Educational Technologies EdTech
IN THIS ARTICLE
Benefits of Education Technology
Benefits of Edtech for Teachers
EdTech Tools to Use in the Classroom
Frequently Asked Questions About Educational Technology
EdTech Tools that Support Students + Teachers
Digital Technologies in Education
Five trends to watch in the edtech industry
What Is Edtech?
Edtech, or education technology, is the practice of introducing information and communication technology tools into the classroom to create more engaging, inclusive and individualized learning experiences.
Edtech definition: Edtech, short for education technology, refers to the use of software and hardware to enhance teaching and learning.
Education technology, often shortened to edtech, combines computer hardware and software with the best educational theories and practices. Essentially, any time students, teachers, or schools use computers in some way to help them teach or learn, that’s edtech.
Education technology is a classification of technology that is used to promote and access education. This can encompass hardware, software, and other related items used by educators and students during the learning process. These tools help students attend their classes, collaborate, engage with remote students, or learn in a new way, inside the classroom or outside of it. EdTech is often a synonym for education technology.
EdTech utilizes hardware, software, and other IT tools to increase engagement and help teachers prepare lesson plans, conduct online classes, and perform everyday tasks like grading and attendance. EdTech's uses increase almost daily and benefit teachers and students.
Educational technology (commonly abbreviated as edutech, or edtech) is the combined use of computer hardware, software, and educational theory and practice to facilitate learning. 1 2 When referred to with its abbreviation, edtech, it often refers to the industry of companies that create educational technology. 3 4
Educational technology is based on theoretical knowledge from various disciplines such as communication, education, psychology, sociology, artificial intelligence, and computer science. 5 It encompasses several domains including learning theory, computer-based training, online learning, and m-learning where mobile technologies are used.
The Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT) has defined educational technology as "the study and ethical practice of facilitating learning and improving performance by creating, using and managing appropriate technological processes and resources". 6 It denotes instructional technology as "the theory and practice of design, development, utilization, management, and evaluation of processes and resources for learning". 7 8 9
As such, educational technology refers to all valid and reliable applied education sciences, such as equipment, as well as processes and procedures that are derived from scientific research, and in a given context may refer to theoretical, algorithmic or heuristic processes: it does not necessarily imply physical technology.
Wikipedia Educational_technology
Educational technology is the process of integrating technology into education in a positive manner that promotes a more diverse learning environment and a way for students to learn how to use technology as well as their common assignments.
EdTech uses digital technology to improve students' performance and facilitate learning. Learn about EdTech tools and how to use them effectively.
- EdTech allows teachers to create customized lessons and increase classroom participation.
- Educational technology uses hardware, software, and other IT tools to advance learning.
- Teachers may use EdTech to automate repetitive tasks and help with grading and attendance.
- A Gallup survey found that 65% of teachers used digital learning tools every day.
A survey conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics during the 2019-20 school year found that 49% of schools felt teachers wanted to use technology for teaching but only 18% were sufficiently trained in its use. Then, the COVID-19 pandemic struck, schools closed, and education technology, or EdTech, became a lifeline.
An influx of education technology is creating new avenues of learning, enabling teachers to develop more personalized lesson plans, boost classroom participation, and connect with students worldwide. Many of the most in-demand education careers rely on EdTech, enabling teachers to use new strategies for teaching online and in the classroom.
Today’s classrooms have moved beyond the clunky desktop computers that were once the norm and are now tech-infused with tablets, interactive online courses and even robots that can take notes and record lectures for absent students.
The influx of edtech tools are changing classrooms in a variety of ways. For instance, edtech robots, virtual reality lessons and gamified classroom activities make it easier for students to stay engaged through fun forms of learning. And edtech IoT devices are hailed for their ability to create digital classrooms for students, whether they’re physically in school, on the bus or at home. Even machine learning and blockchain tools are assisting teachers with grading tests and holding students accountable for homework.
The potential for scalable individualized learning has played an important role in the edtech industry’s ascendance. Edtech tools make it easier for teachers to create individualized lesson plans and learning experiences that foster a sense of inclusivity and boost the learning capabilities of all students, no matter their age or learning abilities.
