What role does technology play in education? As a platform for accessing assignments, a way for students to learn from home, and a way for teachers to innovate lesson plans, technology has grown in significance in the classroom.
In a school system consisting of digital natives, having access to technology has enhanced student engagement and opened up new learning opportunities. Students are given the opportunity to take a more active role in and responsibility for their education through the use of the hybrid classroom.
Students of all ages and grade levels are given access to an advanced classroom setting through online courses and self-paced learning resources, which promotes fun and collaboration throughout the learning process.
EdTech Around the World
Australia lends out computers, Bulgaria gives free online textbooks, and many other countries broadcast free educational content on national radio and television. Students who are having financial difficulties or who are unable to afford EdTech equipment might choose from these options.
How Technology Can Help in the Classroom
With the help of EdTech, educators have the ability to design individualised lesson plans that fit a variety of criteria and the differing skill levels and expectations of their students. Students with special needs and specialised learning plans may now have access to the tools they need to succeed in class, thanks to advancements in classroom technology.
The capabilities of synchronous and asynchronous learning in the classroom and at home are expanding thanks to the efforts of education technology companies, which are consistently creating new kinds of software, hardware, and tools.
Online textbooks are provided to students by EdTech companies like Chegg, which lowers classroom expenses and allays concerns about resource shortages. Students can engage from afar while still feeling seen and heard, thanks to smart video cameras like the Meeting Owl Pro.
Ways Teachers Use EdTech
EdTech has made it possible to include more teaching strategies in the classroom, allowing for more active learning. Traditional teaching methods are disrupted for the better by using common technology like computers and tablets.
1. Collect data from in-class quizzes and games.
Thanks to EdTech applications, teachers may now gather results from digital quizzes and examinations in real-time while also saving valuable time on student evaluations.
2. Improve in-class engagement
Using tools like Engageli allows students to participate in class activities from wherever they may be. With the help of the software, professors may conduct both live and recorded lessons, and students can virtually sit in breakout groups. This compensates for the social contact that would have occurred had the students really been present in the classroom.
3. Monitor Students’ Engagement in the Classroom
EdTech tools like Class Technologies make it simple to keep track of students’ attention spans while they are engaged in remote learning. Its attention monitoring function makes it particularly useful for monitoring student engagement levels since it lets teachers know when pupils aren’t using Class as their main app. Students stay interested and on track with their learning progress when attention is brought back to the lesson and the associated course materials.
It’s crucial for teachers to give students plenty of time and opportunities to become used to utilising EdTech applications before exposing them to new technologies in the classroom. Future classroom mishaps may be avoided with thorough training and preparation using new technology, which also helps kids feel involved and on the same page as their peers.
Ways Students Use EdTech
The fact that EdTech gives students educational ownership is among its most advantageous applications. When students are offered digital projects like multimedia movies or audio assignments, it inspires them to use technology creatively while also making classwork applicable to the digitised world. Moreover, it teaches students the value of being knowledgeable internet users and of being more deliberate in their media and information consumption.
Another aspect of a smart classroom may entail using EdTech to make courses and activities more engaging. This supports the idea of “gamification theory,” which contends that learning is most effective when it is enjoyable. Also, gamification gives students the chance to work together, practise problem-solving and active learning, and foster positive peer relationships.
Although following lesson plans and course materials may place certain limitations on students, EdTech fosters self-directed learning. For pupils who need a slower pace to retain knowledge or understand fundamental ideas, this is often a critical element. Self-directed study outside of school increases the amount of time students have in class for group projects, cooperation, and important social contact.
EdTech and COVID-19
The COVID-19 epidemic unexpectedly shifted EdTech software and equipment, even though it was initially meant as a single element inside hybrid classrooms. Younger students, who benefit from the structure, direction, and social contact of in-person lessons, found it particularly challenging when professors shifted lesson plans to be suited for remote learning.
If the epidemic taught us anything, it is how important it is to use education technology thoughtfully, intentionally, and in a balanced way. The best method to limit screen time while maintaining a healthy level of engagement is to use education technology in a manner that improves the in-class learning experience for both students and teachers.
Future EdTech Trends to Watch
The advent of accessible education is only one of several EdTech trends that are already starting to take shape.
Free and open-source educational resources
Students will always have access to open-source instructional materials. Free and easily available learning and research resources help students save money and may simplify difficult knowledge into easier-to-understand forms.
VR in the classroom
Virtual reality (VR) is becoming increasingly popular in schools, with the value of augmented reality in education expected to reach $700 million by 2023. Students can now experience 3D representations of dinosaurs or the human body, something no PowerPoint slideshow could ever achieve. This technology is expected to be used in a variety of courses, from history to chemistry.
AI in the classroom
Artificial intelligence is also included in this. Voice assistants and chatbots are examples of tools that are readily adaptable to both home and classroom settings.
A Data-Driven Educational Curriculum
Future trends will also see a rise in the prevalence of data-driven insights. The switch to remote learning resulted in less oversight during tests and quizzes and the ability to prevent students’ concentration from dwindling as a result of screen fatigue. Data and analytics will contribute to the provision of important information on student behaviour and engagement with educational material.
Finding balance in EdTech
The fast-approaching future of educational technology has enabled the swift transition to remote learning during the epidemic. It benefits students by removing barriers to education, whether they be mental, physical, or geographic. Additionally, it helps to reduce the cost of educational expenses like textbooks and other supplies.
Finding the right balance in and out of the classroom is crucial for getting the most out of EdTech, even though we may occasionally go beyond the limits of what is considered excessive screen time.
