Will Technology and Education ever rule the world?

As we enter the Fourth Industrial Revolution, it seems evident that technology will play a significant role in almost every aspect of our lives. According to World Economic Forum research, 65 percent of youngsters entering primary school will work in occupations that do not exist today. Technology has transformed almost every aspect of our lives. Now it seems that education systems worldwide were due for an update which is now happening.

It is expected that 1.5 million new digitized jobs will be generated globally shortly. Simultaneously, 90% of firms are experiencing an I.T. skills shortage, and 75% of educators and students claim they cannot match the I.T. profession\’s skill requirements. Therefore, education must change as quickly as they need for I.T. skills to grow and advance to produce the talent required for the digital economy.

\”The new science of learning\” is revealing new insights into the impact of psychological, social, cultural, and environmental aspects on how we learn. In today\’s complex and rapidly moving world, academic models based on multidisciplinary research are required to establish effective teaching and learning settings according to this approach to education.

Opinion on collaborative and deep learning

Learning science\’s broader perspective reveals novel educational techniques. For example, professor R. Keith Sawyer, a major scientific expert on creativity and learning, has conducted research that highlights the capacity of technology to influence and enhance academia by offering deep learning experiences. A few examples are allowing students to learn together, test and redesign models, and graphically and verbally explain their knowledge.

Consider a classroom with wireless technology, remotely accessible switches and routers, and collaborative tools to create an \”intelligent\” environment for students to create real-world Internet of Things (IoT) goods, services, and experiences. Creation takes place in various settings, such as in the classroom during project-based learning or in hackathons with like-minded technology enthusiasts.

Using cloud-based technology, students use a simulator to model their networks and prototype them at home. Instructors get access to a customized learning management platform. They are able to collaborate with peers from all around the world. The multidisciplinary discoveries of learning science are revealing new ways of education. Consider the ability of technology to affect and improve academics.

The most exciting part is that all of this is now possible. We can build a dynamic, interactive, and hands-on learning experience that is personalized, flexible, and relevant by applying learning science insights to I.T. education, producing the talent needed to power the digital economy.

Your understanding of learning science\’s impact on education

Following are the three learning science topics to demonstrate how the science of learning informs digitally enhanced learning:

1) Edwin Hutchins\’ Distributed Cognition (dCoG)

This hypothesis discusses how individuals, environments, and artefacts (or tools) can all be considered one cognitive system. Educators can use dCoG to create digitally enhanced learning experiences that allow people (such as students, teachers, and mentors) to interact with their environment (such as classrooms, workplace learning, and informal settings), as well as tools (such as classrooms, workplace learning, and informal settings) (e.g. hands-on activities, simulators, games).

Cisco Networking Academy, for example, a world-renowned I.T. skills and career development programme, uses dCog and activity-based learning to foster deeper, transferrable problem-solving skills. Students and teachers can collaborate face-to-face or online to strategize, design, and digital test solutions using collaboration technologies.

Face-to-face instructor-led courses, online classes rich in video and engagement, in-person labs, and hybrid classroom experiences are all part of the learning environment. Cisco\’s Packet Tracer (P.T.), an innovative network simulation and visualization tool for the IoT era that offers a number of opportunities and applications for the teacher and learner, is one of the technologies used in the curriculum to enhance learning by doing.

Packet Tracer is available to anybody in the world who registers for free and allows students to design, configure, and troubleshoot networks in an open-ended, student-directed environment. Networking Academy students can also cooperate, develop, and solve problems in real-time through hackathons, boot camps, and hands-on lab challenges.

2) The Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD):

Vygotsky\’s Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) and the related concept of scaffolding are two other fundamental concepts in learning research. Scaffolding refers to any sort of instructional support that facilitates learning inside a student\’s ZPD, such as quizzes, games, directions, and tutoring.

We can focus on the activity that will optimize a student\’s ability to acquire new content and the balance between their existing ability and the difficulty offered by designing learning experiences that use scaffolding to adjust to a student\’s ZPD.

Adding digital tools to individualized education and scaffolding expands the possibilities and reach. Learning and assessment strengthened using networked digital tools, for example, can be very effective in supplementing the capacity of in-person and online teachers.

3) Formative assessment focuses on how humans learn by doing.

For example, the U.S. Navy\’s Digital Tutor system highlights how digital solutions result in a scalable educational environment that produces I.T. experts in months rather than years by using regular formative evaluations (a formal and informal practice with continuous and real-time feedback).

The U.S. Navy created an artificial intelligence-based tutoring system to emulate the behaviours of great instructors as part of its Education Dominance project. This approach is driven by simulation technology and hands-on labs, with student outcomes that are comparable to or better than those achieved with a human tutor. In addition, the platform is scalable in a way that in-person tutoring cannot.

Innovation and integration

While researchers believe that the human psychology of learning has remained relatively the same over time, the extrinsic elements that influence how we grasp, retain, and receive new information are continually changing. In addition, as the digital revolution develops, technology presents us with new opportunities to shape learning experiences and attain learning goals.

