The 21st century can be characterized as a digital revolution. It is the moment when technology has been embraced and integrated into most parts of our lives. We use technology to communicate faster, in our workplace, for entertainment, and to purchase goods.
Thus, it comes as no surprise that technology had a major impact on the education field too. Nowadays, students and educators use different types of devices including computers, tablets, smartphones, and smart boards to get and offer an improved learning experience.
Technology in the classroom has completely changed the way teachers teach and the way students learn. It helps teachers to improve their traditional text-based learning methods and allows students to engage better in a practical way of learning. Here are the major impacts that technology had on today’s modern education.
Customized learning experiences
Traditional teaching and learning methods can rarely cover all the educational needs of all students. Every student has a different way and pace of learning compared with their peers. The learning experiences shouldn’t be exactly the same for everyone in order for them to be effective. Each student should have the chance to get a learning experience that will efficiently contribute to their set of skills and knowledge.
Thanks to today’s educational technology, modern education relies on customized teaching and learning methodologies. A multitude of devices, interfaces, apps, and tools help teachers to create a unique learning experience for their students based on their needs, preferences, and pace of learning. Instead of the one-size-fits-all educational system, technology has empowered teachers and students to take advantage of a new way of need-based learning.
Online learning
Having access to education is a right that all individuals should have, no matter their financial status, their social status, or their location in the world. Thanks to technology, nowadays, everybody can have access to education at any time from anywhere in the world as long as they have a computer or a smartphone and an internet connection.
Technology has paved the way to a different type of learning method through virtual and online learning. The brick and mortar school institutions and the traditional teaching methodologies have been replaced with a virtual interface where teachers and students interact.
Online learning brings a multitude of benefits to modern education including flexibility, reduced costs, access to education to anyone, and a more interesting way of learning. Online learning encompasses a multitude of learning opportunities including dual enrollment, credit recovery, summer school programs, and virtual learning materials. It allows students to connect with specialists and educators from all around the world and continue their education in the comfort of their own home.
Nowadays, most reputable universities from all around the world have embraced the benefits of online learning and are now offering courses in the virtual world too. Not only that it helps them to attract more students and to reduce their operational costs, but it also allows students from all around the world to study at the best universities without having to worry about the relocation costs.
Visual learning
According to a multitude of medical studies, most people are visual learners because our brains can retain information 60.000x times faster when it is seen in a visual form compared to written text. Visual aids including maps or images have been used in the classroom since forever. However, technology has taken the use of visuals to a completely new level. Nowadays, teachers can use a multitude of visual aids such as graphics, videos, images, or diagrams to help their students understand and retain information a lot easier.
Visual aids in the classrooms also help educators to engage their students in the learning process a lot easier because they help with retaining their attention and make learning seem fun. For example, instead of using a hard-to-read textbook that may bore students, professors can play them a video which will engage them to actively participate in class.
Improved communication
Efficient communication in education is paramount. Students can’t learn unless the message is properly transmitted to them by their professors. Technology also had a major impact on eliminating the communication gaps that existed in the classroom. For example, technology allows students and professors to have a virtual collaboration where teachers can assign them projects and the students can easily ask for further clarifications. Moreover, students can also easily interact with each other in real-time and work together on their tasks.
Effective research
Long gone are the days when students had to spend hours in the library with a huge pile of books to do research for their assignments. Nowadays, with a simple click on the mouse, information is just a few seconds away. Everybody can find out the answer to any question they might have in just a few seconds simply by searching on the internet where there is an unlimited amount of information and data. Students can have access at any time to books, researches, videos, studies, and a multitude of learning resources. Thanks to the internet and technology, doing research is very effective and no longer time-consuming.
Learning made fun
One of the biggest challenges that teachers can face is retaining the attention of their students. Students tend to get bored with their classes really fast if they don’t feel motivated to actively engage in the learning process. Luckily, with the help of technology, educators can make their classes really engaging and entertaining for their students. For example, displaying videos, movies, or images can help with retaining and engaging students. Also, educators can use interactive learning interfaces that will engage and encourage students to actively participate in class.
Thanks to the multitude of benefits it brings, educational technology is here to stay and develop in the academic field. It empowers educators with a multitude of pedagogical resources and helps students understand and retain information more efficiently. Today’s modern education has really become accessible to everyone thanks to the involvement of technology which is why plenty of schools and universities have already embraced it to offer students improved learning experiences.
