With diverse roles of technology in education, it is better to say that the definition of technology being the application of conceptual knowledge for achieving practical goals, especially in a reproducible way is agreeable with the whole concept of education itself. Technology can also be inferred to point at objects resulting from such efforts, including both tangible tools such as utensils or machines, and intangible ones such as software, and every other thing in the school environment.
Evidently, technology in school has gone beyond just the physical things we can see around. Such things as the furniture, the building structure and every thing that enabled convenience in the school environment. In recent times, technology has advanced and as so, it has relieved the environment of many burdens replaced with ease and comfort.
The use digital learning tools to teach on a daily basis. The rapid advancement of technology in education cannot go unnoticed as it is occurring around the world. Across industries, technology is reshaping how institutions and businesses operate. Technology has proven beneficial and transformation in educational settings in particular. From online colleges to digital certificate programs and hybrid set-ups, technology is reshaping the world of education.
With expansive contributions and developments which this great gift has caused to the proper growth and development of the modern man, below are the roles of technology in education:
-
Supplying Data-Driven Insights
Tech and data platforms provide teachers with data that is transformed into valuable insights. These analytics allow teachers to fully and easily understand a student’s strengths, weaknesses, or even learning disabilities.
-
Allowing Personalized Education
With the aid of technology, teachers are better able to provide students with learning activities that are in line with their progress. For example, by recording and uploading a lecture, students who need more time with the material can pause, rewind, and re-watch.
On the other hand, if a student has fully grasped a concept, they can move forward more quickly onto the next topic. Educators can also use aptitude reports from learning platforms to better gauge where students are at in understanding the coursework in real-time.
-
Adequate Availability and Accessibility
Technology like the internet and the ability to record lectures, upload learning resources to a platform, and host discussion forums makes it possible to expand one’s access and availability to learn. For example, at the University of the People, students can earn their degrees entirely online through the use of an online learning management system (LMS) called Moodle.
Students used to have to be physically located inside a classroom to obtain their education. These days, with online learning (by choice or by circumstance) has led to a revolution in education that makes it accessible to anyone, anywhere.
-
Paperless Classrooms
At the end of the day, printing worksheets and tests is not only bad for the environment, but it is also a huge cost to educational institutions and students alike. Digital education environments provide the opportunity to make a classroom or degree program paperless.
-
Increased Collaboration
Classroom management tools make it easier than ever for students, parents, and teachers to collaborate. For example, it’s not always easy to get students to work together in groups. But, with online portals and discussion forums, students can contribute in their own space and time to work with other students. Additionally, teachers can communicate and collaborate in an organized manner with parents for feedback and the sharing of ideas, thoughts, and/or concerns.
-
Providing Metrics for Tracking Progress
With EdTech platforms, students and teachers can report and review progress based on each individual’s performance. Through the use of analytics, teachers can easily visualize how a student is growing or being thwarted. This can help teachers spot inefficiencies or areas that are ripe for improvement or attention.
-
Follow-up Activities
Once a student leaves their designated class time, homework is a standard follow-up. However, when handing out paperwork, there may be missed opportunities. With education and technology, teachers can design personalized follow-up activities and grant each student the ability to learn at their own pace, even when they are outside of the classroom. For example, teachers can host a variety of options online for follow-up activities, and students, based on their level of understanding, can choose their course of action.
-
Flexibility
In traditional education settings without technology, students are expected to pay attention and learn during class time, whether or not it is their optimal time to be productive. Technology in education allows students to flip the notion of a classroom on its head by choosing when and where to learn. Video lectures, recordings, and digital resources make it possible for students to learn at their own pace. Self-paced learning can result in better outcomes, a more engaged student body, and increased creativity.
-
Automated Grading
Grading is an entire job in itself that most teachers end up doing on their own time after work. With machine learning and artificial intelligence, grading has become automated in some instances, especially when it comes to true/false or fill-in-the-blank tests. These tools are giving back teachers their time.
Reimagining the Role of Technology in Higher Education
The future of education has to include equality, accessibility, and diversity, which is why I’m excited about our work on a new supplement to the 2016 National Educational Technology Plan (NETP) from the Department of Education. It focuses on how EdTech can be mobilized to improve learning, teaching, leadership, assessment and infrastructure in higher education in ways that also promote accessibility.
As ed tech evolves, we must ensure that technology serves the needs of every type of learner. Our resources can’t just be low cost. They need to be available to students from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds, students with disabilities, first-generation students and working learners. They also need to be easy for faculty to find, adopt and use.
The NETP supplement report outlines the benefits of teaching and assessing students using quality, accessible learning materials and tools. It also includes recommendations for instructors, institutions, EdTech developers, policymakers, researchers and funders on how to maximize the massive potential of EdTech.
