Education Technology
Article | July 20, 2022
The universal tier is the curriculum, instruction, and assessments that we provide to all students in a grade level in school. This is the instruction that’s guaranteed for all students to receive.Our universal tier instruction typically focuses on grade level standards for our state and school. Schools use universal screening data in order to identify the effectiveness of their universal tier. There are two primary questions that schools ask as they’re doing this work. The first is if 80% of their students are successful. Schools typically use 80% criteria because they have resources to intervene with about 20% of students. If they have more than 20% of students who need additional intervention in order to be successful, their resources may be strained and they may not be able to provide intervention to all of those students.
Read More
Education Technology
Article | July 15, 2022
The combination of education and technology is a hot topic in 2021. Virtual classrooms and e-learning have become the new norm, and new technologies start to determine early education.
The discussion about trends in educational technology has never been more lively, and it's easy to lose sight of the big picture. It’s worth asking: what's driving today's education and technology integration in schools?
Let’s check which EdTech trends are evolving right now in the industry and how they will dictate the future of the entire sector.
Technological optimism in the teaching profession
The first trend occurs on the institutional level: More and more schools are looking to integrate technology into the curriculum. Worldwide, teachers and schools have been seeing the positive sides of integrating technology. As a result, they have started demanding new, technology-based methodologies to overcome the challenges of traditional education. This curiosity is stronger and louder than ever before.
At the same time, EdTech tools such as Google Classroom allow teachers to train themselves in technology-based teaching more quickly. Former three-day teacher conferences now happen periodically in many schools via distance discussions and practical peer review sessions. In those meetings, educators share their knowledge, tools, and ideas on matching technology with their curricula.
It is a good sign that technology is penetrating further into the professional development of educators. Teachers understand that students’ development depends on their own development and are finally keen to attend workshops and conferences that address technology-based learning.
The rising interest in technology-based education is also reflected among students. As the McGraw-Hill Education study points out, 53% of U.S. college students prefer classes that use and teach digital technology over traditional textbook lessons.
Virtual reality facilitates learning in schools
The second trend is how augmented reality and virtual robots change teaching and learning. One of the most exciting developments is the vast potential that simulations and virtual robotics offer to school education.
For some time, augmented reality and virtual simulations have been on everyone’s mind. However, only recently have we started recognizing the immense possibilities that virtual reality (VR) carries to improve learning experiences. Today, preschool children can explore insects in actual size and authenticity via the Google search engine.
Computer simulations, such as VR, can bring distant or abstract experiences into the classroom and make them technically accessible every day. And with simulations, students can examine “what-if” situations and learn how to test hypotheses and develop scientific rigor early on. In this way, students strengthen their practical skills and logical reasoning and develop their creativity. Some application examples are phenomena like the functioning of the solar system, explosive reactions between chemical substances, or progressions on how CO2 emissions will affect the ecosystem by 2050.
Even if it’s not as obvious, simulations are valuable for linguistics, history, architecture, and other educational fields. Let’s take drones as an example. Students can program a drone and use the simulation to explore the features of bridges and monuments worldwide by doing expeditions with drones.
Artificial intelligence drives personalized learning
You cannot miss the immense opportunities artificial intelligence, and the Internet of Things (IoT) have brought to the EdTech sector. The principles of AI and IoT and their integration into students’ learning experiences continue to proliferate in school and at home. Tools such as voice assistants and AI tutors help diversify and personalize learning experiences and boost self-regulated learning.
Software like Duolingo teaches children new languages based on what they’ve learned before and what they still find challenging. Such software also integrates voice recognition and responds in real-time, allowing users to simulate a real-world language learning experience.
Moreover, AI-driven learning platforms collect student data and analyze where a student might need help, send a study reminder, or gather additional material on specific topics for the individual student. On those platforms, teachers can regularly review students’ learning data and take the proactive recommendations provided by AI into account.
The personalized learning experiences that AI creates are crucial to improve students’ motivation and learning success. The goal is to support students in the same personal learning stage and give teachers accurate information on the student’s progress in specific areas. Personalized training makes sure that not a single one is left behind or slowed down because of underwhelming materials.