In a 2018 study, 86 percent of eighth-grade teachers agreed that using technology to teach students is important. And 75 percent of the study’s teachers said technology use improved the academic performance of students. For that reason, many would argue it’s vital to understand the benefits edtech brings in the form of increased communication, collaboration and overall quality of education.
Accordingly, there are several discrete aspects to describing the intellectual and technical development of educational technology:
- Educational technology as the theory and practice of educational approaches to learning.
- Educational technology as technological tools and media, for instance massive online courses, that assist in the communication of knowledge, and its development and exchange. This is usually what people are referring to when they use the term "edtech".
- Educational technology for learning management systems (LMS), such as tools for student and curriculum management, and education management information systems (EMIS).
- Educational technology as back-office management, such as training management systems for logistics and budget management, and Learning Record Store (LRS) for learning data storage and analysis.
- Educational technology itself as an educational subject; such courses may be called "computer studies" or "information and communications technology (ICT)". 10
Benefits of Education Technology
- Personalized education caters to different learning styles.
- On-demand video lectures allow classroom time to focus on collaboration.
- Gamified lessons engage students more deeply.
- Cloud computing with 24/7 access lets students work from anywhere.
- Automated grading and classroom management tools help teachers balance responsibilities.
1. Education technology keeps hybrid classrooms connected.
The easiest area to see the benefits of education technology is in remote learning. Remote learning— attending lectures or classes virtually with video or audio communication to participate— requires the use of EdTech to keep the classroom engaged. Having a video call set up for a class of students allows people to attend no matter where they're located, bringing education to even more people.
2. Education tech software allows students to work more effectively.
EdTech software brings a new degree of flexibility to remote learning. Thanks to the variety of online courses and digital textbook libraries that students have access to through EdTech tools, students can access their work virtually, turn in homework online, and learn at their own speed. If a student has trouble with one section or really knows another, they can move ahead or relearn sections as they need it— allowing all students to tailor their learning experience to their needs.
3. EdTech helps teachers stay organized.
Using EdTech platforms, teachers can create digital repositories of teaching materials, videos, and slide decks used, then provide access to students and caregivers to review on their own time. It's easy to see what material you have available to teach with and saves energy of having to look through piles of old paper resources. When all classes are being taught remotely they have a tendency to bleed into one another. For teachers juggling multiple remote and hybrid classes, EdTech allows them to show up to each new class and lesson prepared and organized.
Benefits of Edtech for Students
An influx of technology is opening up new avenues of learning for students of all ages, while also promoting collaboration and inclusivity in the classroom. Here are five major ways edtech is directly impacting the way students learn.
Increased Collaboration
Cloud-enabled tools and tablets are fostering collaboration in the classroom. Tablets loaded with learning games and online lessons give children the tools to solve problems together. Meanwhile, cloud-based apps let students upload their homework and digitally converse with one another about their thought processes and for any help they may need.
24/7 Access to Learning
IoT devices are making it easier for students to have full access to the classroom in a digital environment. Whether they’re at school, on the bus or at home, connected devices are giving students Wi-Fi and cloud access to complete work at their own pace — and on their own schedules — without being hampered by the restriction of needing to be present in a physical classroom.
Various apps also help students and teachers stay in communication in case students have questions or need to alert teachers to an emergency.
“Flipping” the Classroom
Edtech tools are flipping the traditional notion of classrooms and education. Traditionally, students have to listen to lectures or read in class then work on projects and homework at home. With video lectures and learning apps, students can now watch lessons at home at their own pace, using class time to collaboratively work on projects as a group. This type of learning style helps foster self-learning, creativity and a sense of collaboration among students.
Personalized Educational Experiences
Edtech opens up opportunities for educators to craft personalized learning plans for each of their students. This approach aims to customize learning based on a student’s strengths, skills and interests.
Video content tools help students learn at their own pace and because students can pause and rewind lectures, these videos can help students fully grasp lessons. With analytics, teachers can see which students had trouble with certain lessons and offer further help on the subject.
Instead of relying on stress-inducing testing to measure academic success, educators are now turning to apps that consistently measure overall aptitude. Constant measurements display learning trends that teachers can use to craft specialized learning plans based on each student’s strengths and weaknesses or, more importantly, find negative trends that can be proactively thwarted with intervention.
