The Role of Technology in Remolding Academics Amid the Pandemic

8 Ways Technology has Changed Education in Covid Lockdown

In today’s world of digital advancement, things have changed for the better. And when it comes to education and learning, there’s no debate about how the world of academics has risen to a whole new level of digitization. Things have especially been on a high ever since the COVID-19 hit the world with social distancing norms. Thanks to technology, students no longer have to knock on the doors of their professors. Instead, all they need is a single click of the mouse, and voila! They can access a multitude of research materials, references, and educational resources, often for free.

Today, students can get in touch with online essay writers and academic experts to deal with mental stress that the pandemic has made a norm. This makes technology the stepping stone for the modern-day academic industry, taking it to a whole new stratum of success even as the pandemic rages on.

Here’s how technology is changing the face of education and combatting COVID-19 at the same time.

1. Digital classrooms prove to be quite beneficial

With schools shutting down to restrict the spread of the lethal virus, traditional teaching tactics have become as good as useless. This is where digital classrooms come in to allow students to learn and interact with real-time tutors virtually.

Contrary to the conventional modes of teaching, digital classrooms are said to be smarter in many ways. Here’s how.

• Online classrooms promote better knowledge retention, as students get to participate more actively in lessons taught via augmented reality projector screens.
• As a result, it fosters creative thinking skills among students.
• Cloud platforms such as Google Drive, Microsoft Azure, and the likes make it easier for teachers and students to manage and collaborate, irrespective of the location.

2. Social media is making its presence felt in education

Even though there are several controversies regarding the benefits of social media in students’ lives, here are a few facts that defy the surrounding skepticism.

• 96% of students with internet access have already embraced social media networking technologies.
• Not only students but principals and administrators are also being benefitted from social media.
• They get to share school/college news via social media announcements and hold meetings with parents via online modes of communication through social media.
• Students get to stay connected with their classmates via digital communities, brainstorm over classroom lessons, share ideas via regular updates on social media pages.

3. Video learning modules can be equally beneficial

Using video content in the classroom amplifies learning and allows students to find multiple interactive ways to access their course lessons. Here’s how it is changing the face of education amid the pandemic brouhaha.

• The how-to instructional videos available on the internet reinforce what students have already learned in class.
• In addition, online educational videos let students explore and learn about various topics in motion picture formats.
• This breaks the monotony of studying and learning within the confined walls of conventional classroom teaching.
• It’s no wonder that 86% of young learners often refer to video apps and platforms such as YouTube to learn new things by themselves.

4. Smartphone devices are replacing blackboards

Earlier, students used to look at blackboards as their go-to screens to refer to what has been taught in class. Teachers would list out all key takeaways of the lesson on chalkboards, and students would note down the pointers.

While the convention is still the same across multiple schools and colleges, the introduction of Smartphone devices in classrooms has made things better and smarter.

Here’s how.

• At a Notre Dame educational institute, it has been found that students majoring in Philosophy prefer to use their mobile phone devices to understand lessons.
• Instead of going through complicated textbook material, students are seen engaging with Philosophy writing via interactive digital essays on mobile devices.
• Several educators in California use Snapchat as a flashcard tool to quiz students.
• According to a recent survey, a whopping 94% of studentsprefer using cell phone devices for academic purposes.

5. Online academic forums are a blessing in disguise

Thanks to technological advancements, online educational forums have become a helpful resource for students seeking academic assistance beyond classrooms. The most beneficial aspect of online academic platforms is that they are cost-efficient. You need nothing but a stable internet connection, and you are good to go.

Let’s take a look at how digital academic forums are reshaping education.

• For instance, a student struggling with an intricate topic can simply avail online essay help from reference materials and samples.
• Students can also sign up for several creative writing courses that teach students how to write better essays.
• Platforms such as Khan Academy, ResearchGate,Coursera, and edX offer well-knit academic samples and other research materials for students to access on the go.

6. Artificial Intelligence is the cherry on the cake

How can we not talk about AI advancements in the role of technology in reshaping the world of academia amid the COVID lockdown? The application of Artificial Intelligence in education is selling like hotcakes.

Here’s what you need to know.

• Artificial Intelligence tools such as Presentation Translator can make the global classroom available to all by creating real-time subtitles as the educator speaks.
• This helps students speaking different languages in getting the hang of the lessons taught online.
• AI is being utilized to automate tasks on behalf of school and college administrators to maintain social distancing norms.
• As AI steps in, academic administrators find it easier to carry out effective enrolment and admission processes even from the comfort of their homes.
• AI-driven apps such as Third Space Learning, Brainly, and SmartED can customize textbook content.

7. Learning Management Solutions are a rage

The world of digital learning has made its way for learning management solutions that collect data dynamically from different sources to create engaging material for students. At present, educators use such solutions to identify topics, keywords, and more to prepare relevant lessons.

Here are some of the perks of using LMS:

• Students have the power to rate content based on relevance, quality, accessibility, and other factors.
• The system is an ever-evolving one that filters out “poor” content and replaces it with highly-rated content.
• Such solutions use semantic analysis, social and collaborative ratings to curate content and update the solutions.

Some of the popular learning management solutions educators use are Flipboard, Curata, and Feedly.

8. Open Educational Resources are omnipotent

2021 has finally put an end to the quest of governments and educators looking for ways to reduce the cost of quality education. With the pandemic compelling us to go digital, obtaining higher education has become a less expensive affair. With digital resources, textbooks have become an option, curtailing some major expenditures. Open educational resources have been the harbinger of change in this case.

Here is why OER is a boon for the pandemic-stricken world right now:

• The widespread adoption and use of OER-based textbooks and materials have helped students save money on buying syllabus books.
• With EOR in the academic mix, students can now access the course materials with just a click.
• The eventual reduction in educational costs has helped governments save from education budgets and use the money in the healthcare sector.

Even UNESCO and the Commonwealth of Learning have recommended using these resources to reduce the financial burden on students.

Parting thoughts,

According to a report, 63% of K-12 teachers already use technology in the classrooms due to the pandemic wreaking havoc in the world. Add to this surge, technology in education is expected to increase by 47.5% by 2025. Such stats and figures indicate that technology is inarguably the new oil fuelling the education engine for the long run.

Technology has been the strongest sentinel in the fight against the current pandemic that is plaguing the world. As is the case for several industries, technology has made imparting knowledge and consuming it possible even as we live restricted lives in our homes. Let us hope the academic world rides high on the current technological wave and makes learning a better experience.

Author Bio:

Clara Smith is an experienced digital academic program coordinator hailing from California, the US. She is also a professional essay writer associated with the platform Allessaywriter.com. In addition, Clara loves to read books and travel in her free time.