By Abdullah Sabih

KUWAIT: Education is a field that keeps changing to adapt to the circumstances of its time. The COVID-19 pandemic brought in its wake one such drastic change, where educational institutions shifted to a more digital approach. This allowed students and teachers alike to utilize these tools to fit their preferences. However, after the lockdown many schools continued to incorporate technology into their curriculum which had people wondering whether educational institutions should stick to the traditional methods or adapt to the newly introduced technological ones.

As the name suggests, traditional education refers to long established customs or traditions that society has used in schools. Classes are typically held in physical classrooms where a teacher uses limited multimedia resources to convey information to the students, who need the teacher’s permission to ask questions. This teacher-centered approach clashes with the technological and modern system, which embraces more of a student-centered approach.

While traditional education methods emphasize discipline, deep knowledge and human connection, technology-driven approaches prioritize flexibility, engagement and access to vast resources. The rapid integration of technology into education has revolutionized the way students learn. With the advent of digital tools such as LMS and various e-learning platforms, personalized learning tailored to the student’s abilities has been one of the prominent features of this system along with flexibility.

This system offers resources beyond the confines of a physical classroom. However, the absence of face-to-face interaction may hinder the development of social skills in students that are needed for overall growth. Yousuf Khan, a student in Kuwait, prefers the technological approach to education. He believes that not only does it provide students with more ways to learn, it changes how they think and solve problems in the real world.

“People might say it’s harder for some students to catch up with technological education but that’s not true because it provides way more accessibility for every kind of learning: auditory, visual and whatnot.” However, he is mindful of the downgrade of this system. “Emotions such as the love between a teacher and a student might be removed from the future, but from a logical perspective it’s still the superior model,” he said.

Laiba Sabih is another student who used to study in Kuwait. She, on the other hand, feels more inclined to choose the traditional methods. “Being physically present in a classroom surrounded by peers and a teacher creates an interactive environment and instills in the students the values of discipline and focus.” She thinks that with modern technology, students find it difficult to concentrate on their schoolwork.

“Free access to the internet while studying online distracts students and puts them in a long, endless void of procrastination,” she said. But should we embrace these advancements in modern education or continue to use the traditional methods that have been passed on to us for decades? Laiba says that neither can we ignore the benefits of technological advancements nor can we completely abandon the old ways. “Both of these methods can be efficiently used by creating a balance between them to cater to the needs of the students.”