Why should schools begin to invest in technology?

The learning environment is more dynamic than ever before, and, as a result, today’s students are learning in a way that’s very different from how our educational system was originally designed. With the advancement in technology and the rise of remote learning, classrooms are being remodeled and redefined in several ways to fit the evolving needs of modern digital learners. With the adoption of remote learning, many higher education institutions are substituting traditional resources with educational technologies in an attempt to keep up with their digital learning population. Below are is listed some ways in which adopting technology into the classroom can improve engagement and push up student success rates.

Better connections between students and the real world: A geology professor takes her students on a virtual tour of Grand Canyon National Park. A history teacher walks his students through the corridors and history of the White House. Technology allows educators to remove the physical barriers of the classroom, offering students a way to connect their curriculum with the real world and those areas of academic focus can truly enrich the student experience. To thrive in the 21st-century workplace, students need to have more than a working knowledge of certain technological tools, such as electronic calendars, interacting with web pages, teleconferencing, electronic whiteboards, etc... By integrating these technologies into the regular curriculum and ongoing activities, institutions are ensuring that their students are better prepared for the modern office.

Encouragement of collaboration: Many educational tools offer a variety of functionalities that promote collaboration. For example, video conferencing gadgets such as Zoom and Skype provide an easy way for students to hold virtual meetings with classmates from anywhere in the world. With free online storage solutions like Google Drive, students can easily share and edit projects with each other, helping to foster better overall collaboration in both the academic sphere and the world of work. As well, these tools assess teaching effectiveness with a fully automated course evaluation process. Whute it also supports different types of learners. No two students learn the same way, but with the right insight tools, educators can address diversity in learning styles and experiences. A Student Insight Solution platform like Blue can provide a detailed overview that is essential in identifying student needs based on real-time feedback. Blue provides centralized insight and an increase in student engagement by allowing instructors to connect and engage with every single student, no matter where they are or what their challenges are.

Building responsibility and finding information more easily: Technology makes it easier for students to find information quickly and accurately, most of the time. Search engines and e-books are partially replacing traditional textbooks. Instead of personal tutors, students can get one-on-one help through educational videos (such as Khan Academy) – anytime and anywhere – and massive open online courses (MOOCs). Giving students a grounding in using these continuous learning tools enriches their future learning potential. With social media sites galore, most students are already digital citizens. However, by incorporating technology into the classroom, students can begin to learn how to be responsible in the digital world and with their digital actions. The class becomes a microcosm of the broader digital landscape where students can practice how to communicate, search, and engage with other digital citizens.

Making learning fun:

Outside the classroom, students use technology in all aspects of their lives. Within the classroom, technology can make learning more fun and exciting. Teaching methods such as game-based learning (GBL) allows instructors to deliver lessons via interactive games and leaderboards. Who doesn’t enjoy playing games? An insight tool such as Blue can be used to gather feedback and critically assess the impact of these gamification efforts, ensuring that you can move beyond the anecdotal and assess how effective these new tools are. Keeping tabs on these efforts is a great example of organisational agility in action.