The development of modern technology has changed the way students learn. These days, schooling is nothing like in the old days with rows of students sitting behind individual desks with a book and a pen in front of them. Today’s high schoolers are learning how to fly drones and 3d printing their artwork. Changes in education due to technology are occurring at an unbelievably rapid rate and it is so exciting to see what technological developments will come in the next few years.
In this article, we explore five ways that technology is changing the way we learn.
1. Virtual reality is immersing students in their studies
Virtual reality has been around since the 1990s, but now it has been taken to a whole other level. Google’s Expeditions program turns smartphones into virtual reality viewers using simple inexpensive cardboard. Students can now be immersed in a subject that before they would simply have learned about by reading a book or a website. Now, a student can be immediately transported into the Colosseum to experience the sights and sounds of a battle or find themselves water sliding down a blood vessel and meeting all the different cells that make up our blood. Now that Facebook has bought the virtual reality Oculus Rift equipment like oculus quest 1 lens, that they too are planning on getting into classroom gaming as early as next year. The possibilities of utilizing virtual reality in technology are as limitless as the software designer’s imagination and students can expect a huge range of exciting, fascinating virtual reality education experiences in the coming years.
2. Online test preparation is helping students prepare for exams
Previously, preparation for important national exams was all about your teacher getting hold of previous years’ exam papers and trying to predict what was likely to be in the paper this year. Students today, however, can take advantage of specialized online exam preparation resources. The world of online prep has dramatically transformed the way that students of all ages across the world get ready for exams. There are many entrance exams that students need to pass to get into a school like the TACHS test and the SAT. Online test preparation resources provide detailed study plans, practice papers, and interactive lessons that were unimaginable just a few years ago.
3. 3D printing has transformed design education
3d printing has a huge range of applications and is being used in so many different industries these days, from architecture to weapons manufacturing to orthodontists. Likewise, in schools, 3D printing is revolutionizing the art of design class, science class, and even show-and-tell. These printers can make machine parts, jewelry, and even concept vehicles. Whilst the students of the past studied arts and crafts, today’s students are studying modern-day engineering. Elementary age children are already using 3D printing to design prosthetic limbs and other bionic enhancements.
4. Cloud storage technology is changing the curriculum
If you were a student even just a few short years ago, you may remember how you had to lug around heavy books and then swap them out for other heavy books from your locker. Cloud technology has not only saved today’s students from sore arms and chronic back pain but could also give teachers direct access to data on student study habits. By doing all their homework online, students provide engagement data on how long they spent on their assignments and whether or not they’re taking notes. Furthermore, major education resource publishers could use that data to judge how effective and engaging certain textbooks are so that they can be improved and made more effective for students to learn.
5. Virtual classrooms are making the case for at-home schooling
The use of video chat technology and specially created education platforms have been steadily increasing in the private language education sector over the last ten years, but now more and more education specialists are advocating for its widespread use. The 2020 Coronavirus Pandemic saw schools shut down for months in every country in the world and it resulted in an enormous roll-out of online lessons. There are obvious benefits to studying online rather than going to a brick and mortar school. Students may feel far more comfortable studying at home where there are less pressure and no potential for bullying. Teachers’ jobs could be made more efficient as instead of the time they would usually spend traveling to and from school, they could use that time to plan lessons and analyze student performance and progress.
Technology has changed the face of modern education beyond recognition for those of us who attended school even just a few years ago. Lessons are far more interactive and immersive experiences and students have significantly better tools for letting their creativity run wild. As technology continues to advance, the future of education is a very exciting time.
