Key Trends
There are many key trends that will likely affect the use of
educational technology in the near future.
I reviewed an article, 10 Major Technology Trends in Education. The first is personal access to mobile
devices. A majority of students have
access to personal mobile devices. An
astounding 89% of high school students have access to internet-connected smart
phones. In addition to personal access,
the survey that was conducted found that 1/3 of students have access to a
device in the school.
Internet connectivity is important and a changing
trend. Everyone wants a faster
connection speed. About 64% of college
students have access to 3G or 4G enabled handheld devices as the primary means
of connecting to the internet with others connecting through a TV or WII
console.
Video is another tool that is on the rise. Around 46% of higher education teachers are
using video in the classroom to teach students.
About 1/3 of students search for additional learning videos outside of
the classroom, and many are finding these videos on YouTube.
Mobile devices are being used for schoolwork and
research. The learning is literally at
the students’ fingertips. Students are
even using these devices to text questions to faculty and to access email.
Students are aware of the multitude of platforms that are
available to assist in the learning process.
Students are using video, social media, and cell phones for
communications. They use e-readers for
reading texts and articles. They write
and take notes on their laptops.
Students usually have a multitude of technological tools on hand to fit
the specific learning activity.
Another trend is the concept of leaving a digital footprint.
A majority of students are aware that
they should be careful about the things that are posted online. Many students believe that they need a
positive digital profile and that this is an important part of their future.
Students also have an increased interest in online
learning. The student has more control
over his learning in this environment and believes that he will get more
support from an online teacher.
Gaming is another student area of interest and is on the
rise. Many students can access gaming
from cell phone and laptops. This makes
faculty wonder how engaged the student is in the classroom.
One of the most explosive areas in technology is the use of
social media to stay connected. You can
connect with anyone around the world, and today’s students are very savvy at
using social media. Most students access more than one type of social media
platform.
Students expect to have technology integrated into the
classroom. The trouble with all of the
technology is that faculty members need to be educated and understand the new
ways to engage the learner in the classroom.
Next, I reviewed the article, 5 Trends in Education
Technology Leadership. The report
identified five key trends that emerged through the Enhancing Education Through
Technology conference. The first trend
is scaling up success. This trend
focuses on identifying and expanding programs that will have a positive impact
on education through technology. The
second trend was enhancing teacher effectiveness through professional
development. This trend focuses on
making effective use of federal technology funding. The third trend is using data to inform learning,
teaching, and leadership. Formative and
summative uses of data should be used and integrated into the classroom. Next is increasing academic achievement to
develop 21st century skills in students through differentiation,
personalization, and real-world application for learning. The last trend is driving innovation and new
education models. Schools should
integrate a comprehensive model to launch them successfully into
technology-rich learning environments and produce schools that offer
technology-rich, internet-ready learning environments staffed by faculty who
are ready to translate those opportunities into deeper, more authentic academic
learning.
The importance of integrating technology in the classroom is
obvious. There is a need to increase the
presence of technology, but, at the same time, to find a balance between
engaging students and the students’ being engaged in technology activities in
the classroom that are not associated with the current content being discussed.
Faculty and students must work together to find a balance of technology in the
classroom and to find ways to integrate technology outside of the classroom to
improve connections and communications.
Reference
Riedel, C. (2014). 10 major technology trends in education. The Journal Transforming Education Through
Technology. http://thejournal.com/Articles/2014/02/03/10-Major-Technology-Trends-in-Education.aspx?Page=1
Nagel, D. (2010). 5 trends in education technology
leadership. The Journal Transforming
Education Through Technology. http://thejournal.com/Articles/2010/04/23/5-Trends-in-Education-Technology-Leadership.aspx?Page=1
How do you find balance with your students in the classroom? What methods have you employed? What methods are you willing to employ?
ReplyDeleteIt is difficult to find that perfect balance in the classroom. This term I have 172 students and a total of six faculty. It is difficult to find a perfect balance with this many students and faculty. I have found that weekly online video conferencing (we use Big Blue Button) assists the students and the faculty to understand what the expectations are for the week and assists with balancing the classroom. I utilize a variety of technology in the classroom. The first piece of technology is the Learning Management System. Camtasias, eResources, LibGuides, and RefWorks are also utilized in the course. I have to be careful and not integrate too much technology, but also make sure I have enough as this is the first course that the students take and that can be overwhelming alone. I removed the secure quizzes that were in the course and instead turned them into open-book with unlimited attempts. This decreased student anxiety and increased learning and retention.
ReplyDeleteI am always on the lookout for new methods or technologies that can be integrated into the course. I did integrate the Writing Round About this term, which is a virtual writing guide and so far the feedback has been positive. Balance in the classroom is very important.
Dr.Mack,
ReplyDeleteIn your insightful post, you have come up with several significant points. One of these several points is the advanced educational technologies and students engagement with the learning experience. Advanced educational technologies have the capacity to recreate the educational environment to be attractive, engaging, and fruitful for both the student and the faculty member. Advanced educational technologies have transformed the traditional and limited educational environment into a new advanced and more meaningful educational level (Dumchin, 2010). It is not only about technology; it is principally about enhancing the educational experience. An advanced technology is only one aspect of its multi-faceted identity. The letter “E” in the term symbolizes more than electronic, for example it can be: “eloquent,” “evolving,” “everywhere,” “ethereal,” and “engaging,” (Moore, Dickson-Deane, & Galyen, 2011). The advanced electronic technology is a way that enables a long lasting and fruitful learning experience.
