“The whole purpose of education is to turn mirrors into windows.”
For better or worse, we’re living in a technology-driven world. In the contemporary world, where technology has become an integral part of our lives, complex tasks have become easier and more seamless. In other words, technology is on an upward trajectory, and it shows no sign of slowing down anytime soon.
The education landscape of today and the future is “click and mortar”. It not only appeals to those born in the new millennium, or Generation Z as they are fondly referred to, but it also focuses on acquiring skill sets through a virtual medium. The new generation expects educational institutions to provide knowledge through mobile digital devices, platforms, and other similar channels.
As technology has made it possible for educators to reach a broader spectrum of students, and with the use of technology in the teaching-learning process, it can safely be predicted that the strongest educational institutions will be the ones whose brand is founded on the “brick and mortar” model with the adoption of virtual education, making them a “click and mortar” as well.
Advancements in technology have been changing the teaching and learning process for some time now. Technology has revolutionized the field of education. The effective use of technology in education has changed the face of education and it has created more educational opportunities. The ways have changed, from how knowledge was stored (such as ring files, textbooks, and document files saved in discs and written notes) or presented (such as black, white, and poster boards) to storing in the cloud and accessing knowledge through eBooks, iPad, and other technologically-aided apps for learning.
Also, teachers now have more resources at their fingertips to plan and prepare for lessons as educational technology evolves and improves. Teachers can browse the Internet for a multitude of ways to learn new teaching methods, collaborate with other educators, share teaching materials online, and design instructional resources. This is how technology has changed education positively. Learning by using electronic means and the use of technology in teaching and learning, has made the experience more accessible, more personalized, and sometimes more meaningful than learning in some traditional classrooms.
Both teachers and students have benefited from various educational technologies and the use of technology in the classroom to enhance teaching and learning. Teachers have learned how to integrate technology in their classrooms and students are becoming more interested in learning with technology. The use of technology in education has removed educational boundaries, with both students and teachers being able to collaborate in real-time, using advanced educational technologies. The use of technology has made the process of teaching and learning all the more enjoyable. However, we need to make sure that technology is used by teachers to only facilitate the learning process, not to replace the teachers.
“If we are educating our children to live and thrive in their world, we cannot limit them to what we were limited to in our world. As things change and evolve, so must education. As educators, we have a professional obligation to change as well. We must retain a sense of relevance and that requires effort. Educators need to employ the very skills they are passing along to their students. They need to: curate, collaborate, communicate, critically think, and create. All of this is best accomplished through the use of the tools of technology. An education without technology does not prepare our students with the skills that their world will require. Technology should be ubiquitous in education.”
At present, many innovative forms of businesses, communication platforms, and collaborative environments that were unheard of two decades ago have emerged through entrepreneurship and the academic world. ICT continues to infiltrate all aspects of our human lives and with the Internet and mobile technologies pervasively changing the global landscape, the revolution in education will definitely come by way of the Internet. The use of key technologies can drive change in education. Many people have come to believe that technology can revolutionize education and that technology can help students learn, even though the results are unclear.
Technology is widening the scope of creativity in learning and boosting student engagement. The newer applications of augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) are revolutionizing how knowledge is shared and absorbed. With gamification of difficult concepts, students are now experiencing the fun element in learning.
No doubt, the structured classroom environment may suit all kinds of learners among varied age groups. However, during these unusual and challenging times, we are combating the COVID-19 outbreak with quarantines and extended lockdowns with the closure of schools. Amid this crisis, our school and teachers are running their sessions through virtual and online classes, bringing in huge disruptions. Technology is the driving force and is slowly giving birth to a novel concept, ‘The Future of Schools’, where complete digital transformation in school education is the way forward.
Education systems by way of technology and the impact of technology on education will continue to change the educational and social landscape as we know it. So, rather than going against the tide, it will be for the best if society rides with the change and affects it in a more positive way. It is going to be an interesting journey ahead, where we will be seeing online teaching and Learning increasingly proving to be a boon to school education.
“We need to look around and when we look around we will see collaborations; we need to look beyond and then we will see creativity; we need to look within and look deep, then we can introspect and this gives rise to critical thinking. We also have to look up and then we will see an abundance of opportunity. Technology is a key and we must use it well, we must take our children on the journey from information to knowledge and from knowledge to wisdom”.
Vikas, a K-12 institution has been a pioneer in delivering holistic education with a blend of academic and cultural activities within a technologically and globally connected environment, over the last 3 decades. Vikas is honored with various International and National awards from the British Council, Brainfeed, and other reputed organizations in the areas of excellence and performance. Vikas has given this nation more than 1 Lakh Engineers and 10000+ Doctors. To foster 21st Century Skills, Vikas established the ATL Labs, Robotics Lab, Artificial Intelligence, and Entrepreneurship Courses.
Thanks
R.Usha, English Faculty, Senior Secondary | Vikas The Concept School | +91 7702900900 | vikasconcept.com
