Technological changes bring along with it some fundamental and structural changes that significantly contribute to productivity. When infused in classrooms, technology can support both teaching and learning through digital media such as handheld devices and computers. Additionally, course offerings, experiences and learning materials can also be extended online while providing knowledge accessibility 24 x 7. Overall, technology accelerates learning through constructive student engagement. While it does benefit the student, teaching is also transformed with this new model of connected systems. This helps the tutors personalize learning and improve upon their instruction. Educational productivity is markedly increased with the use of open resources and other technology relative to program delivery helping utilize teacher time better.
There are a plethora of new technologies becoming slowly available that suggest that teaching and learning will also be impacted as a result of these emerging technologies. Services such as mobile and touch interfaces and location-based technology are eventually set to grow in the future to provide us with greater value in our lives. Furthermore, several other technological drifts are also developing that can proffer both teachers and students the perfect environment for education.
Trends impacting both education and IT
Cost-cutting is one of the biggest trends that is affecting the IT sector. As a result of the current economic climate, schools are forced to do more with less, thereby facing more challenges and yet, along with it, getting opportunities to digitalize. Also, the concept of social connections through apps such as Twitter, and Facebook has become increasingly common thus bringing together students and faculty based in diversified geographic locations, to connect virtually. Real-time news feeds are also dominated by social media, which is also a driver of world sentiment. Another big trend is technology by itself, which has created newer and more interesting ways of interacting with our devices. Advancements have given rise to touch and gesture technology where even young ones can instinctively pick up a connected device and navigate across an environment. Cloud is another massive development that is changing the way we purchase, manage and store software services. Thus, ubiquitous connectivity significantly drives learning by amalgamating both formal and informal learning. Apps and eBooks are powered by the digital content revolution where students can choose and study their lessons through already pre-wired content even before they enter the classroom. There are already several web services that are epitomes of virtual learning systems.
The future
Students use a wide range of devices outside the classroom to stay connected. This is also indicative of how well we can use technology for education. One of the most recent developments in the digitization and automation of learning to leverage the full benefit of technology in education. The web and social connectivity play a big part in achieving this and yet effective management is what changes the way we learn, what we learn and how we teach.
The teacher’s role
If young students can be pre-wired to content and if they can connect virtually with peers across subcontinents, then the teacher’s role seems almost obliterated. Altered responsibilities would force the teacher to be more of a guide or a mentor. This way, the learners will also have an opportunity to connect with the study materials emotionally. In the end, it is the collaborative efforts of the student and the teacher that improves the digitalization in education. While technology serviced the journey, the device made everything smarter.
The next step
A big step towards learning is to create personalized and emotional experiences through technology when traditional methods get digitized. For example, gaming can be used in education as a great reflection of learning materials. These also offer a wide range of benefits including offering students real-time experiences when a game is designed as a challenge or a progression in their learning. While traditional education gives a lot of importance to failure, the feeling is eliminated in gaming as the students learn to perfect their maneuvers or in this case, lessons, through gaming. Furthermore, assessments would have to undergo a radical change, more as a reflection of the workplace that will particularly have relevance in the world and can encourage students’ entrepreneurial skills. Great authors have also suggested that global challenges can be addressed through games, including education. The epic win in gaming plays a significant role in educating when technology is used.
Impact of technology on learning and teaching
Finally, technology, without a doubt, is bound to have an impact on learning and teaching. Consumer-oriented devices only provide access to knowledge anywhere and at any time. The power of the cloud also makes storage easy, thus making learning cost-effective and ubiquitous. If education has to be made relevant to the workplace, then it is important to build emotional and engaging connections with the use of technology. One way is to use gaming to help students learn complex concepts through continuous learning loops.
By far, it is foreseen that technology is all set to have a positive impact on both teaching and learning. Technology today is also one of the most preferred forms of learning due to the millennial’s familiarity with gadgets.
For teachers, technology aids in going paperless improves organization and efficiency and helps them to connect directly with the parents. The teachers can also find lesson resources quickly even as they can collaborate with other teachers for information.
Students can benefit from technology when multimedia addresses all learning styles, is interactive and revolves around student-centric activities. Besides, learners can also gain continuous access to resources while getting the extra help required to learn a subject.
Intel School
Intel School is a next-generation application that is all poised to transform the way technology is currently being judged in education. Incorporating some of the best and foremost features, the app significantly impacts the way students learn and teachers teach. Reach out to our consultants for more information.