The Role of Technology in the Future of Education
It is the 21st century, an era in which science has made discoveries which were once believed to be impossible. Today, technology has gone a long way and is almost omnipresent in our lives. Technology has not only made our lives more comfortable, but it has also improved the quality of lives. Today, the gifts of technology are used in every walk of our lives. From the morning alarm that wakes you up to the cab that arrives at your doorstep – everything is reliant on technology. Technological advancements have made things smoother in our workplace significantly being used in the classrooms to define a new way of imparting education.
Long gone are the days when we had the landline connections to make calls or when our phones were only capable of making voice calls and sending short messages. The mobile phone market is an ever-increasing one and students contribute 31% of the total market share. Almost every student these days uses assignment help service, a mobile or an iPad to engage in the social media platforms. Will it not be a great idea to use the same medium and educate them?
Why should we use technology in the modern classrooms?
While many schools still think conventionally and consider technology to be nothing more than a curse, many institutes are deploying mobile technology in the classroom to enhance the experience of learning. Ignoring all the critics, I would suggest you think no longer before using technology as a strategic tool to craft a better future for your students. Why? Because in this fast-paced life, no one is willing to waste time, especially when they can use other options to prepare themselves.
Did you know that one out of four students in the UK suffers from spondylitis due to heavy backpacks? Replacing the hard-covered textbooks and notebooks with mobile apps like Evernote, or notepad can solve this issue remarkably. By ushering technology into the classroom, you can also maintain a close relationship with your students. And not just you, students can also interact with their classmates through the interactive tools. Moreover, in this era of digitalisation, getting your students familiar with the various technological mediums will help them acquire digital citizenship. The introduction of technology in classrooms has not only made the learning experience a more engaging one, but students are performing better too. They are more informed and updated about the latest data on their subject and can move beyond their colourless textbooks and gather knowledge beyond their syllabus. And not just that! Technology makes students a lot more responsible too.
So you get it, right? Technology can reshape the spectrum of education and lead our students to a better future.
What are the ways in which we can incorporate technology into the educational system?
- iPad and Laptops
As I have said earlier, the first positive change that technology can bring into the lives of students is by sparing them from the burden of their heavy school bags. Thanks to tools like iPads and e-notebooks, students can now ditch their notepads at home. Gaining access to online study material is possible by making classrooms Wi-Fi zones. This way, students can forget the tome of textbooks that they otherwise had to carry to the classrooms on a daily basis. Not only that! The best thing about being able to take notes on the laptops is that students do not have to go looking for their notes every time they sit to study. They can easily keep all their study notes in an organised and consolidated manner, which also helps them save valuable time. Plus, can you think of all the money that they can save by not having to invest in paperback textbooks?
- Augmented and Virtual reality
Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality have changed our lives for the better, and with AR/VR based technologies being introduced into the framework, education is bound to have a more enhanced approach. Educators are using tools like Skype, FaceTime, and other similar video tools for the higher level of engagement. Virtual reality is being used to give students more real-life experiences so that they take back better lessons from the classroom. Subjects like quantum physics and chemistry often do not make sense when just taught from textbooks. But with AR into the picture, you can use compatible tools so that your class can understand the complicated subject matter in a better way. 3D printed modules can be used to explain topics that drawing on the chalkboards can never convey. The uses of AR and VR are just not limited to these. They can be used in several other ways to revamp the education system.
- Social media
If you still believe that the social media platforms can feed a student’s procrastination, allow me to burst the bubble for you. Social media channels like Facebook and Twitter are no longer just for connecting and engaging with people. Incorporating these channels into your teaching routine can help you develop better relationships with your students. All kinds of informative blogs and educational articles are shared on Facebook which allows students to access varied sources of data. They can be made more aware of the current affairs with the help of channels like Twitter and Reddit. Not only through social media, schools and colleges are also creating their own websites, blogs, and podcasts to promote learning outside the boundaries of the classroom, allowing the students to take active participation in the process.
- Blackboard education software
Across the nation, teachers are choosing screens and projectors over the orthodox blackboards. Not only does teaching on a ‘Softboard’ make learning more engaging and interactive, but it also helps a teacher explain complicated portions of a lesson by showing pictures and related videos. Answer this: What would you prefer? Would you rather mug up data about a historical period from your textbook or prefer seeing a documentary to live the moments? So, you get my point, right? The blackboard education software is, therefore, being used even in the elementary levels of education with equal implementation in colleges and universities. A recent survey has proved that the ‘Softboard’ way of teaching improves a student’s performance remarkably.
- Interactive Collaboration Tools
Interactive Collaboration Tools are the IT things in the juxtaposition of technology and education. There are several free tools that teachers can use to create opportunities to collaborate with the students via digital technology, both within and out of the classroom. Teachers can choose from fun tools and free of cost that educators that are available online. Video interactive tools are also being considered by many teachers to make learning a better experience for the students. Out of the millions of similar tools, tools like EduCanon, and Zaption are my personal recommendations that you can consider without a second thought. These interactive videos have questions in between that you can ask your students to solve. This will make learning a lot more effective and help the students to prepare their assignments easily.
- Open Educational Resources
Last but not the least, welcoming technology into the spectrum of education has made distant learning a real thing. Quite often, students cannot afford to travel across the seas to get admitted into the college that they have dreamt of. With the option of open educational resources, they can now opt for online courses too. Several good colleges are offering diploma and postgraduate courses via distance education programs. The best things about these open resources are that they are cost-effective and affordable. Students can simply cut down on the costs of textbooks with the availability of online study resources. Colleges and universities are investing in online libraries, thus eliminating the problem of standing in queues to collect and return books.
There is no shortcut to education. However, with the incorporation of technology in the framework of teaching and learning, the landscape of education is sure to see a better dawn. With proper use, technology can bring a positive change in education and give a better future for the students. I am sure that you are no longer in a dilemma. So go ahead and make use of the boons of technology and make your students the brighter stars of tomorrow.
Author Bio: Ava Lee is a guest lecturer in a reputed university in Australia. She has acquired her Ph.D. in sociology from the University of Queensland. Previously, she has been associated with Griffith University as a visiting faculty. She has also been a part of academic writing company for three years provides academic writing help to the students