Attention-Grabbing Lessons
Now, with a seemingly infinite number of gadgets and outside influences vying for a student’s attention, it’s imperative to craft lesson plans that are both gripping and educational. Edtech proponents say technology is the answer. Some of the more innovative examples of students using tech to boost classroom participation include interacting with other classrooms around the world via video, having students submit homework assignments as videos or podcasts and even gamifying problem-solving.
Benefits of Edtech for Teachers
Students aren’t the only group benefitting from edtech. Teachers are seeing educational tech as a means to develop efficient learning practices and save time in the classroom. Here are four ways edtech is helping teachers get back to doing what they do — teaching.
Automated Grading
Artificially intelligent edtech tools are making grading a breeze. These apps use machine learning to analyze and assess answers based on the specifications of the assignment. Using these tools, especially for objective assignments like true/false or fill-in-the-blank assessments, frees up hours that teachers usually spend grading assignments. Extra free time for teachers provides more flexibility for less prep and one-on-one time with both struggling and gifted students.
Classroom Management Tools
Let’s face it, trying to get a large group of kids to do anything can be challenging. Educational technology has the potential to make everything — from the way teachers communicate with their students to how students behave — a little easier. There are now apps that help send parents and students reminders about projects or homework assignments, as well as tools that allow students to self-monitor classroom noise levels. The addition of management tools in the classroom brings forth a less-chaotic, more collaborative environment.
Paperless Classrooms
Printing budgets, wasting paper and countless time spent at the copy machine are a thing of the past thanks to edtech. Classrooms that have gone digital bring about an easier way to grade assignments, lessen the burden of having to safeguard hundreds of homework files and promote overall greener policies in the classroom.
Eliminating Guesswork
Teachers spend countless hours attempting to assess the skills or areas of improvement of their students. Edtech can change all of that. There are currently myriad tools, data platforms and apps that constantly assess student’s skills and needs, and they relay the data to the teacher.
Sometimes harmful studying trends aren’t apparent to teachers for months, but some tools that use real-time data can help teachers discover a student’s strengths, weaknesses and even signs of learning disabilities, setting in motion a proactive plan to help.
Teachers and schools can integrate educational technology into a classroom in numerous ways. Educational software, or computer-assisted learning, enables teachers to customize lessons. It also shows tremendous opportunities to improve students' learning outcomes, especially in math. Gamifying problem-solving increases engagement and helps make learning fun.
Automated text message homework reminders can increase family involvement, and hybrid learning models that combine online and in-person instruction can create digital, accessible classrooms that students can access at any time. Teachers also use EdTech to help with routine tasks, like automated grading for objective assignments.
- Adaptive Learning: Adaptive learning — or custom learning — programs use software and artificial intelligence to create a personalized learning path for each student.
- Asynchronous Learning: This learning format allows students to access pre-recorded lectures and assignments online, enabling self-paced learning from anywhere.
- Blended Learning: Blended or hybrid learning combines online and in-person instruction. Students may view lectures or supplemental material online and use class time to complete exercises.
- BYOD: This initialism stands for "bring your own device." As a school policy, it allows students to use their laptops, tablets, or smartphones in the classroom.
- CMS: Content management systems allow users to create, publish, and share online content. These systems may provide online course delivery and gauge learning progress.
- Differentiated Instruction: This responsive teaching method considers the unique characteristics of each student and designs curricula to accommodate these differences.
- Digital Badge: Digital badges are awarded to students for their learned skills, positive qualities, or achievements. Companies like IBM and Google also offer digital badges, which indicate that an individual has completed a certain course or training program.
- Distance Education: Distance learning enables students to receive instruction via online classes, video recordings and conferencing, and other technology.
- Flipped Learning: In a flipped classroom, students watch lectures and other presentations online before class and then spend time at school collaborating with peers and working with teachers.
- Instructional Technology: Instructional tech creates effective and engaging learning experiences through software, hardware, and other digital tools.
- LMS: Learning management systems are software applications that track students' progress and deliver learning materials, including textbooks, assignments, and online quizzes.
- MOOC: Massive online open courses allow anyone to enroll and access free online courses. Instruction material may include video lessons, readings, and interactive lessons with user forums.
- SIS: A student information system is a web-based platform that keeps track of a student's performance and progress by recording grades, test scores, and attendance.
- Synchronous Learning: This learning format occurs online in real time. The student and teacher experience is similar to a traditional classroom, except it occurs online via a virtual classroom or video conferencing.
