How Online Learning could Revolutionize Higher Education?

26-Jun-2024

Technology has emerged as a powerful force influencing every aspect of modern living. From proffering unprecedented conveniences to empowering us with higher efficiency in performing tasks, technology has bestowed us with manifold benefits. Edtech is among the positive changes that have emerged with the surge of technological innovation. With technology as one of the ten targets in the fourth sustainable development goal or Global Goal 4 on education, leveraging technology in education has become a modern-day imperative to attain the optimum level of quality and efficiency. Through this article, let us explore how Edtech is revolutionizing education and how remote learning powered by edtech will transform the higher educational landscape by exploring the numerous Edtech future trends and the future of remote learning. 

Integration of Edtech for transformation in Education

Technology has upended the educational landscape by empowering universal access to quality education and has introduced changes in the pedagogy and learning experiences for students. The need for fundamental transformation was optimized by the onslaught of the COVID-19 pandemic, where students could continue with their education by adopting digital learning methods.  The present Edtech today is simply reflected in how classrooms have changed from traditional benches and desks to tech-enabled classrooms. Additionally, the arrival of virtual learning has significantly changed the age-old educational systems grounded upon teacher-student physical presence within four-walled rooms. Classrooms today do not necessarily entail the physical presence and infrastructure that was held crucial decades ago.

Technology in education is tremendously beneficial for both the learners and the educators. Educational institutions today are competing to offer highly technologized campuses to ensure students' learning experience extend beyond the classrooms. Let us consider a few key transformations enabled by technology in the field of education. 

AI and Robotics: With a broad range of educational applications, Artificial Intelligence and robotics are capable of performing time-consuming tasks in education, significantly easing the workload for teachers and administrators. Educational institutions can now monitor their students, assess their performance and offer personalized engagement with the help of smart data analytics. Students can leverage AI to convert lectures into notes and learn more effectively.

Smart Classes: Modern-day classrooms are fully tech-enabled. Devices like smart boards, projectors, TV screens, internet connections, laptops and tablets are used to unlock the massive wealth of learning resources. These features enable high interactivity and a lively learning environment, foster curiosity and interest, and improve the overall learning experience of the students. 

VR & AR: Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality are other key technologies that have enabled better learning experiences for students. These technologies aid in better engagement of the students with the subject and allow exploration through virtual trips to other locations. Students also gain exposure to practical projects, as these technologies facilitate learning-by-doing.

Learning Management Systems: Most educational institutions now integrate LMS (Learning Management Systems) for managing, documenting, storing, and systematically monitoring students. Institutions that offer online, or distance learning use LMS to deliver their training programs and learning resources and manage their students efficiently.  Teachers can also easily and effectively manage the course curriculum and course content through the use of LMS.

Internet of Things (IoT): The explosion of the Internet of Things has also ushered in the trend of using smartphones and devices increasingly. The use of these cutting-edge devices enables seamless connectivity between students and teachers as well the educational institutions. The use of IoT devices also helps in monitoring student's attendance in school.

Remote or Distance Learning: Virtual learning has become a reality now, with many study programmes available for students. This is one of the biggest impacts that Edtech has successfully brought about, enabling every aspiring individual to gain access to quality education. The integration of LMS also facilitates customizations of the learning experience as per the needs of the students. They can enjoy instructor-led online classes now and be a part of an institution just as in the conventional campus method. The future of remote learning looks even more pervasive, with more cutting-edge technologies surfacing. 

How Edtech is Revolutionizing Education?

When OpenAI introduced Generative AI- Chat-GPT, it resulted in a sonic boom in the technological landscape and became a big story in Edtech.  ChatGPT and its contemporaries came about with the unprecedented power of producing excellent essays and research in a manner that resembled human-produced. The chatbot could answer questions and solve problems like humans. This scenario opens ways for educational institutions to explore the potential of technology, particularly artificial intelligence, to enhance students' learning experience.  Below are some of the best cutting-edge advantages that Edtech has ushered in to the educational field. 

Immersive environments

The use of VR, AR and Mixed Reality allows an immersive learning environment and higher engagement among students, making learning more enjoyable. The use of VR Headsets, Coding platforms to create virtual worlds, and other devices to explore what was impossible enhances students' attention. The integration of these technologies into the pedagogy significantly helps in the engagement of students in the classroom.

Building Future-ready Skills

Another excellent advantage of Edtech is that it gives exposure to develop future-ready skills. Technology has become an integral part of modern-day living and will continue to evolve further, requiring us to be equally dynamic and adaptive. The integration of Edtech allows students to get acquainted with several practical applications apart from being adept at smart devices and technologies like smartphones and computers. Through exposure to edtech pedagogy, students get to develop crucial skills that will remain relevant in the future.

