Today, modern technology has infiltrated almost every aspect of our lives and every field and sector. Even educational institutes aren’t an exception to the widespread influence of “tech tools.” Some examples of technology have become apparent since the emergence of the pandemic as multiple colleges administrated remote courses for students.
Moreover, modern-day students have numerous digital learning sources available – for instance – YouTube videos and eLearning platforms. That’s why traditional academics now have to change, and institutes must learn to leverage technology to improve education for students.
Let’s discuss some tips academic institutes can utilize to make the most of technology:
Table of Contents
1. Make data-driven decisions
Academia in the 21st century relies heavily on a service called DDDM or data-driven decision-making. This service focuses on decision-making based solely on hard facts instead of someone’s intuition or “gut feeling.” Today, DDDM has become a vital mantra for organizational development.
Educational institutions are also gathering data from online surveys and performance reviews to make learning smoother for pupils and teachers.
2. Make education accessible
Colleges and universities have made education accessible to students by leveraging modern technology. Digital courses are being offered by reputable academic institutes online to save people the time/energy spent on commute.
For instance, cybersecurity has turned into a million-dollar tech industry today. Aspirants can pursue MS cybersecurity online to prepare for career-making in this industry. Alongside instilling essential tech skills, this program prepares students for the changing dynamics of the cybersecurity field.
3. Educate digital etiquettes
Leveraging technology in educational institutions also means teaching your students digital manners. Students can’t survive the digital academic lifestyle without properly learning the internet usage policy. So, how should your students behave online? Here are some tips you should teach:
- Create profiles on popular academic websites
- Show them how to write and publish blogs online
- Tell them about apps like Grammarly to write better
- Educate them about collaborative forums
4. Help students virtually
Educational departments in 2022 can monitor students’ progress virtually. This real-time tracking of students’ progress can make grading easier for educators. Moreover, teachers can help students do their homework and finish assignments by utilizing technology.
Classrooms today have become more student-friendly than teachers from the 20th century could ever imagine. Advanced tools in a modern-day classroom enable teachers to make their lessons more interactive. Consider examples:
- Use Google Classroom to conduct lessons online
- Share notes with your students via shareable Google Docs
- Leverage audio-recording tools such as Voracoo to give lectures
- Utilize services such as PowToon to create animated presentations
5. Personalize educational experiences
Why do we have so many college dropouts? Data shows that one-third of students don’t finish the degree program they’re enrolled in due to inconveniences. But educational institutions can decrease the rate of college dropouts by personalizing educational experiences for students.
That’s probably the biggest advantage of technology in education, where colleges can tailor the learning experience to every student’s requirement. This personalized academic format can make learning effective and convenient.
6. Improve academic communication
One cannot deny that communication pathways have drastically changed in the 21st century. Previously, an educator could interact with students only via face-to-face meetings, but modern-day students can communicate with their teachers digitally.
So, pedagogical organizations must improve communication between not merely students and teachers but also parents and management. Use “tech tools” at your disposal to ease communication lines and limit confusion or distortions.
7. Make research hassle-free
Educators can make research-based education more accessible to students now. That’s why modern teachers have become data-savvy as they utilize real-life examples to make their lessons impactful. They can easily add references by using tools such as EndNote.
Likewise, leverage online journals to make research easier for yourself and your students. You can easily utilize Google Scholar to do the much-needed research work and discover all the archived academic journals/magazines you need.
8. Encourage visual learning
Visually-transmitted information is often more effective than audio lectures. Research dictates that people remember just 20% of what they read but 80% of what they see, indicating the power of visual learning mediums.
Students can learn better when their lessons are animated and accompanied by video representations. That’s how educational institutes can make lessons fun, interactive, and impactful for pupils.
9. Teach cutting-edge technologies
Academic institutes are already collaborating with eLearning platforms to enhance the digital learning experience. On the other hand, IT companies are creating internship opportunities for students by setting up programs at local universities.
These companies teach your students the latest cutting-edge technologies, polishing their “tech skills” and preparing them for job roles in the future. So, partner with such IT companies to make education more appealing.
10. Engage employees effectively
The “social distancing” trend has made employee engagement challenging for certain institutions in the post-COVID world. But modern technology doesn’t just allow teachers and students to conduct a meeting while staying socially distant. It permits them to connect, communicate, and collaborate via videoconferencing tools.
Academic institutes can conduct online surveys to learn more about how these changes affect their employees. Include short queries in these surveys to understand better how modern-day educators are dealing with eLearning opportunities. That’s how you can effectively engage your workers and address their education-related concerns.
Conclusion
We’ve established that educational institutes should leverage technology to make education accessible, effective, and cutting-edge. Modern technology allows students to learn from the comfort of their house without spending money on commute. Moreover, academic institutes can utilize technology to make data-based decisions, facilitate communication, and teach students digital etiquette. Likewise, they can motivate them to learn visually for better memorization of lessons while personalizing students’ educational experiences.
More importantly, assist students with projects and assignments by providing digital means and leveraging the same technology to make research easier. That’s how technology can create more accomplished students.