- Webinar: Webinars use video conferencing technology and software to present live or pre-recorded information on select topics. Live webinars enable participants to submit questions and comments.
Pros
Online learning using games and apps can facilitate student engagement and increase collaboration.
Computer-assisted learning programs can provide targeted instruction and customized activities for each student.
Automated text messaging can provide homework reminders and encourage engagement from a student's family.
Teachers can create podcasts and videos of their classes that students can view when preparing for a test or if they miss class.
Classes can connect with students worldwide, fostering global student engagement while teaching them about geography or history.
Digital tools can automate repetitive tasks, such as grading and tracking the performance and attendance of students.
Cons
Technology issues can arise, such as poor internet connection, trouble installing programs, or incompatible apps.
Education technologies could aggravate existing disparities and exacerbate inequality for those without access.
If used ineffectively, hard-to-use programs can lead to student and teacher frustration.
Digital technology can interfere with socialization, and smartphones, tablets, and laptops can distract students from their lessons.
A BYOD school policy may increase the risk of cyberattacks on school networks.
Students who complete unsupervised quizzes or tests may be more tempted to cheat.
EdTech Tools to Use in the Classroom
The following list describes some free, popular, easy-to-use tools that teachers can apply to an array of content areas. The EdTech tools listed below may be used in traditional, hybrid, or virtual learning spaces.
Screencast-O-Matic allows teachers to record content for students who were late to class or had to miss a lesson. Video recordings are great because students can review them at their convenience. Learners can fast forward, pause, and rewind lessons.
Padlet is a virtual bulletin board that enables digital content sharing. Students can post images, text, videos, links, GIFs, drawings, recordings, and more to share with their peers. This is a fun tool that allows students to facilitate and actively participate in their own learning. Using Padlet, teachers can discover what students already know about a topic.
There are many resources for teachers in Canva, such as presentation templates, virtual backgrounds, flashcards, posters, agendas, infographics, and lesson plans.
Teachers can create engaging presentations by adding interactive content such as quizzes, videos, 3D options, virtual reality tours, drag-and-drop activities, collaborative boards, polls, and fill-in-the-blank questions. Teachers can create content from scratch or save time by uploading presentations or PDFs. Both tools also have interactive libraries that teachers can reference and use in their lessons.
This classroom management tool offers features such as a calendar, timers, a traffic light, work symbols, drawing options, QR codes, a sound level checker, and random name pickers. Teachers can use this multipurpose tool to showcase learning objectives with the text feature or have students navigate straight to a website via a QR code.
Blooklet is a formative assessment tool that teachers can use to check students' understanding during a lesson. Using Blooket, teachers can create a quiz from scratch or upload it from Quizlet. Students can work on their own or play games together.
Some of the most popular games offered by Blooket include Gold Quest, Cafe, and Tower of Defense.
Available in Google Drive, this tool is a digital whiteboard in which students can draw, add pictures, write on sticky notes, and more. Jamboard allows up to 20 frames (or slides) and 50 distinct users on a board at one time.
Jamboard is also useful for collaboration. For example, at the beginning of a lesson, teachers might ask students to respond to a prompt by placing sticky notes on the board with their answers.
How to Use EdTech Effectively
With so many tools available, using EdTech can feel overwhelming. Here are some tips to keep in mind while using educational technology in the classroom.
- Select a tool that reflects your desired learning outcome.
- The EdTech tool should never drive the lesson — rather, it should complement the pedagogy and material.
- Don't use educational technology just for the sake of using it. Paper and pencil can be just as effective sometimes.
- Take small steps in learning the technology. Don't get overwhelmed with learning many tools at once. Instead, learn one tool and master it.
- Ask your students for help. Chances are, your students know how to use technology and might be able to help you. Asking for assistance also demonstrates to students that you're a learner yourself.
- Get to know a tool. Don't just choose the newest tool without considering how you can use it to enhance your lessons or engage your students. Begin by asking yourself, "How can I use this tool to support my students and my teaching?"
Frequently Asked Questions About Educational Technology
What is the main purpose of educational technology?
EdTech uses digital technology to facilitate student learning, increase student engagement, and improve student performance. It can streamline and personalize lesson planning and help keep tabs on students' progress. For students, technology can create greater participation, allow them to study at their own pace, and make learning a little more fun.