Enhance interaction and communication

Edtech has been largely beneficial in bringing students together and fostering collaborative skills through team activities like projects, learning games, etc. Students get to share their ideas and support varying thoughts and perspectives while they work in harmony and grow together. Students and teachers both have seamless communication when it comes to assignments, one-to-one interaction and seeking help for a deeper understanding of the subject.

Remote access and connectivity

The 21st-century edtech revolution has enabled access to learning materials from anywhere with the internet reach. Students do not need to scramble in groups and crowd over a book. They have access to streamlined, tailored and engaging course content through their LMS. Students can now study overseas virtually from the comfort of their homes with the availability of online education.

Access to personalized learning

From virtual to hybrid learning opportunities, edtech has facilitated access to various learning opportunities. Students can leverage technology to customise their learning plans that suit their time and convenience. Contrary to the traditional method of universal progression of students, in a hybrid as well as online access to education, students get to learn at their own pace, providing a more personalized and conducive environment to education. Teachers can plan lessons according to the needs and strengths of the respective students by accessing student's data.

Overview of Edtech Future Trends

The evolution of AI and the mass preference of online space will continue to play a pivotal impact on the future trends of edtech. From making remote learning more pervasive and enjoyable to making it a complete norm, the future of remote learning is projected to grow at a rapid pace. It's crucial to keep track of what the future holds in the face of rapid technological innovations. What trends are likely to take shape and continue to be in force? Below are a few of the edtech future trends that will help students, teachers and educational institutions to bolster their competitive edge.

Remote learning to persist

The 21st-century workforce emphasizes attaining job-ready skills in addition to the traditional attainment of fundamental knowledge. Several skill-based learning opportunities are going to surface with edtech companies organizing short-term and long-term learning goals. With the need for graduates to be job-ready in addition to being academically proficient, remote learning will continue to boom.

Personalized, advanced and adaptive learning

Customized learning is here to stay and will continue to pick up steam in the future. The arrival of generative AI is going to enhance the learning process for students, by automating and adapting learning material and helping students break language barriers. The use of Voice assistants and, the conversion of audio into texts, will support students of different backgrounds.

Bite-Size Courses to prevail

With the growing changes in the learning behaviour pattern, edtech providers are becoming more invested in offering micro-learning options, where bite-sized courses are provided for the short term. These kinds of modules are typically designed for skills development and enhancements, and they form a huge causal factor in why virtual learning will continue to be popular.

Gamification and Entertainment

One of the most popular Edtech future trends going to take shape is the integration of games and entertainment into education to make learning more interactive and enjoyable. Blending games, virtual adventures, storytelling, etc will garner more attention and foster a fun learning experience, that will result in higher engagement. 

Increased use of student's data

The predictive analytics of students' data aiding teachers in adopting effective methods for students will continue to become more crucial. Teachers will have advanced methods of tailoring teaching methods according to the student's individual needs and potential. This method will also continue to enhance educational credentials reliability and simplify the institution's administrative processes.

Future of Remote Learning: Transformation of Higher Education 

The future generation is poised for a more refined and advanced method of learning, made possible by technological interventions in education. One of the biggest developments that edtech brought about was the arrival of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) which brought about the opportunity for students from around the world to access the highest quality education and study resources. This phenomenon facilitated the expansion of learning opportunities and the promotion of international studies. Students now have access to numerous opportunities and potentials that were otherwise impossible in earlier times. 

The future of remote or distance learning is poised to become more productive and innovative. From enabling the delivery of courses in real-time to facilitating live educational activities like webinars, and conferences, remote learning powered by edtech has brought on a radical shift in the educational landscape. Remote learning is now a standard format where the value of the degrees is also recognised worldwide.

Online learning has become a popular choice, starting from students to professionals seeking higher education and skill development. It is a convenient alternative, redefining the way education can be attained. This transformative face of education is characterised by its flexibility, accessibility, availability of a broad array of study programmes, personalized learning experience and most importantly cost-effectiveness compared to its traditional counterpart. 

Contrary to the traditional learning method, online learning enables both students and teachers to set their own learning pace and integrate the study programme into their schedule that fits their personal agenda. Students are now able to access infinite study programmes and skills from degree programmes to bite-sized courses, there are multiple options to choose from. All these benefits, just in the comfort of one's own home and convenience, and allow students to do away with extra expenditures and focus on attaining education without compromising its value. 

Remote learning is here to stay and become a standard format equal to that of the conventional method. It is all set to evolve further as several trends chip in to augment and shape its trajectory. Many trends powered by edtech are going to bring disruptive improvements, making remote learning the future. The onset of AR and VR, integration of AI to power adaptive learning, data analytics, etc. are just a few of the technological innovations that will delegate remote learning towards the transformation of higher education. 

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