This article is part of the Innovation in Education Guide. Learn all about Innovative Learners, Modern Teaching Methods, and Innovative Classrooms.
Introduction
Technology changes the way we learn, act, communicate, we see things. At every second, it evolves and creates new opportunities that help us connect and have easier access to even harder accessible things.
This new path that technology opens is an excellent opportunity for teachers and students to grow.
Educational technology mainly focuses on “the technological tools and media that assist in the communication of knowledge, and its development and exchange.” (Educational Technology)
Education is a big part of the world and seen through the technology part, it just seems more accessible to everyone.
The importance of Educational Technology
Educational technology wants to improve teaching and learning. This is why it focuses significantly on developing, analysing and evaluating ways. There are also many academic problems that it can help solve – such as motivation, school discipline, critical thinking, and physical and mental violence.
More than just opening the world of education for many, technology opens new opportunities and ways to learn that enrich and stimulate minds.
The technology that educational technology brings new to the table helps develop new and innovative approaches to learning that help students with learning and understanding easier. Educational technology can help increase communication, collaboration and overall quality of education.
“We need technology in every classroom and in every student and teacher’s hand,” says education technology pioneer David Warlick, “because it is the pen and paper of our time, and it is the lens through which we experience much of our world.”
How does technology enhance learning?
EdTech does not refer only to the use of computers in the classroom. While it did start with that, nowadays, it means much more – it encompasses tablets, online learning, virtual assistant, robots – whatever one needs to make the learning experience more engaging. The engagement EdTech brings to education has a lot to do with the inclusive and individualised learning that one can experience in an EdTech environment.
There are many reasons technology in education is essential, and one of the most important ones is the help it gives with engagement in class.
There are many forms that technology takes to create an engaging environment for students. One of them is the usage of robots that make it easy for students to stay engaged using fun ways of learning; the ability to access the courses wherever you are that the IoT gives.
Educational technology keeps hybrid classes connected, allows students to work remotely, helps teachers organise better,
Examples of technology in the classroom
The technology that teachers can use in the classroom has different configurations available – additive, integrated, and independent. Understanding which of the available configurations to implement in the class needs know-how about when and why each configuration is used.
Tablets
The ability that tablets bring to the table when it comes to education is given by the games they have, the online lessons they access and the cloud-based apps. These allow students to upload their homework, communicate digitally with their colleagues and digitally receive help from their teachers in real-time.
For decades, students have been using computers and tablets to take notes in the classroom. More than just having access to all the courses on one device, they no longer use so many notebooks, which means saving teh life of the trees and contributing to the world’s sustainability program.
Video conferencing
A video conferencing tool helps you register for your course and go through it again. Video conferencing uses a click to access a lesson and see your teacher and classmates. This way, students can pause and rewind as many times as possible. This is an excellent tool for online classes, hybrid learning school types, and fully online schools.
Top Educational Technology Trends Right Now
Custom Learning Experiences
Having a personalised learning experience helps students stay engaged and have good academic results.
Teachers can easily craft a personalised learning plan for each student with the help of EdTech tools. These tools can show teachers where each student needs help, their strengths and weaknesses, and find negative trends affecting their academic performance and well-being.
Cloud Computing
Cloud computing with Wifi access allows students to complete their homework and learn at their own pace, in their own time, at the place of their choice. More than just offering accessibility, it provides freedom and less stress. Students are not stressed over being present in a physical classroom, finishing the task simultaneously with their colleagues etc. Many things stress students in a traditional schooling system, and cloud access and Wi-Fi help ease those.
Speech-To-Text Options
Speech-to-text technology offers students and teachers alike the possibility to take notes at a higher speed than writing them. As fast as you ay handwrite or computer write you can never write as fast as when you talk. Speech-to-text apps help you take notes while speaking and don’t leave anything behind. There are many tools to choose from. These are great for classroom notes and making sure you don’t miss a thing when the teacher talks. You can also check your studying level as you learn and check how much you memorised and understood. Technology offers us the possibility to type without using our hands.
Learning Analytics
Analytics comes as a help to teachers to see the learning path of their students. It shows teachers the lessons where students need help. It saves both students and teachers time and makes the learning path smooth.
Educational Technology Tools
All the educational technology tools that exist can help teachers access the analytics for each student that uses them. This way, they can access the student’s academic results and growth. The analytics offered can show teachers where students need help with the subjects and offer their support.
The existing ed tools aim to enhance teachers, students, and administrators’ learning opportunities and experience.
Lesson Planning and Tools
The educational technology tools can help ease the work of teachers and focus more on the well-being of their students than on delivering the lesson. The efficient learning practices make it easier for teachers to grade, to communicate. In addition, they help sustainability as they no longer need to use as much paper as before.
Social Learning
Social media is an environment where students spend a lot of time. It can foster sharing of ideas, improve communication, create a better connection between the students and the chance to share ideas and develop stronger friendships. Integrating it into the classroom with the help of technology is a great tool to use.
Terms related to Educational Technology
E-learning
E-learning is that type of education that is only accessible online. However, there are slight differences between e-learning and online learning – “E-learning is done through an online portal they are given access to and they enter any time of the day and week. Meanwhile, online learning is an online portal they access at certain times of the day when the live lessons are held.
E-learning helps children develop more as they have to go through the studying books by themselves, while in online learning they are guided by a teacher.
In the case of e-learning if you have any questions you put them in an email and the tutor answers back, while in the case of online learning you can put them live and get the explanations on the spot.” (World Schools)
“As with each education style, online education needs a child interested and eager to learn. Without this basic, neither traditional nor online education can help students learn.”(Spark School)
- Edtech
“Technology is a significant enabler for education. IT companies worldwide have developed new technologies to make the education process easier and more accessible.” (Spark School)
Multimedia learning
You can teach the benefits of technology and multimedia. With the help of technology, students can learn by watching presentations, lessons on video, and slides that have visual effects and music, all intended to make learning easier. Having fun and creative presentations of the lesson and virtual guests helps with the student’s engagement. An interactive multimedia system can teach anything.
Flexible learning
Flexible learning is that type of education that allows students to learn at any time, from anywhere, at their own pace. However, this flexibility comes with extra responsibility for your learning path. It comes with the responsibility of staying organised and keeping up with lessons.
Digital education
The digital education concept mainly refers to the education that is digitally delivered. This may be school education or any other online course that anyone can take. Digital education is usually perceived through online access and does not need many tools to access it or much knowledge. An Internet connection is sufficient to have access to online education. These days, where everything moves faster, staying connected while also continuing your education is a great opportunity.
Conclusion
Technology has become a way of life for students, and it is something they base on. It allows them to learn at their own pace and stay on top of the courses without extra effort into commuting, having a fixed schedule, and learning only from books.
Educational technology can help accelerate student learning, but we must also realise some countries do not have access to technology. For them, there is a need to maintain the traditional education system updates, just the same with EdTech.
Educational Technology FAQ
What is Educational Technology?
Educational technology uses tech tools to help students and teachers alike in teh education process.
How should teachers prepare students for the use of technology in the classroom?
When using any tech tools to deliver the lesson, teachers should ensure students know the software and have access to it.
What is an EdTech tool?
An EdTech tool is any tool that educators can use to deliver a lesson. This can refer to both school education as well as different online courses. They can range from simple multimedia tools to more complicated software that can deliver a lesson.
What are the benefits of using technology for teaching and learning?
Technology advancement helped education, economy, culture and every aspect of our lives. In teaching and learning, technology allows to deliver the lesson more engagingly and faster, makes the classes accessible anytime and anywhere, limits the time spent on teaching, and gives more time to learning.