Schools and teachers use numerous types of technologies in the classroom. Examples include virtual classrooms for online learning, interactive whiteboards, virtual bulletin boards, and content management systems. A survey conducted by Gallup in 2019 found that 65% of teachers used digital learning tools to teach every day.
What are the two branches of educational technology?
The first branch of educational technology is the "academic" area. It involves reviewing and analyzing the teaching and learning processes from the perspective of technology. The second branch is the "practical" area and incorporates the actual use of EdTech in educational settings.
Together, these topics focus on the application of technology to enhance learning. EdTech takes on various forms, including video conferencing, learning management systems, podcasts, online discussion forums, and educational apps and games. When used correctly, EdTech can increase student participation, creativity, and analytical thinking. In the coming years, virtual and augmented reality may contribute more to this growing industry.
What is educational technology 2 about?
EdTech 1 focuses on how technology can be used to facilitate better learning processes and environments. EdTech 2 is dedicated to integrating technology into the learning and teaching process. It includes hands-on applications and focuses on how to evaluate and integrate digital educational resources into the classroom.
Specific topics include using the internet for learning and exploring ways that IT can increase engagement and collaboration. Instructors looking to improve their teaching, lesson plans, and class management through digital technology may be interested in EdTech 2.
Bestcolleges What-is-educational-technology-edtech/
Edtech History
Edtech may feel like a modern thing, but it’s actually been around for centuries. The term “technology” refers to any tool created by the application of knowledge. (Chimpanzees who use sticks to “fish” for termites are using a form of technology.) Early edtech tools included items like the abacus, chalkboard, globe, map—even books are a type of edtech.
It wasn’t until the 20th century, though, that classrooms really started to see advances in educational technology. First, students and teachers benefited from items like mimeograph machines and typewriters. Then came overhead projectors, document cams, calculators, and filmstrip projectors.
In the 1980s, computers began to trickle into schools and classrooms. And when the internet became widely available in the late 1990s, edtech suddenly boomed into the massive field it’s become today. This field grows exponentially each year, as experts explore ways to advance learning with the latest technology available.
The goal of quality educational technology is simple: to help all students find ways to learn that fit their needs and abilities. When used well, edtech is able to:
Empower all learners
Edtech provides opportunities to empower students who were often left behind in the past. For instance, text-to-speech tools open up whole new worlds for students with visual impairment. Differentiated adaptive learning software lets students learn at their own pace, providing extra help when they need it. And during the 2020 pandemic lockdown, millions of kids were able to continue learning in some way, even though they were stuck at home.
Provide necessary skills
Today’s students will need to be proficient in technology when it comes time for them to take their place in the workforce. Nearly every occupation today requires the use of tech tools in one way or another. To succeed, people of all ages must learn to be comfortable embracing new concepts, tools, and ideas.
Increase opportunities
Students today can take classes online in just about any subject, giving them opportunities that weren’t available before. Schools who embrace these tech advances provide their students with broader learning from educators who are experts in their fields. Students living in remote areas, or who need to learn from home, aren’t held back by their circumstances.
Simplify administrative tasks
Edtech has made the lives of teachers and school staff easier in so many ways. Whether it’s helping teachers take attendance and lunch count or collect permission slips, or providing administrators with useful data about student progress, technology can take care of the time-consuming minutiae and allow educators to do what they do best: help kids learn.
Encourage creativity and collaboration
New tools give learners new ways to demonstrate what they’ve learned, and encourage them to work together across the classroom, school, or even the world. This boosts student engagement too, which is one of the most important markers of a successful educational system. Many educators find that using new tech helps promote a growth mindset with their students as well.
What are some examples of edtech?
Education technology is a wide-ranging industry that includes both hardware and software. Here are some common edtech fields and examples of the products they create.
- Audiovisual technology: This field explores the way teachers deliver content to students. It includes things like interactive whiteboards, screencasting, and webcasting.
- Devices: This includes any electronic device used for learning. Many of the devices students and teachers use, like Chromebooks and iPads, are also used in the wider world. Edtech works to make these devices easier and safer for schools and students.
- Virtual learning spaces: From Zoom to Google Classroom, these are the tools teachers and students use to connect when they’re not together in person. Today’s students usually spend at least some of their school day in a virtual learning space, collaborating with teachers and other students.
