Growth in the tech industry has changed the face of all major sectors of the economy, including education. Edtech options are replacing traditional teaching techniques and redefining the definition of a classroom.
The advent of the Covid-19 pandemic has only helped accelerate the impact of technology in the educational process. Many schools make the switch to involve more digital learning solutions in their lessons.
What is Digital Technology?
Digital technology describes electronic gadgets, devices, resources, and programs that can produce process, or store information. Many universities and colleges now apply various technologies in teaching to improve learning efficiency. Online lessons and smart classrooms are some of the most popular applications of digital educational technology.
The Role of Digital Technologies in Learning
Here are the roles digital technologies play in our educational process.
A Push for Effective and Efficient Learning
Employing digital technologies in today’s educational processes helps make learning more effective and efficient. Students get to learn at their own pace, and thanks to AI and VR tech, it’s more engaging. There are three types of learners, audiovisual, audio, and visual. AI and VR tech can provide lessons in all forms.
Students don’t need to rely solely on their imaginations when reading about history, monuments, or specific events. VR tech can recreate an environment with these elements, improving learning efficiency. “Learning is about understanding and what better way to achieve the best results than experiencing it yourself than reading it,” points out James, a blogger at Paperell writing service. Seeing events play out in the interactive world of VR improves learning efficiency and their ability to recall and retell them when writing essay papers. Now, all they have to worry about is using the right writing style APA or MLA; a task you could help with easily.
More people can attend a lesson online than any classroom can hold, thanks to video conferencing. They get to participate and provide feedback in real-time using this technology without attending virtually. Teachers employ this technology to teach specific courses such as chemistry lessons where pupils can touch harmful chemicals.
It Facilitates Personalized Learning
Digital technologies help facilitate personalized learning. Multiple applications can provide lessons based on the student’s skills, a feat tutors find challenging to accomplish independently. Pupils with special needs can learn at their own pace and not worry about falling behind the general class.
A Practice Run for the Future
Having students interact with digital technologies in the classroom helps prepare them for their future careers. Professionals across different fields and industries employ various tech, gadgets, and applications to complete their jobs. Having interacted with similar technologies during their college years, scholars can hit the ground running, having little to no hiccup operating one.
Facilitation of Remote Learning
Students don’t have to attend lessons in person, thanks to the availability of online classes. People studying abroad can take full advantage of this technology to save on travel and accommodation costs. If you fall ill, miss your bus, or live far away from the school, you can always join in on your class remotely.
Addresses Safety Concerns
Educational technologies address pressing school safety concerns thanks to their support of remote learning. School shootings and bullying has been rampant in recent years, with the US holding the unwanted record for most school shootings in the world. Remote learning offers an excellent solution to this problem without lowering the quality of learning. Students can attend online classes from the safety of their homes using digital education tech.
Students have had to use face coverings, social distancing, and observe many Covid-19 safety guidelines as authorities look to minimize the risk of an outbreak in schools. Online learning removes such threats, which is why many universities and colleges have opted to have more online lessons over in-person lectures this year.
A Cost-Effective Solution
Digital educational technologies provide a cost-effective learning solution. Getting an online degree is often more affordable than obtaining one from a university or college. You also get an extensive range of fields to select on these platforms.
Getting quality higher education is expensive, as you’ll have to pay high fees for tuition and textbooks. This situation forces pupils to take on high student loans and part-time jobs to keep up with the financial burden of getting a higher education. Teachers can use digital technology to reach a vast amount of students simultaneously, helping to reduce the cost of tuition. It also helps simplify access to resources, so students don’t have to go over the top buying textbooks.
Increased Engagement and Feedback
Students interact with technology in their everyday life, with the average person spending over 3 hours of their day using smartphones. Tech in the classroom doesn’t feel alien to them; instead, it improves their study engagement levels. It also expands the confines of lessons away from the traditional four walls of the classroom. Scholars can easily use their smartphones to study, complete assignments, and submit them to tutors while at home.
Challenges Facing Digital Educational Technology
This technology requires a working internet connection, and all parties involved have compatible devices. Many people either lack the financial resources to buy these gadgets or live in regions where they’re not available. Such situations can increase the educational gap, often providing an intellectual edge to pupils with such technology.
Another challenge facing this technology is the possibility of students misusing the technology. Teachers can’t monitor their pupils 24-7, so it can be challenging to handle things outside the school environment.
Final Thoughts
Digital educational technology plays a crucial role in shaping today’s learning process. It makes getting a higher education more affordable and facilitates remote and personalized learning. Educational technology systems have also come in handy during a global pandemic, providing society with a plan that ensures quality learning despite a lockdown.