The year 2021 as a window of opportunity
Not only did AI and simulations open up new learning opportunities, but 2021 also brought sweeping changes at the grassroots level of technology and education. Schools, parents, and teachers have now understood the importance of technology for successful personal development.
We are in the ideal moment to continue transforming teaching and learning through technology. Now, it is only a matter of creatively using the essential tools and integrating new devices–and marking a bright educational future for everyone.
Read More
Education Technology
Article | July 27, 2022
Imagine a virtual world where people socialize and work, and are represented by their virtual avatars. The concept may date back 50 years as part of sci-fi stories. Thanks to advancements in digital technology, it is seeing the light of the day in the form of Metaverse. The concept has been contemplated by many scientists, writers, and artists alike. However, the release of Metaverse proved to be the pinnacle of the many possibilities that digital transformation holds in store.
The most exciting part is innovating powerful applications of Metaverse across industries, and Facebook is already on it. Not just employees, but any institution that no longer requires its stakeholders to be present physically, from banking to socialization to education, will discover the biggest opportunity for transformation.
Learning in 2-Dimension
Online education has received a shot in the arm in the past couple of years, more out of necessity than anything else. From K-12 to higher education, children are affected and protected by online learning in educational institutions. Inclusive online education is the biggest challenge faced by educators. Next, engaging students in an environment that does not employ their full sensory capabilities hampers learning. Despite these challenges, virtual classrooms remained the bastion of academics and learning at a time when many industries came to a standstill.
The phase allowed software providers and institutes to identify challenges, assess their needs, and contribute to driving innovation in the edtech space. Thanks to the exponential increase in the demand for better solutions, edtech can now consider moving from a virtual classroom that shoots up screen time to a classroom simulation that is much more immersive, engaging, and effective. Virtual spaces have been around in some form for some time now, especially in the gaming world. With games like Second Life, Minecraft, and The Sims, many children and young adults are already familiar with the use of technology to live and play virtually. Metaverse will only make it easier to transform education completely.
Anywhere Classrooms
Although both online learning and virtual spaces have been around for a while, the conflux of both will engineer a new dimension and disruption for education. The blurring of physical boundaries and geographies is one of the most significant advantages of the Metaverse.While access to virtual classrooms still remains a big hurdle, the value addition from VR-based classrooms could solidify the case for virtual only classrooms.
Compared to reading and lectures, which have a knowledge retention rate of 5% and 10%, respectively, VR has a retention rate of 75%. The high retention rate can encourage educational institutes to redirect their teaching equipment budget to educate more children, say, at the NASA space station or in the Amazon rainforest, all without them having to leave their homes. Anywhere classrooms may just be the detour that education needs to leverage the current landscape and create a powerful transformation for the industry.
To Wrap Up
Education is heading for a rebranded future with classrooms being replaced by virtual reality in the pursuit of remote learning. Anywhere classrooms will help eliminate virtual walls that are currently nowhere near providing the experience that a real classroom can. With children being well-versed with virtual reality ecosystems, Metaverse will further simplify the seamless adoption of a two-dimensional learning space that offers better education, near hands-on experience, and actionable knowledge.
Read More
Education Technology
Article | May 21, 2022
In 2021, the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center reported that student enrollments were at an all-time low. Community college enrollment dipped by 11% while post-secondary enrollment saw a dip of 4.2% year-on-year.
The impact of the last two years’ events clearly demonstrates the strain faced by all levels of educational institutions. The shift to the virtual classroom setup also saw parents and students recognize the importance of teaching and learning online. The significance of a virtual classroom is emphasized more than ever. It has forced schools to improve their online teaching infrastructure so that they can keep growing.
But this has also affected inclusivity. According to UNESCO, school closures during the pandemic affected 1.2 billion children in 186 countries. In this article, we discuss why virtual learning is in dire need of inclusivity and inclusive learning practices.
Why Does Inclusive Learning Matter in the Era of Zoom Classes?
Edtech is a booming industry. In 2019, edtech investments reached a whopping US $18 billion. Further, the online education market is estimated to cross the $350 billion mark by 2025. There is no doubt that learning institutions are investing heavily in online learning. But inclusivity is still lagging far behind.