- Educational software: This is a huge field. It includes learning programs like BrainPop or Amplify, as well as games and apps like Kahoot! and Duolingo.
- Learning management systems: These systems help educators manage student learning at individual and group levels. Examples include Canvas, Blackboard Inc., and Moodle.
- Assessment and data analysis: These edtech companies and tools allow educators to get a better picture of student progress. Thrive Assessments and Civitas Learning are good examples.
Are there any limitations to education technology?
While edtech is increasing opportunities and changing the way we teach and learn, we can’t rely on it for everything. Those who promote shiny new technology as a quick fix or a panacea for all ills aren’t seeing the full picture. Neither are those who worry that computers will replace teachers entirely.
Edtech tools are just that: tools. They’re one more way for teachers to reach students, to engage them and guide them through the learning process. Teachers must learn to use those tools effectively, because not every piece of edtech works equally well for every student or classroom. Tech coaches and IT specialists are some of the most valuable members of any school’s staff, helping educators learn to use new tech and troubleshooting problems.
But even the best ed technology can’t automatically fix underlying problems like discipline issues, lack of accountability, high student-teacher ratios, and poor culture and morale. Learn why edtech may be able to help tackle these problems, but it’s not an easy answer to everything.
How can teachers learn about and use edtech in their classrooms?
Since new education technology is popping up every day, how can teachers and educators possibly keep up-to-date? Aside from ensuring every school has tech coaches on staff, educators can read and follow edtech websites like Edutopia or Educators Technology. They can also learn about new tech in professional development courses and by attending education conferences.
Jill Staake Weareteachers edtech
The EdTech Industry
Education technology as an industry is growing exponentially, valued at almost 90B in 2020 and rising at a projected rate of 20% year over year through 2028. Industry experts predict continued growth in EdTech tools, and a boom in AI-powered, AR-enhanced, and VR-integrated educational technology products in the coming years. Specifically, K-12 has seen a rapid increase in game-based learning that relies on EdTech, which is evolving alongside more project-based learning in schools.
Why is EdTech important?
McKinsey data found that students in schools with sufficient technology devices performed better than those without access to technology and high speed internet. EdTech enables teachers to support hybrid learning, which creates an inclusive classroom environment that provides access to learners, no matter their location or ability to physically be present in class.
Examples of Educational Technology
Here are some popular EdTech companies and products that are contributing to the expanding options for technology in the classroom. These examples of education technology in the form of learning management systems, hardware products like video conferencing cameras for the classroom, and educational gaming platforms show the range of how technology can be infused in both teaching and learning. :
The Meeting Owl
The Meeting Owl is a video conferencing camera for classrooms that enables hybrid collaboration for students and teachers. The Meeting Owl turns any classroom environment into a hybrid classroom with its unique 360-degree camera that can capture audio and video from everyone in the room.
Cengage
Cengage is an online textbook and course distributor that also focuses on testing. Students can buy their textbooks for their specific course and take notes and quizzes all within the Cengage portal. This makes it a one-stop-shop for learning tools for students.
Civitas Learning
Civitas Learning is a company dedicated to improving student outcomes in colleges and universities. Their tools are used to track student data to see which subjects or areas they might need help in, as well as what fields they might work well in.
Google Classroom
Teachers can use Google Classroom to organize assignments and create a collaborative online learning environment for students. It's an all-in-one online tool where educators can create classes, distribute and grade assignments, provide feedback, and connect with students.
Kahoot!
Kahoot! is a quiz game that can be created by teachers and answered by students about any topic they want. Students answer questions together and win points for the more answers they get correct. It's a fun way to get students learning in a format they're interested in.
Apex Learning
Apex Learning has online courses that accompany middle and high school classes. They can be assigned by teachers to supplement what students are currently learning and keep students on top of their subjects if they need more help.
Chegg
Chegg is a marketplace for textbooks, allowing students to buy or rent physical or digital copies to save money. The site also has tutorials, online tutoring, and practice problems for students to work on.
SMART Technologies
SMART Technologies makes a host of technology solutions for schools and students. Their most popular item is the SMART Board, a digital screen that functions as a whiteboard for students and teachers to write and demonstrate on. Drawings can be recorded and copied for further use and study. It does everything else a whiteboard does, plus it has the functionality of a projector screen and a computer.
