Schools are in the midst of an overhaul, the traditional teaching methods once favoured are not as necessary. Technology is becoming an invaluable tool in a teacher’s arsenal, something to help engage students and help teachers to connect with them, using a means that the students are comfortable with. It will make a multitude of subjects and concepts more accessible. Schools can even receive feedback in real-time using school self-evaluation form software, which makes the process of evaluating more efficient and valuable, meaning the school can take action on feedback quickly.
By using technology in the classroom, teachers and students alike can develop skills essential for the 21st century. Technology is essential in this day and age as students need these skills to aid their future careers and be successful. Modern learning is about collaborating, problem-solving, critical thinking, communication and leadership skills. Technology can develop a myriad of practical skills, such as creating presentations, differentiating between reliable and unreliable sources and the general online etiquette. These skills are important, and they can be taught in classrooms with more teachers beginning this transition.
Technology is also improving teaching, there are countless online resources for teachers to utilise in shaping a syllabus and building lesson plans. Teachers can use exclusive apps and trusted sources to enhance their tried and tested methods. The internet has encouraged the rise of an online community of teachers sharing their successes and warning of their mishaps. Using grading software and online submission can save time too.
When technology is integrated, students are more engaged and more interested in the subjects being studied. Technology provides innumerable opportunities to make learning enjoyable and fun, in terms of teaching the same things in new ways. Lessons can be taught through educational online games, virtual field trips and other online resources. There is more active participation and therefore more retention of knowledge than in a traditional lecture style teaching environment.
Flexible assignments to accommodate all pupils are becoming more common. In the past students completed the same assignment in the same ways, but the one-size fits all approach to education can marginalise some students and leave others behind. It is this approach that disenfranchises a lot of children. With flexible assignments, teachers are more interested in proof of understanding and competency, rather than receiving a mountain of assignments all completed using the same methods. Teachers can outline the skills or understanding that they want demonstrated rather than how those skills should be demonstrated. Students are given autonomy in how they want to approach the assignment whether it be an essay, a video or a presentation.
Technology is already a major factor in education and this influence will only grow in the future affecting more areas of education. Although it will not be the only influence, educators themselves will recognize that the education model they know will need an overhaul – a redesign to become more student-centred. Whilst this does mean adopting new technologies, it also means giving up the archaic attitudes that have been prevalent in education and what constitutes academic success, it also means less emphasis on competition and more encouragement.