Blending Technology into Education Seamlessly
Present-day technology that seems commonplace to us and our children would once have been thought of as sorcery just half a century ago: here we are in the year 2019, walking around with tiny, pocket-sized computers that can connect us to virtually anyone in the world. Receptionists are being replaced with visitor management systems, while fast-food workers are being replaced by kiosks and robots! Not only that, but things that used to be the stuff of science fiction, such as vehicles with self-parking capabilities, on-demand streaming music, and video services, and smart home devices that allow you to control your household appliances with a simple voice command are all an increasingly regular part of everyday living. Thanks to continuously advancing technology, life keeps getting easier, more convenient, and more fun!
Nowhere is the impact of technology more profound than in the world of education. Students in elementary, middle, and high schools across the globe are reaping the benefits of technological advances that have seamlessly been integrated into the school curriculum for some of the most tailor-made learning experiences in the history of education! School-age children can now go on VR tours of the Louvre in Paris without leaving their classroom.
Young people who live in remote parts of the world can still have access to quality education by attending online college classes. Students who may have otherwise been left behind by a one-size-fits-all classroom experience now have the opportunity to create their own customizable, scalable education class to suit their needs and highlight their areas of strength. Thanks to technology, the future of education is brighter than ever!
However, technology in education is only as useful as it is allowed to be. Much of the equipment and software that affords students access to cutting-edge learning tools can be quite expensive, and many public school districts have a difficult time fitting the latest in education technology into their budgets. Thanks to the ingenuity of faculty and staff at public schools throughout the country, as well as parent-teacher organizations, booster clubs, and other non-profit school fundraiser groups, many schools are able to supplement their budgetary allowance and afford some of the state-of-the-art educational tools that can be a total game-changer for students and teachers alike. Some schools include smaller high-tech essentials, such as USB flash drives and disposable school headphones/earbuds, on their supply lists at the start of the school year, in order to offset some of the costs that arise with the use of technology in the classroom. Other schools use fundraising events, such as bake sales, book fairs, and a school store, to earn enough money to purchase flash drives and disposable earbuds for every member of the student body. The ability to seamlessly blend technology into education is a group effort within the school community- if enough people see how important the inclusion of technology is in the learning process, they will work together to ensure that students and teachers alike have the tools they need to optimize the learning process for every child.
By making sure that technology continues to be a part of modern education, we are securing our children’s future as independent, creative thinkers with the skills to succeed in any career they choose to pursue. Using tech to help students learn can make a major impact on the lives of the children who attend our neighborhood schools every day, as well as the children who live halfway across the world. By fostering a positive relationship between education and technology, we are handing the next generation the keys to a brighter future filled with knowledge, understanding, and unity.
Uday Tank is a serial entrepreneur and content marketing leader who serves the international community at Rankwisely. He enjoys writing, including marketing, productivity, business, health, diversity, and management.