Education has taken the leap over the last few years. Most educational institutions today, especially colleges and international highschools, utilize technology and the power of the internet as part of their approach to dynamic learning. Unfortunately, some educational systems have yet to catch up, and it’s up to us to identify opportunities to improve the way we provide education. The big question is, where do we find such opportunities?
Balancing technology and feedback
It’s no secret that today’s children are perfectly at home with a device in their hands and social media at their fingertips. Educators have long realized the value of tailoring their lessons to suit different learning styles, and technology adds another layer to this. Kids who have grown accustomed to learning from YouTube will be more engaged with videos in their courses. They will also appreciate having access to online resources for self-study.
There’s a downside to all this technological exposure, however. Studies in recent years have highlighted the negative effects of social media on students. This can range from mere time-wasting to the spreading of misinformation and status anxiety, which can further escalate into cyberbullying or mental health issues, for instance.
The environment of a classroom or campus gives students a powerful way to effectively detox from technology and engage in face-to-face interactions with their teachers and fellow students. Gen Zers are only half as likely as millennials to seek out online learning versus an on-campus experience. Besides the positive social benefits, feedback from our peers and instructors is a vital component of effective learning. Try to learn something exclusively through online means, and you’ll quickly notice this missing factor.
Thus, a good education will need to strike the right balance between analog traditions and digital advances. Teachers must not only use technology to present their subject matter in new and more engaging ways but also guide students on how to assess the credibility of information sources and resist negative online influences.
Giving students more ownership
Traditional approaches and technological innovations can do more than complement each other. Put together, they offer a potential for interactive learning, which can prove uniquely satisfying to children of the digital age and its notorious premium on instant gratification. Kids want experiences, not lectures. Why not give them a voice and allow them to play a more significant role in shaping their learning?
Research has shown that in higher education, students are a valuable yet under-utilized resource when it comes to designing teaching approaches and course curricula. The same principle can be reasonably extended to younger student groups. Growing up, millennials often discovered that they were far more tech-savvy than most adults, including their teachers. In the same way, today’s educators can partner with student consultants to find better ways in which technology can help to keep children engaged and present lessons more creatively.
Creating a competitive advantage
While growing up in the emerging digital age, millennials have also had to survive some difficult economic times. This has made them well-informed as they can supplement their formal education with online resources. At the same time, this generation is struggling with a critical level of student debt. Put these two factors together, and it’s easy to see why millennials feel that good education must be worth every penny spent.
The children of Generation Z tend to share the same views on education as their predecessors. After all, they are the first generation of full-fledged digital natives. They are also witnessing an ongoing economic crisis while having access to instant information through social media. They might have parents who are losing jobs or struggling to earn a competitive income due to a lack of applicable skills.
Education must hold up to a critical appraisal of its value by the next generation. It’s a significant investment and should be treated as one. A lot of knowledge can be accessed online, and interested learners can teach themselves to a good extent. Always consider if a teacher or institution is going to impart vital skills that can’t be acquired through self-sufficiency. Such skills will differentiate their students and provide a competitive advantage to yield a higher ROI.
