimized by the social media platforms minimizing interpersonal skills. This is because of the limitation in a face to face interaction between the workers. Being always on also lead to dependency, which is not good for workers. Technologies are not meant to last for eternity; thus, the over-dependency can be a weakness eventually. There is also a lot of expenses incurred when the technological changes are being implemented being always on can be a huge expense to the organization, especially when it’s a small organization. Lastly, online engagement is prone to cyber-attacks which may expose the organization leading to negative implications.
Reference
Ahmed, B., Malik, A. W., Hafeez, T., & Ahmed, N. (2019). Services and simulation frameworks for vehicular cloud computing: a contemporary survey. EURASIP Journal on Wireless Communications and Networking, 2019(1), 4.
Luo, T., & Murray, A. (2018). Connected education: Teachers’ attitudes towards student learning in a 1: 1 technology middle school environment. Journal of Online Learning Research, 4(1), 87-116.
Salehi, S. J., & Largani, S. M. H. (2020). E-Learning challenges in Iran’s higher education system and its implications in the realm of good governance. Smart Cities and Regional Development (SCRD) Journal, 4(1), 9-21.