With the global pandemic outbreak, many sectors, including the educational sector, shifted and altered their processes. In education, the shift was from conventional face-to-face teaching to an online mode of instruction. As a result, people became familiar with the term educational technology that encompasses a diverse range of theoretical and practical aspects of learning and teaching. It is the use of computer hardware and software in conjunction with one another to enhance learning.
Instructors can use educational technologies to build digital, interactive books and gamify lessons. In addition, instructors can give assignments, conduct exams, and receive real-time results related to teaching content, design, and format.
Educational technology enables the instructors to identify the students’ needs concerning the curriculum and to take appropriate actions as and when required. It also empowers them to keep track of the progress and monitor the outcomes to determine the success of various techniques.
It undoubtedly aids educators in the tracking of individual growth and the development of creative lesson plans. At the same time, however, the instructors should first identify the priorities and needs of students. And then apply the skills, including technologies, to create a productive learning experience for them.
Let’s see why adapting to educational technology is crucial and what benefits it entails.
Why should we embrace educational technology?
The Chronicle of Higher Education US reveals that one of the most rapidly expanding post-secondary educational credentials is the graduate certificates. The online graduate certificate provides training, skills development, and experiential learning to aspiring business students all over the country. The certification allows them to interact and utilize educational technologies to their advantage. Even if you are not an educator or a student, you should be aware of the significance of technology in education.
1. Enriched engagement
Technology assists teachers in developing and delivering engaging and meaningful content to students. When students find learning to be significant, they become committed and involved learners. While this has yet to be proven, information technology in the classroom can help to increase student interest.
Improved engagement of the students in the learning processes can enhance their concentration and focus. It can motivate them to hone analytical skills and enables constructive learning opportunities. Technology can promote more productive involvement in the learning process, which is usually challenging to achieve with traditional learning.
2. Increased communication
Innovative teaching solutions also increase the efficiency and consistency of connectivity between home and schools. There are more ways for parents and teachers to interact with one another, thanks to educational technologies. For example, using a classroom blog allows parents to see what their children are being taught. Likewise, teachers can immediately report a child’s actions using apps.
With the help of educational technologies, parents and teachers can collaborate to provide the best learning experience for the children. When parents and teachers engage with one another, they work together to provide the best educational environment for students.
3. Immersive learning
Teachers can develop simulations that can transport pupils to the moon virtually. Today’s students aspire for a more engaging experience. With the help of technology, immersive learning is possible. It is a method that uses an immersive or virtual world to indulge participants thoroughly in the learning process.
Learning concepts from books can be boring at times. The students might face difficulty retaining information related to history without being there. However, with the help of education technology, students can completely absorb the topic when guided by well-known curators, musicians, and writers who know how to keep the listeners’ focused. All of this virtual reality is possible only because of the use of technology in education.
4. Skills enhancement
The new world is driven by technology, and those familiar with it are more likely to attain fruitful career prospects. According to a study, almost 80% of middle-skill positions need digital skills. Students can demonstrate outstanding proficiency with a wide variety of computer applications, even at the elementary level. In addition, they can gain certainty and a clear understanding of how different programming tools operate at a very early age.
Teachers and students can use technology to help them improve the knowledge that would be useful in the twenty-first century. Collaborating with others, overcoming complex challenges, strategic thinking, developing analytical abilities, and cultivating leadership skills are all part of modern schooling, enabled via technology.
Final thoughts
Technology can aid in encouraging active engagement in the classroom, which is essential for information retention. Technology has the potential to increase opportunities for learners who are disadvantaged or who are disabled. Students can learn at a stable pace, revisit complex topics, and even skip ahead if necessary. They can learn the skills essential for competing in the future by mastering technology. Likewise, the education sector can facilitate new modes of learning and development utilizing technological solutions and systems.
