How tech can assist in schools
by Natasha Christou Digital Marketing ConsultantThe traditional
chalk and blackboard approach is long gone from classrooms across the nation,
as education continues to evolve in line with new technologies. In fact, the UK
government has recently confirmed an investment of £10m to advance upon
existing technology measures in our schools. So, how will this change the
nature of education, and what kind of new innovations will become commonplace
in the classroom? With the help of print
management software specialists, United Carlton, we look at what the
future may hold for learning.
Learning uploaded to the cloud
The government
strategy will essentially develop a technological infrastructure for schools to
absorb into their own settings, with ideas such as the encouragement for schools
to adopt a ‘cloud’ approach. This will help to make learning materials readily
available to students through a connected network of computer systems and
creating ‘testbeds’, whereby schools can trial new innovations before they are
rolled out on a wider scale. The teaching profession is notorious for having a
heavy workload, and the government has identified technology as a potential
avenue for removing five hours of workload per term, supported by an
improvement in parental engagement. When these systems are fully embedded, part
time or flexible working contracts could become a reality for teachers.
These advances
could reshape the entire structure of schooling, as teachers’ schedules decrease
and learning becomes increasingly digitised. The possibilities would shape a
new kind of classroom, which benefits from a less rigid learning structure with
teachers who are not struggling to contend with excessive working hours. Building
upon existing initiatives such as the use of Sprograms such as Skype and
FaceTime, teaching on the go will be given a whole new dimension. One key
introduction will be artificial intelligence- known commonly as AI, as it
enables for the automation of many daily processes within schools. Over time,
it will become increasingly personalised, meaning it could be a vital tool in
grading and providing feedback for students. A further branch of this is
machine learning, which will adapt to the individual requirements of students,
and it could even go on to provide AI tutors. These forms of AI have already
been developed on a small scale, and they can teach subjects such as
mathematics and writing. As their use increases, they could also help to
alleviate the workload of human teachers.
Virtual reality
Another technology
which could benefit students and teachers by simulating reality is VR systems
and these are already being trialed in some schools. In the past, teachers
would take days away from the classroom to attend courses, but this can be
avoided with VR. These simulations can replicate the setting by providing a
sense of online community, where ideas and concepts are shared. The nature of
these as an alternative to conventional courses can be more engaging, as they
can be freely interacted with. The VR technology could also spell extinction
for the traditional text book, with the opportunity to use it to revisit points
in history or to take field trips without leaving the classroom. Learning has
transformed into an immersive experience, with the development of programs such
as Google
Expeditions, students enjoy deep sea excursions or visit the
International Space Station. The simulation allows students to embrace their
curiosity and ask more questions, from a first-hand perspective.
Biometrics
Perhaps much to
students’ dismay, areas in education such as discipline and truancy have also
benefited from technological advances. Biometric technology is most commonly
used in activity trackers, but they can also prove valuable in getting the most
out of the school day. Facilities such as fingerprint recognition and facial
recognition scanners can help to cut down the time-consuming administrative
processes, for example taking the class register and recording absences. There
are also important safety requirements which can be enhanced using biometric
data, by storing information on individuals who are allowed into the building
and preventing anyone who is not recorded from entering.
Undoubtedly, technology
is proving to be a major asset for our children’s education, both in terms of
creating clarity in information and efficiency in teaching.
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Created on Sep 5th 2019 09:36. Viewed 574 times.