Educators can build a dynamic, digital, and hands-on learning experience that is personalized, flexible, and relevant by applying learning science insights to I.T. education, producing the talent needed to power the digital economy.

For example, Networking Academy\’s digital platform has allowed the company to expand into more nations than Cisco does. In addition, Cisco\’s design-based research insights are being leveraged to produce a variety of learning tools, courses, boot camps, and academic programmes in IoT and big data.

At the same time, it\’s critical to acknowledge the importance of a human instructor in the classroom. They have a unique and personal perspective on each learner\’s progress, acting as a role model and local expert, as well as delivering motivation in a manner that technology alone cannot.

We can utilize most of what digitally enhanced, and human-driven education have to offer by combining learning sciences with digital innovation, creating learning experiences that keep pace with the digital skills expected by the market. But, as a result, individual lives are affected, businesses don\’t get support, and this is how global communities are transformed.

Now let\’s talk about real-time classrooms.

Role of technology in the classroom

The world is still exploring the different ways in which technology is transforming classrooms. According to a survey of 1,400 educators, the majority expect future classrooms to be oriented toward self-paced and personalized learning. Artificial intelligence, chatbots, and video-based learning could all be used to guide this student-centric approach, which would allow children to set their own pace and learning objectives based on their individual interests.

Artificial intelligence

In education, artificial intelligence primarily focuses on determining what a pupil knows and does not know and then building a customized curriculum for each student. For example, Duolingo, an AI-powered language learning platform, is one of the most popular education apps in the world, with more than 50 million downloads in 2018.

The research found that spending just 34 hours on the app is equivalent to a whole university semester of language education, proving that the platform alone is challenging the paradigm of traditional learning. Although AI-driven educational applications are still in their infancy, Duolingo\’s success illustrates the sector\’s future potential. In fact, by 2025, the embryonic industry for A.I. in education is anticipated to be worth $6 billion. China and the United States will account for more than half of this, with China leading the way globally.

Chatbots

Chatbots are also soon becoming a key component of next-generation learning. Chatbots, which are designed to make interactions between students and computers easier, offer a number of advantages, including:
To improve memorization, spaced interval learning employs algorithms and repetition.

Immediate response: Papers can be graded with 92 percent accuracy, and in half the time it takes for teachers to grade them.
Self-paced learning: Monitors a student\’s progress and provides guidance based on their specific needs.
Educators are being equipped with new ways for more engaged learning while also decreasing their burden thanks to this cutting-edge technology.

Video learning

Although video-based learning isn\’t as cutting-edge as artificial intelligence or chatbots, 98 percent of educators believe it is an essential component of individualized learning. Moreover, students may demand even more video-based learning in the near future, as most institutions report incorporating video into their curricula in some capacity.

This is owing to the fact that video learning boosts student happiness by 91 percent, and student successes by 82 percent, which could be why educators are increasingly adopting video for activities like:
Providing resources for student projects
Providing feedback on homework
Exercises in flipped instruction (mixed learning)
A flipped classroom flips traditional learning by emphasizing practical knowledge given online and frequently outside of the classroom.

The younger generation dealing with technology

What is your opinion about the younger generation of this world and it\’s dealing with technology?

Well, if you ask me, I think that although some might consider technology to be pervasive, it is ever-present for younger generations. Given that children and young people account for one-third of all internet users, it\’s no wonder that they\’re more hyper-connected and technologically sophisticated than their parents. Moreover, because of the changing educational demands of children and the uncertain future of labour, it is critical to update what children learn and how they learn it.

First-class humans

While we may not yet be in the era of iTeachers, the advantages of technology as a teaching tool are apparent. What\’s more crucial is that these tools are used in conjunction with developmental and educational psychology, ensuring that children, not technology, remain at the centre of education.

The future will be about pairing the artificial intelligence of computers with the cognitive, social and emotional capabilities of humans so that we educate first-class humans, not second-class robots,\” says OECD, Trends Shaping Education Report

After all, the ability to handle change is the only thing that will remain constant, so how youngsters develop these skills is likely less essential.

Conclusion-

Technology has the potential to alter education. It can help educators and students strengthen their bonds, reimagine our approaches to learning and collaboration, close, long-standing equity and accessibility gaps, and tailor learning experiences to meet the needs of all students. Exploration and creativity should be fostered in our schools, community colleges, adult learning centres, and universities. Educators should work with their pupils to learn together, exploring new information and developing new abilities.

Leaders in education should establish a vision for developing learning experiences that give all students with the tools and resources they need to succeed. First, however, educators must use technology properly to fully exploit the benefits of technology in our educational system and create realistic learning experiences. \”One of the most important aspects of technology in education is its ability to level the field of opportunity for students\”, As said by John King, U.S. secretary of education.

So tell me, what is your motivation to do something today and in your life?
Mine is that technology today is a thriving market with exciting and innovative products as well as new learning opportunities. With technology as a major consumer of our time and a thrilling experience in today\’s world. So I should go out and learn something about technology, education and for technology, education as both technology and education is going to be the rulers of this world.

Also Read : How Technology Can Help You Teach? Here’s what you need to know!

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