Technology has an impact on all aspects of life, and education is no exception. Education has improved because of technological advances.
One of the benefits of technology is that it enables many people to access education no matter where they are and regardless of the time. Books were rare then, and only a few people could enjoy educational opportunities. People also had to travel to learning centers to get an education. But today, educational materials such as images, videos, audio, and books are available online, and the availability of formal learning is also made possible online. Nowadays, access to various learning opportunities is unprecedented, thanks to technology.
Opportunities for collaboration and communication have also been expanded by technology. Classrooms have been isolated, and collaboration has become limited to some students in the same buildings or classrooms. Technology, it enables different kinds of collaboration and communication that makes accessing education much easier.
For instance, in rural states of the US, students in classrooms may learn about the Arctic by following the expedition of a team of scientists in the region, viewing photos, reading the blog posting of scientists, emailing questions to scientists, and talking like with scientists through a video conference.
Students may share what they’re learning with students in some classrooms in several states who track the same expedition. Students may also collaborate in group projects with the use of technology-based tools like Google docs and wikis. The 4 corners of classrooms are no longer a huge barrier because technology enables new ways to learn, communicate, and work collaboratively.
Technology has also started to change the roles of learners and teachers. In a traditional classroom, teachers are the primary source of information, and learners receive it passively. But, due to access to educational opportunities and information that technology has enabled in a lot of classrooms today, the role of teachers is also shifting as the students take more responsibilities to learn with the use of technology to gather more information.
Universities and schools around the world are starting to redesign the learning spaces to enable this education model, use technology, and foster small group work and more interaction. They aim to make the most out of technology and what it can offer more to students.
Technology is undoubtedly a powerful tool that can transform and support education in many ways, from enabling some new ways for individuals to work and learn together to make it easier for teachers to make instructional materials. With the internet’s worldwide reach and the availability of smart devices to be connected, people can now learn anywhere and anytime. It’ll be up to the instructional designers as well as educational technologies to make the most of the provided technological opportunities to change education. With this, efficient and effective education will be available to everybody everywhere.