**5. Summary and conclusion**

integrating technology into this twenty-first century curriculum helps students with intellectual disabilities by increasing their confidence and motivation through creative activities and web browsing. Computer technology generally benefits students with different types of disabilities as it allows them to obtain immediate feedback on their learning, self-paced learn-

It can therefore be summed that using educational technology is one of the best ways to provide equitable and equal education to all students. It is commendable in this digital era as it enables disabled students to reach out learning facilities with easy and more importantly to enrich their learning experiences by permitting them to learn anywhere and anytime [50]. Intellectuals do not just advocate for technology to be in a twenty-first century curriculum because technological enthusiasts say so. Intellectuals take an academic stance of taking into consideration what scholarship in different contexts say about the matter. Research done by different scholars in many countries around the globe comes to a conclusion that technology

A research conducted by Avsec and Kocijancic [60] in Slovenia found that technological knowledge helped students develop skills such as problem solving, critical thinking and decisionmaking. It made students browse through the web in search of various approaches to solve educational problems and make recommendations which can be used by other students in dif-

In the South African context, Stott and Hattingh [61] state that deep learning among university students was effectively promoted by using conceptual tutoring software. The main advantage of using conceptual tutoring software is its ability to provide immediate and individualised formative feedback to students' activities [62]. Various software and applications can be used to facilitate deep learning among students by engaging with activities and share responses that they get from the computer with other students in class. All that can be done while students are on campus or at home as long as they have Internet connection to facilitate their communication online. Electronic tutoring can also be used as a tool for promoting conceptual change [63] on the way in which students study in order to improve their engagement

In the United States of America, technology was used to facilitate effective online collaborative learning environments [64]. Students successfully did group work using online systems. This was not only a cost effective strategy but also a way of promoting technological skills and engagement of students in different geographical locations. Such learning facilitation is contemporary and very encouraged in this global milieu where universities are pairing their students with other universities internationally as part of education in the global world [65]. There is a lot of collaboration that is happening in universities today. Current collaborations that are happening in universities today see students learning a lot from other students in various countries without necessarily travelling. Technology is a tool that is being used to facilitate this international education which is characterised by high student engagement and less travelling.

In Korea, a research done to investigate the user's perception and attitude of Computer-Based Assessment (CBA) found that both students and instructors agreed to use it (CBA) as a supplementary tool in evaluating students [66]. CBA is dependent on computer technology.

ing and independence of learning [59].

in the curriculum results in improved learning.

and academic performance in institutions of higher learning.

ferent contexts.

206 Globalization

Technology has transformed education in this twenty-first century. It has brought a lot of amazing teaching and learning experiences to both lecturers and students. It will be inadequate to only shower blessings about how technology has moved education on the positive side without also reflecting on threats which have come along. Technology has come as a double-edged sword, which has positive impacts as well as potential risks and threats to the education system [27]. There are some serious educational threats which came about as a result of technology in the curriculum. The threats include a total loss of a reading culture among students and bringing the whole education system into disrepute as a result of overdependence on some online dubious sources. This makes it a bit difficult for one to give a clear cut response to whether or not technology is the way to quality education. This resonates with Selwyn [7] who concluded that there is no clear answer to the question: 'Is technology good for education'. Complications around answering that question are what filled this section. The section collected and collated views about technology from three fundamental perspectives: technology from the critics' perspective, technology from enthusiasts' viewpoint and technology from an intellectual point of view.

Considering the fact that we are currently living in a digital environment where everything is done using technology in one way or the other, this study concludes that it is imperative for academics to embrace emerging technologies in their teaching. A very good example is that of primary and secondary schools in Cape Town, South Africa. A good number of schools in Cape Town have computer labs where students are expected to use computers in their learning. In some schools, learners have tablet computers and there is Wi-Fi connected by the Western Cape Education Department for teachers and learners to use. In such a context, it is imperative for trainee teacher institutions to teach students using technology so that when they graduate, they will integrate easily in their workplaces (schools). Most of the universities around the globe have a common graduate attribute of inculcating graduates who can use technology. This is because employers today want graduates who have a combination of disciplinary expertise and graduate attributes such as technologically adept. In that case, various technologies need to be used to facilitate teaching and learning in order to adequately prepare graduate for the world of work. Views of technology critics do not hold water in this twenty-first century as students can be afforded opportunities to study various content embedded in digital books.

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Students of today enjoy spending time using their technology gadgets such as smart phones. They like to use social media such as Facebook, WhatsApp and Twitter. Why cannot curriculum be revised to accommodate various technologies and use them to teach students effectively? Learning management systems like blackboard and Moodle allows blended learning to take place and that is what students like the most. A flexible curriculum needs to make provision for all that.