References
Dumchin, M. (2010). Redefining the future of perioperative nursing education: A conceptual framework. AORN journal, 92(1), 87-100.
Moore, J. L., Dickson-Deane, C., & Galyen, K. (2011). E-learning, online learning, and distance learning environments: Are they the same?. The Internet and Higher Education, 14(2), 129-135.
Dr. Mack, I really enjoyed reading your post about the technology trends in education. I believe these trends have great effect on the future of education. Looking back to some years ago, technology was not as essential as it is now. However, in the present time, designing learning without the use of technology becomes an undesirable activity for faculty, especially for those who teach science, because as you mentioned more than 50% of the students are engaged in advanced technology tools, which requires educators to design learning activities that best fit students interest of learning. Heick (2015) reported that “while there is little uniformity in technology, there are some trends worth noting that have spurred tangent innovation, including speed (a shift from dial-up top broad band), size (from huge computers to small handheld devices), and connectivity (through always-on apps and social media)” (Para. 1). Therefore, I think that the challenge of incorporating technology in classroom is not only how to engage students to the content, but also how to navigate or to grasp the changes in the technology that happen at a rapid pace. Faculty need to be up to date with technology in order to satisfy the learning needs of digital native generation or modern students. The author also indicates that one of the effects of the technology trends on the education in the near future is that Cloud-Based Education will be the rule, not the exception.
ReplyDeleteReference:
Heick, T. (2015). 30 Incredible ways technology will change education by 2028. Retrieved from http://www.teachthought.com/trends/30-incredible-ways-technology-will-change-education-by-2028/#sthash.4RjYesxY.dpuf
Hi Rachel
ReplyDeleteYou mentioned using YouTube in education is a new strategy of teaching and I would like to agree with you about that. The use of videos in everyday life has increased to great extent, and all credit goes to the use of smartphones and laptops without which much of everyday tasks remain incomplete. With the advancement of technology, online education has undergone a sea change and supporters of e-learning are making the most of it. The use of videos in online education is one such invention. The choice of using videos in online education should be based on a lot of factors like budget, time consummation, the subject, whether the subject requires a video for learning, etc. If you are planning for including a video in your course module, you must do so only after you consider the advantages and disadvantages of it. This article is surely the right guide that you need to know the pros and cons of using video in e-learning.
The Benefits
• Reading through books at times, becomes a tiring task and this is when you can take the help of videos for learning.
• It has been proved that visuals are always interesting and engaging than reading through pages after pages. Hence, videos can keep students engaged in the course.
• Videos are mostly very demonstration-friendly.
• Students who are good visual learners will be having lot of advantages studying from videos. They can store information easily.
• The training time is reduced to a great extent using videos.
The Darker Side
• Using videos in e-learning courses can be expensive and time-consuming, for you have to spend money and hire people to script, edit and create the video.
• Playing video can use a lot of bandwidth and take time to load.
• If the video created does not match up the standards of a high quality video, then it can be distracting instead of useful.
• There might be problem housing the video in case, you are unable to upload or embed videos directly as allowed by most of the learning management system.
Including video in e-learning courses require lot of researches to get a clear idea about the purpose it fulfills. It requires both time and money and so, first be clear before you go for it.
References
Shih, R. C. (2010). Blended learning using video-based blogs: Public speaking for English as a second language students. Australasian Journal of Educational Technology, 26(6), 883-897.
Stigler, J. W., Gallimore, R., & Hiebert, J. (2000). Using video surveys to compare classrooms and teaching across cultures: Examples and lessons from the TIMSS video studies. Educational Psychologist, 35(2), 87-100.
Hi Rachel
ReplyDeleteYou mentioned using YouTube in education is a new strategy of teaching and I would like to agree with you about that. The use of videos in everyday life has increased to great extent, and all credit goes to the use of smartphones and laptops without which much of everyday tasks remain incomplete. With the advancement of technology, online education has undergone a sea change and supporters of e-learning are making the most of it. The use of videos in online education is one such invention. The choice of using videos in online education should be based on a lot of factors like budget, time consummation, the subject, whether the subject requires a video for learning, etc. If you are planning for including a video in your course module, you must do so only after you consider the advantages and disadvantages of it. This article is surely the right guide that you need to know the pros and cons of using video in e-learning.
The Benefits
• Reading through books at times, becomes a tiring task and this is when you can take the help of videos for learning.
• It has been proved that visuals are always interesting and engaging than reading through pages after pages. Hence, videos can keep students engaged in the course.
• Videos are mostly very demonstration-friendly.
• Students who are good visual learners will be having lot of advantages studying from videos. They can store information easily.
• The training time is reduced to a great extent using videos.
The Darker Side
• Using videos in e-learning courses can be expensive and time-consuming, for you have to spend money and hire people to script, edit and create the video.
• Playing video can use a lot of bandwidth and take time to load.
• If the video created does not match up the standards of a high quality video, then it can be distracting instead of useful.
• There might be problem housing the video in case, you are unable to upload or embed videos directly as allowed by most of the learning management system.
Including video in e-learning courses require lot of researches to get a clear idea about the purpose it fulfills. It requires both time and money and so, first be clear before you go for it.
References
Shih, R. C. (2010). Blended learning using video-based blogs: Public speaking for English as a second language students. Australasian Journal of Educational Technology, 26(6), 883-897.
Stigler, J. W., Gallimore, R., & Hiebert, J. (2000). Using video surveys to compare classrooms and teaching across cultures: Examples and lessons from the TIMSS video studies. Educational Psychologist, 35(2), 87-100.