Since the 1950s when the world famous education scientist, B.F. Skinner described how programmes could be developed scientifically that can assist the trivial instructional goals and also enhance the intellectual skills too, such as problem solving abilities, the formulation and expression of new ideas, the exploration of new fields and making the participant tech-savvy. Since then, education has been on one of the most progressive paths.
The benefits of implementing technology in education are already evident on the Smart Classes at school level and henceforth in the higher education institutions as well. More and more business-corporate houses are coming into education as they need a skilled workforce that can handle the assignments according to the organisational visions.
EdTech is about evolving the educational approaches and implementing them with rationale at the class room level. Students today want the teacher to talk what they are breathing through and an educator cannot miss this opportunity of taking them along. Social Media has a reach like a spy on their minds and if we use these – with caution but not with fear-, we create learning comradeship- amity in wisdom. The curious minds shall become more self-assured and the percentage of learning, be it science, engineering, humanities or arts, is enhanced considerably. A report from the US (can be applied to India to a large extent) says that the learners in EdTech Mode increased their reading skills by 150 percent, pronunciation skills by 100 percent, speaking skills by 75 percent.
The new political culture in India is also supportive of the above testimony of the idea to implement what is available. This is collaborative learning and we have seen what collaboration over the media platforms does. All political parties did the best possible to sustain and survive in this advanced communication twizzle. People have become Tweeple! In this country of young working generation, the number of people using internet has substantially increases and this is what education technology is eying at.
Millions of people have access to the basic social networking tools like Facebook, same is for Twitter, and Blogging is also on the rise and is considered a prime task for those who are expressive. Public Information Campaigns are planted and even the lobbyists implement propaganda to accomplish their goals. Then why not Education Sector does the same on ethical grounds and intentions?
The advocates of educational technologies firmly say: “As communication technologies improve and we learn how to use them better, the requirement for people to meet face-to-face for effective teaching and learning will diminish.” (Peter Pinch, Director of Technology, WGBH)
The higher levels of comfort with technology among the general population are the driving force of the EdTech Renaissance. Historic Barriers, Traditional as well as Stereotyped Pedagogy, the Walled Class Rooms, have been left overwhelmed by the widespread Broadband, cheaper devices, digitally available content and cloud computing (online data storage drives). Facilitating collaborative learning among groups as well as in organisations, various EdTech tools and EduSoMedia have connected people eliminating the geographical remoteness. The use of technology in teaching-learning complements F2F communication and enriches the learning route by getting an active access to learning resources.
There is a long way to go for Educational Technology and to take a review of this; one has to keep the mind map open-wide open in fact. The fundamental question is no longer whether to go along with EdTech or not, but how to blend this newness effectively in education, including the higher education.
The World is becoming an EdTech World!
Let us not delay it now; Let Us Take Sides with the EdTech Mission!
