In addition to computers, students of today often have access to such tech as smart boards and tablets as learning aids. In fact, technology has become so integrated into education that many are looking to once-futuristic, now realistic tech such as augmented and virtual realities (AR and VR) to lead the way in the next-generation classroom.
What are some of the most effective ways educators can use tech in the classroom right now, and what trends will dominate education in the near future? Below, experts from Forbes Technology Council offer their insights.
1. Interactive Classrooms
Virtual reality will provide the next generation of interactive classroom learning by immersing students in the topics they are studying. This technology can inspire curiosity and increase engagement in lessons. Students can now experience the lesson in a full 360-degree environment and imagine what it would have been like to live history in 3D—not just learn about it from a 2D book. - Frank Palermo, Virtusa
2. Improved Collaboration
Technology could help improve the way teachers and students collaborate on common projects and grow ideas. Tech tools can provide easy access to interactive digital whiteboards, video conferencing, online meetings and lectures. Such technology could be quite useful for home-based students too as it allows them to experience the lessons as though they were in the classroom. - Ivailo Nikolov, SiteGround
3. Preparation For A Tech-Based Economy
Education lags behind on the adoption of tech. The jobs of tomorrow have not been envisioned yet. In this era of rapid technological change, putting tech in the hands of our youth is essential so they can flex their creative muscles. Incorporating practical methods of coding and engineering in the curriculum will drive further innovation and help students add value to the economies of the future. - Marc Fischer, Dogtown Media LLC
4. More Personalized Instruction
Using machine learning and artificial intelligence, we now have the ability to adapt a curriculum individually so each student can learn in exactly the way that is most effective for them. The power of this is enormous, since with an infinite number of lesson plans available, the teaching methods can be adapted on the fly to give each child precisely what they need, when they need it. - Amy Czuchlewski, Bottle Rocket
5. Universal Access To High-Quality Content
As a company that solely produces virtual educational content free of cost, making content more accessible should be a central goal to the education system. Technology will allow those who cannot afford high-quality schooling to be able to get the same content as those who are able to sit in the classroom, providing equal opportunity to those of all economic backgrounds. - Greg Cruikshank, LabRoots
6. Digitized Grading Systems
Time spent grading exam papers impacts the transparency of student assessment, delaying results and taking teachers’ time and energy away from preparing content for classes or project work with students. Digitizing exam papers makes them immediately available to reviewers, allows removal of bias by neutralizing the responses, and enables automation of the assessment of multiple-choice answers. - Don Lofstrom, Alaris, a Kodak Alaris Business
7. Gamified Lessons
Interactive methods, such as gamifying, teach and test students within fun environments, making students want to learn more. One of the biggest challenges for students is the motivation to learn a subject that they don’t have an interest in. Gamifying tech has been shown to not only provide engagement—studies show students grasp the material better because they are invested in the game. - Alexandro Pando, Xyrupt Technologies
8. Advanced Learning At Home
With smartphones becoming increasingly powerful, students can utilize them in more ways than ever before. For example, apps can provide complex mathematical modeling and advanced analysis capabilities. This gives students access to resources that they would not have been able to access in the past. Faculties can positively reinforce this by encouraging use in personal study as well as in classrooms. - Artem Petrov, Reinvently
9. Introduction Of Entrepreneurial Skills
It’s time to introduce entrepreneurial practices in all levels of schooling to equip youth with the right hard and soft skills for today’s job market. Beyond developing critical-thinking skills, students should use tech to gain experience in starting and managing their own business idea, pushing the status quo, and graduating feeling motivated and ready to add value to our society. - Abdullah Snobar, DMZ at Ryerson University
