KUNINGAN (MASS) – For millions of years, the earth has evolved and evolution that occurs brings many changes in social and cultural aspects. This evolution takes place in by the human mind in facing the challenges of life from time to time evolution occurs in various places with different groups with changes in this mindset making humans know what way they should do in dealing with the problems they face.
In addition to evolution, the world is also experiencing a revolution, both go side by side marked by the invention of the electric steam engine at the end of the 18th century at this time known as the era of Society 1.0, then in the 20th-century era 2.0 was marked by the invention of electric power, then era 3.0 the invention of computers and robots, continued in era 4.0 as an industrial revolution that has a very broad scope, such as quantum technology, artificial intelligence, biotechnology and others. This era allows us to be connected to communicate with each other even with a long distance, it can be done anywhere and anytime. People may think that the progress and changes brought in the 4.0 era will only stop here, but in fact, Japan did not succeed in bringing a concept that aims to integrate virtual space with physical space as if it were a real space, this concept is called the 5.0 revolution. In this era, integration is made to make things easier.
In this 5.0 era, the internet and computers have become very important in everyday life, technological sophistication can provide a picture of the future with artificial intelligence can predict market trends and, of course, can provide opportunities in the economic field, and in the future even now there are already in the health sector such as digital medical services and also now various hospitals are using advanced technology in treatment.
Indeed, the 5.0 era has had a huge impact so that the world can be interconnected in various aspects not only in the economic, health and other sectors, but technology also has a major impact on the educational aspect, Technology plays an important role in this era because it has an impact on teaching and learning methods whether language, science, math or others. Moreover, internet-based technology has successfully changed the way language learning becomes more interactive and flexible. Technology makes it easy for students to get and easily access learning materials anytime, anywhere. The teaching and learning process is no longer limited to physical space but can be done online with support through digital platforms.
Likewise, with English language learning, we can find many teaching materials in learning English. Given that mastery of English in this era is very important, English as an international language has become a global necessity, both in academic and social contexts. So at this time technology provides opportunities in the process of learning English that is easy, fast, and flexible this is an acceleration where adjusting to the times that are increasingly influenced by technology, therefore one of the advantages of using technology in learning English is they offer convenience and access, very broad opportunities. In addition, they provide learning materials that are varied and certainly attract readers, packaged in such a way that the audience or reader can understand simply.
Specifically, the learning process offered by this technology can be obtained through mobile applications, this means that learning English is not limited to the formal learning process but can be done outside of it. However, teachers at school must be able to master and utilize this technology as a means of supporting learning, especially learning English. Mobile applications that can be used are such as Duolingo, Cake and Babbel these applications are designed to learn and improve individual skills in a more personalized manner, by using these mobile applications we can get direct feedback on our progress in English so that for the next stage they can make a structured and directed learning process.
Mobile applications create a learning process that is as fun as playing a game (gamification). In education, gamification needs to be applied in learning. Gamification changes the traditional classroom system by finding game elements in it. It can also create learning that is interesting, interactive, and can increase students’ motivation and enthusiasm in learning. Gamification systems or elements in mobile applications such as point systems, badges, prizes, levels and also challenges make students have an interesting and fun experience in learning. According to Mee mee et al (2020), gamification can increase motivation and perseverance in learning English. Creating an interactive and collaborative learning environment that creates immediate feedback and can immediately see the progress made by each individual.
Technological innovations in education are endless. Apart from using mobile applications, learning English can use multimedia resources such as videos, podcasts, movies and songs, which allow individuals to learn in a fun way. On various platforms such as YouTube, TikTok, Instagram and others they provide a lot of content that contains education and new insights as well as helps users understand the material presented there.
With the various benefits provided by this sophisticated technology, it is certainly not free from challenges in implementing it. For some areas accessing the internet is sometimes a major problem because it can be caused by the geographical location of a place, besides that there are still many areas that lack infrastructure so they do not have adequate access to devices and internet connections to do digital English learning. In addition, teachers need to improve their skills in technology to be able to incorporate technology in the learning process. Because the limited skills of teachers in technology integration is a problem in optimizing technology in the classroom. Furthermore, although digital English learning allows individuals to learn independently, this is a concern because many users have difficulty in managing their learning time effectively. In addition, its use requires supervision otherwise it will lead to a loss of focus and time discipline. To overcome the above, teaching carried out in the scope of education does not always have to rely solely on technology, but must still involve direct interaction. Make this technology a supporting tool in the learning process. In the future, the use of technology in learning English must be used as well as possible, and balanced.
In conclusion, the revolution that occurred succeeded in creating a very useful technology, of course not only in other fields but also in the field of education. Technology provides opportunities in the process of learning English easily, quickly and flexibly, meaning that accessing this learning material is not limited to the scope of formal education, far beyond that technology users can learn anywhere and anytime. With technology in creating interactive learning. In the application of this technology, there are challenges faced, namely the access gap, some areas lack infrastructure, then even though it is possible to learn independently, it must still be supervised to be more disciplined and structured in using it. Technology will still play a role in improving the quality of the English learning process and preparing the nation’s children to compete globally.
References:
Sukriyah, T. M., Baharun, H., & Annisa, T. N. (2025). Dunia Tanpa Batas: Dampak Standar Teknologi Komunikasi Global Terhadap Interaksi Manusia. JIM: Jurnal Ilmu Multidisiplin, 1(1), 90-107.
Mee Mee, R. W., Shahdan, T. S. T., Ismail, M. R., Ghani, K. A., Pek, L. S., Von, W. Y., … & Rao, Y. S. (2020). Role of Gamification in Classroom Teaching: Pre-Service Teachers’ View. International Journal of Evaluation and Research in Education, 9(3), 684-690.
Salsabila, T., Nafilah, N., Patangga, F., Zulfa, S., & Listyaningsih, N. (2024). Literature review: Efektivitas Penggunaan Aplikasi Duolingo Terhadap Motivasi Belajar bahasa inggris. Jurnal Empati, 13(4), 302-312.
Wulantari, N. P., Rachman, A., Sari, M. N., Uktolseja, L. J., & Rofi’i, A. (2023). The Role Of Gamification In English Language Teaching: A Literature. Journal on Education, 6(01), 2847-2856.
Writer: Rika Nurjanah; Student of Al-ihya Islamic University Kuningan
