Have you thought how much has changed in our lives with the recent technological breakthrough?
Unfortunately, we are so busy with everyday problems that do not even notice what alterations have happened around us. One of the spheres that were incredibly greatly affected by the technological revolution is education. Today both schools and universities have undergone many changes implementing completely new devices, approaches, and tools into educational process for them not to follow behind other spheres of life.
Though it may seem that modern students are still sitting at the desks in the classrooms, many surrounding them things have already been replaced by innovative ones and the learning process today has little in common with ones of the previous century. All that has happened due to the opportunities opened by modern technology to students and it is obvious that there is no way back to old-fashioned standards.
Changes to education that have happened with technological revolution
Only think that a dozen years ago we used to study the same way as students of the Middle Ages: oral lectures, reading paper books, noting down written context have been dominating in higher education for centuries. While the appearance of some devices, software and the Internet has altered so much within such a short period of time. Let’s consider how modern learning has been changed by technology:
1. Revolution in communication and foreign languages learning
Teachers used to communicate with their students only in the walls of the educational establishment, but today with the appearance of social networks and collaboration tools there are more opportunities to discuss studying topics.
Another important breakthrough was in language learning. A variety of tools and websites offer numerous language learning methods and materials. It is enough to remember Duolingo that becomes an integral part of your life as soon as you start using it and your knowledge enhances in the horizontal progression.
2. The audience of teachers has expanded to the whole world
Today teachers do not count the number of their students by classes as each person from any part of the world can join learning online. Some students even find such educational websites as Khan Academy much more useful than years of college or university programs. Moreover, each person can become a teacher with millions of followers using such platform as Udemy, for example.
3. Interactive materials and methods
Innovative devices have also made studying more interactive and exciting. Some of the new technologies used in the classroom are really inspiring so they are a great motivation to study better and persistently. Think only about gamification of the studying that is gaining pace today and you will see what great changes are taking place.
4. Say ‘No’ to old-fashioned note-taking
A greater part of university education is taking notes of the heard lectures. Technology has eased this problem allowing students to record speech and receive a typed text making several simple steps. There is also another shift in customary oral lectures as today more tutors invite students to discuss problems and solve them rather than provide with the only right solution.
5. Visualizing of the most unexpected learning materials
Cards, maps, images, models used as visual aid lose their popularity. Is there a necessity to spend money and time for their collecting if every item can be created right in the classroom? Today students can not only see some objects but also touch them with the help of 3D printing, for example. There is also no sense in wasting such a valuable resource as paper for images as they can be shown on various devices with screens.
6. Breakthrough in education of disabled students with the rise of assistive technology
Students with different impairments have received a chance to study along with their peers in one class due to the wonderful examples of assistive EdTech. At the same time, such assistive devices are helpful not only in education but also in personality upbringing.
7. Implementation of up-to-date LMS that enhances collaboration between learners and educators
Learning management systems used in education have greatly simplified task assigning, grading, a collaboration between students as well as encouraged parents to track their children’s achievements. They are really helpful in various directions and contribute to the students’ productivity.
8. Speeding up of any research due to the Internet
Volumes of information contained on the Internet have speeded up the research procedure and saved the time of young scientists. At the same time, it is important to check the credibility of this data not to mislead and be misled.
9. Shift to more personalized learning
Technology has contributed to individual characteristics and requirements of each student. It allowed making learning more personalized as a teacher can control time, a difficulty of the assigned tasks, results of each person individually.
10. Use of completely innovative teaching methods and approaches
With the appearance of modern devices, the learning and teaching methods and approaches have changed too. That helped to diversify the educational process and make students more inspired and motivated.
11. Universities and colleges educate outside their walls
Previously, such renowned universities like Harvard, Oxford, Yale were trying to keep their tuition programs in secret. But the technological advancement encouraged them to open access to many courses for everyone to be able to become more intelligent.
Technology is a powerful tool that can take education to a completely new level. Today students can show their preferences and interests to focus on as they have access to endless sources of information that can be useful for them. Of course, some new technologies and devices haven’t reached classrooms yet but their educational value has already been estimated and soon they will find their place in modern educational institutions.
Even though it may seem that technology eases teachers’ job, it is a great mistake. Teachers not only have to learn the basics of its implementation and use at the lessons but also take the best possible advantage of it and not everyone manages to do that. In any case, technology makes an enormous impact on educational process and even more amazing changes await us in the future, undoubtedly.
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