The OECD’s Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) found that 25% of secondary school-aged students from underprivileged backgrounds lack a computer. The writing on the wall is clear. Virtual learning is bound to widen the divide, and its impact will be felt most by underprivileged students.
For educational institutions, delivering a positively inclusive learning experience online is essential to attracting students who do have access to educational technology.
“In the higher education space, most schools were, and still are, predominantly focused on that in-person campus visit to do all those same things, but it’s expensive and it means only students and parents who travel to campus can get that real-life feel and experience.”
- Matthew Pellish, Vice President of Strategy and Business Development at CampusReel
Bringing Personalization to the Virtual Classroom
Although virtual learning has stripped away the human touch that accompanies a classroom setting, there are ways to make it more engaging and meaningful.
Engage students even before the class starts. This can be done by setting an agenda for the session beforehand and asking students to send in their queries and expectations from the session. Turning the greeting into a short discussion is a great way to engage everyone right off the bat. Tools like Zoom make it simpler to personalize every class with features like backgrounds and notes.
Use the chat feature generously. Teaching and learning online has to be a one-sided flow of information for it to be effective. However, the chat feature empowers teachers to break the monotony. The best way to keep students attentive is through personalization. Attentiveness can be achieved by asking many questions, even if they are simply yes-or-no questions. It enables teachers to keep a check on engagement and pivot when needed.
Simulating a Sense of Community
A discussion on an inclusive learning environment is incomplete without mentioning student community building. Online teaching and learning is limited in its ability to provide a sense of community. Since students are physically separated from their peers, one-on-one connections are lacking. Despite the distance, there are a few solutions you can use to reduce the distance virtually.
Identify the type of community you want to develop. Whether you’re offering synchronous or asynchronous courses, it is crucial to keep the student-peer-instructor link active. Create a loop of feedback between teachers and students to enable community building. Modern tools offer a number of ways to seek feedback that provides insight on teaching style and the general classroom environment.
Create a classroom forum online. Forums offer the best of two-way interactions with a platform outside of the online class. This ensures constancy and inclusive learning even after the class is over. For those who weren’t able to attend due to technical difficulties or poor connectivity, they never lose track of what’s going on.
Cultivating Two-Way Interaction
Two-way interactions are an integral part of engaging learning experiences. Inclusive classroom activities online may not completely replace them, but much can be done to build a more involved form of communication. One way to design such activities is to use the Kanevsky and Keighly framework to engage students with the five Cs: choice, challenge, control, complexity, and care.
Use screen sharing and remote access tools. Physical classrooms offer avenues for students to present to their peers. In a virtual classroom setting, this can be achieved with screen sharing. Empower students to retain better by making them present their perspective and understanding of different concepts. This gives other students the impetus to do the same.
Initiate group discussions through your course management system. Inviting students to design the resources and collaborate on group projects will jumpstart in-depth discussions. Many course management systems allow students to share their notes with each other. This creates inclusive learning environment.
Finally: Why Will the Online University Experience Will Attract More Students
Although learning institutions are beginning to open up for the in-person learning experience, the effectiveness of a virtual classroom is undeniable. Like remote working, remote learning is gaining ground, and inclusive online teaching is inevitably important. A Cengage survey revealed that 68% of students prefer hybrid learning: a combination of online and offline course delivery. In addition, the Department of Education’s Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) found that the number of students who enrolled in online-only programs rose from 3.5 million during the fall to 5.8 million.
Fostering meaningful, hands-on learning similar to that in a classroom is difficult. Even though student enrollment in online courses is rising, learning institutions are facing the challenge of delivering a highly engaging learning experience. But with an understanding of the learning outcome and the right tools, institutions can develop robust, inclusive classroom activities that every student will want to benefit from.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do students and teachers prefer online teaching and learning?
According to a recent survey by Cengage, about 73% of students prefer some courses to be delivered fully online. In addition, 57% of teachers said they prefer teaching hybrid courses over online-only courses.
Is online teaching and learning a growing trend?
Yes. Online learning platform Coursera experienced a huge spike in enrollments. In 2021, enrollment increased by 32% and peaked at 189 million.
What are the principles of inclusive education?
The principles of inclusive education are:
Togetherness
Participation
Acceptance
Equality
Read More