How technology enables learning in school, at home and on-demand

howtechnologyENABLES LEARNING IN SCHOOLS

There is no denying that the pandemic has been the catalyst for developments in EdTech, especially technology that enables distance learning.

It’s hard to say something positive about a global pandemic, but it did make education move leaps and bounds above anything it would have ever done.

Joe Way, Founder & CEO of Higher Ed AV. “

In March 2020, a lot of schools found that they already had the tools to enable distance learning but were not leveraging them to optimise the learning experience. Looking at faculty events and teachers in training it is clear that the next generation of teachers’ welcome technology into the classroom and are increasingly integrating the technology they use every day into teaching practices. While current students and future teachers may not be afraid of new technology, there is still work to do to guide and support them on how technology can optimise the learning experience. Future technology like AI, AR and automation will disrupt current processes but these need to be fully adopted by the users to truly impact education.

Higher education is a different story altogether, as this education is not compulsory, institutions must do more to add value to students’ academic career. Some students don’t attend college or university strictly for the education, they want the experience.

Growing up hearing university and college stories from family members and in the media paints a certain picture in someone’s mind. Experiences like student halls, fraternities and societies cannot be replaced with online meetups in a virtual world and removing these experiences because institutes now facilitate distance learning isn’t necessarily what the students want or need.

This does not mean that universities won’t leverage technology to create a more hybrid environment.

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Whereas in lower education the hybrid experience will be a mix of students in and out of the classroom, in higher education it will more likely be a mixture of the entire university experience that is hybrid.

Social aspects will likely remain on campus and in-person with a few virtual events but primarily classwork, lectures and workshops will move online. Since the start of the pandemic, universities have leveraged LMS’s and content delivery, allowing students to consume this content whenever and wherever they want. This model benefits not only the local students but the international students too, who may not find it convenient to join live-streamed classes in different time zones.

Benefits of blended learning in higher education go further beyond convenience for the students. Lecturers and professors will no longer need to take sabbaticals to spend a year doing research in their field of study, they can take their class along with them and teach from the field. Imagine being a student and virtually joining a research team on a once in a lifetime research experience.

How technology enables learning in school, at home and on-demand was the topic of discussion on the most recent episode of Midwich Live, a monthly technology round table. The show is headed up by Head of Technology at Midwich Group, Jenny Hicks and AV Professional, Christopher Neto, discuss current AV, UC&C and all technology news.

Midwich Live is aired the last Friday of every month and is streamed on YouTube, LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitch, Twitter and Periscope – search Midwich Live and join the community.