Technology and Education – A Match Made In Heaven?

Technology is an integral part of our lives, and the educational system is no different.  Schools are spending more than ever on tech, with over $3 billion per year being spent on digital content. In addition, public schools in the U.S. now provide an average of one computer for every five students and base much of their curriculum on ushering in 21st Century skills. Because of this, students are more engaged and motivated; therefore, learning is accelerated. [caption id="attachment_4821" align="alignright" width="300"] Pixabay[/caption] Convincing educators to buy into technology and integrate it into their classroom has been a slow transformation. Sadly, the United States is still falling behind in STEM courses: Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. Part of the problem for teachers is a lack of training, which requires ongoing development. Another is a fault of school districts, trying to integrate technology into their curriculum without considering how it supports their learning goals. This post explains more on how this transformation is affection higher education:

How Technology is Now Empowering Educators | Inc.com

In fact, research shows that 70% of students want their universities to update their digital options, with 44% of the same group saying they'd be happier with their university experience if they could engage with more digital resources. With an obvious demand from students for better digital solutions, organizations that don't engage with the latest in technology may struggle to engage with new students and grow.

Read the original post here:  How Technology is Now Empowering Educators | Inc.com

Higher education hasn't changed quickly enough to keep up with the shifting needs and demands of students.  Even though more kids are going to college than ever before, the rising costs and the lack of tools with which to prepare them for the working world has brought colleges into the limelight. Amazon got into the education space by launching a program in 2016 where schools and other educators could upload, manage and share educational materials, providing unlimited access to first-class course materials - Amazon Education Wait List. What are some of the ways technology and education are being meshed? This video gives some great examples:

Virtual and augmented reality have the potential to offer immersive learning and are well on the way to becoming a vital component of how students learn. Virtually travelling to places like the International Space Station and The Colosseum would be invaluable learning opportunities. The list of possibilities is endless! Along with 3D printing and cloud computing, the world is becoming more and more connected, better preparing kids for their future. Memorizing facts is part of the old school way, but today's classrooms are allowing students to dive in deeper on subjects that truly pique their interest. One buzzword is personalized learning, which offers diverse variety of instructional programs that are geared toward each student's individual needs and interests. This post offers more insight into personalized learning:

Technology in Education: An Overview - Education Week

[caption id="attachment_4822" align="alignright" width="324"] Pixabay[/caption]

Many in the ed-tech field see new technologies as powerful tools to help schools meet the needs of ever-more-diverse student populations. The idea is that digital devices, software, and learning platforms offer a once-unimaginable array of options for tailoring education to each individual student’s academic strengths and weaknesses, interests and motivations, personal preferences, and optimal pace of learning.

Read the original post here:  Technology in Education: An Overview - Education Week

This requires an in-depth profile of each student, their goals, and setting up an individualized learning path for every person in the classroom. It also necessitates a flexible environment and grading system, based on mastery of a topic and not a letter grade comparing one student to another. As a former educator, this sounds a bit overwhelming. It would make sense to utilize digital platforms that allow this process to happen through guided tutorials, so the students are partially responsible for facilitating their own individual learning goals.

The following post Technology and Education – A Match Made In Heaven? is courtesy of http://ift.tt/13eIL48