Introduction
The usage of technologies in education has significantly changed the learning process. The reliance on technologies provided more extended learning opportunities, alleviated the information-gaining process, and increased the technology-related creativity options making education more engaging. Such significant advantages resulted in the overreliance of the student and teachers on technology. As a result, many aspects of their lives were harmed, such as social life or the development of soft skills, which are vital in the personality-forming process. The overreliance on technology in the educational process prevents soft skills growth, causing more dangerous personality development problems.
Background
Skills that are necessary for advancing in the career, education and the aims-achieving process can be divided into soft and hard skills. Technologies contribute to the development of hard skills, which can be described as the number of technical knowledge and skills relevant to a particular working area (Guerra-Baez, 2019). However, only these skills cannot ensure a successful life and career prospects. To achieve their aims, people need to be able to cooperate with others and analytically solve particular issues.
This is where soft skills can be efficiently implemented. Based on the result of the empirical research, the active usage of technologies in the educational process harms the development of personal traits or soft skills (Dumford & Miller, 2018). Such a situation is primarily caused by two core factors: the lack of analytical thinking and the memorization potential of the brain (Dumford & Miller, 2018). The first problem is related to the accessibility and diversity of information. Students do not need to incorporate critical thinking and analytical skills when any information can be gained through using technologies and the Internet. As a result, one-sided thinking develops, which negatively impacts the process of personality formation (Dung, 2020). The second problem is related to the fact that technologies obtain huge memorizing potential and substitute the traditional brain function. Over time, it affects the general capacity of the brain, causing problems with students’ memorizing abilities.
Possible Solutions
Considering the possible solutions to overcome the mentioned problems, different types of training can be offered. Students have to be taught how to use technologies without harming the formation of soft skills. A special approach can be inserted within the curriculum to highlight the importance of the development of critical thinking. Moreover, the student can be offered strategies for evaluating information using only relevant sources and technologies. This problem has a high chance of success and can be efficiently solved. Soft skills development strategies or even separate courses can be implemented in educational institutions (Tseng et al., 2019). Such an approach is helpful for the future life and career advancement of students. However, the tendency of the degradation of the memorizing capacity of the brain cannot be stopped completely. This problem affects the formation of soft skills as well. The focus should be put on developing technologies that can combine and process massive information volumes.
Conclusion
The overreliance on technologies in educational institutes is vital to be addressed through several strategies. The first one is the technologies-related psychological training helping students to realize the potential drawbacks of the technologies. By doing so, the student will realize the essence of personal development, which is directly connected with working on advancing soft skills. The second one is implementing special courses contributing to soft skills development. Therefore, the problem of technological overreliance within education has a high chance of being efficiently solved.
References
Dumford, A., & Miller, A. (2018). Online learning in higher education: Exploring advantages and disadvantages for engagement.Journal of Computing in Higher Education, 30, 452–465.
Dung, D. (2020). The advantages and disadvantages of virtual learning. IOSR Journal of Research & Method in Education, 10(3), 45–48. Web.
Guerra-Baez, P. (2019). A panoramic review of soft skills training in university students.Psychologies Education, 23, 1–10.
Tseng, H., Yeh, H., & Yi, X. (2019). Learning-related soft skills among online business students in higher education.Computers in Human Behavior, 95, 179–186.