Explore more of the Top EdTech Companies.
As more EdTech companies sprout up to support remote and hybrid classes, the world of education technology expands. And as with any new world comes a new language (this one includes a lot of acronyms and fairly new terms.) Some of them may be familiar already, but with a slightly different context for education technology.
1. Asynchronous Learning
Asynchronous learning includes lectures, classes, projects, or seminars that don’t happen in real-time. Instead, with asynchronous classes or coursework, lessons are pre-recorded and students can consume educational materials on a self-paced schedule.
Some courses are completely asynchronous, but asynchronous classes can also be used in a remote or hybrid learning model to supplement live discussions and activities.
The education technology used in an asynchronous learning environment may include:
- Learning management systems
- Self-paced modules
- Online practice quizzes
- Pre-recorded lessons, webinars, lectures, and conferences
- Online forums and discussion boards
2. Blended Learning
Blended learning refers to a course of study that combines online and live and/or in-person learning. The distinguisher between online learning and blended learning is that blended learning must involve live discussions or lectures, whereas online learning can be completely asynchronous.
3. Content Management System (CMS)
A content management system (CMS) is a software that lets users create, publish, and share online content. Colleges and universities that publish online course content might post assignments or reading material using a CMS as the backbone of their website.
4. Distance Learning
Distance learning refers to students who take courses without physically sitting in a classroom on campus where courses are being taught. Distance learning can take the form of hybrid learning, fully-online learning, or taking courses at a satellite campus.
5. Ed Tech
Education technology is a classification of technology that is used to promote and access education. This can encompass hardware, software, and other related items that help students and teachers gain more from their classroom experiences.
6. Education ICT
Education ICT is the use of information and communication technologies (ICT) for educational purposes. Examples of education ICT include using cloud-based learning software, apps, blogs or discussion boards, digital whiteboards, and other interactive online tools for students and teachers.
7. Flipped Classroom
A flipped classroom is an educational model that changes the traditional learning method by having students complete what would be considered "homework", in class with a teacher present. Instead of doing homework after school hours are over, students watch instructional videos or other pieces of content and activities and come to school to do actual work with their teachers.
Students can learn at their own pace, and use their class time to have questions answered and get help with their work. A flipped classroom model is ideal for hybrid learning, where in-person class time is valuable for teacher-student connection and in-person collaboration.
8. Hybrid Learning
Hybrid learning is an educational model where some students join class in-person while others join remotely. Hybrid learning can combine synchronous learning with asynchronous learning elements like online forums, discussion boards, and other pieces of digital content.
9. Instructional Technology
Instructional technology is a field that creates classroom technology tools to assist in instruction and learning. It covers the software and hardware needed to make instruction as easy and dynamic as possible for teachers and students.
10. ISTE
ISTE is the International Society for Technology and Education, a community of global educators who use education technology to transform teaching and learning, innovate in the educational technology space, and solve challenges in education.
11. Learning Management System (LMS)
A learning management system is a software application that covers the administration, tracking, and delivery of educational courses or lectures to students. As students complete their work, the LMS moves them along in the process that is mapped out. It usually includes textbooks, related material, and online tests and quizzes all packaged into one online portal.
12. Massive Online Open Courses (MOOCs)
A massive online open course is a course that is intended to have as many virtual participants as possible. It's a free ungated resource for anyone interested in a topic to join. MOOCs allow for a wider range of communication and virtual collaboration due to the sheer amount of users involved.
13. NETP
The National Education Technology Plan (NETP) is a government policy from the Office of Educational Technology that seeks to “ensure equity of access to transformational learning experiences enabled by technology.”
14. Online Program Management (OPM)
Online program management is an area of digital learning in which an outside company or resource builds out courses or educational products in advance for students to use. It's easier than having one teacher set up a whole online course and figure out how to program it all. Online course access can be purchased through the school for students or by students themselves.
15. Student Information System (SIS)
A student information system is a software system devoted to tracking and making analyses of student data. It keeps track of information like student test scores, attendance, and subjects they've taken. Student information systems can be used to see where students need more help or how to best assist them.
16. Synchronous Learning
Synchronous learning includes classes in which all students and their teachers are online at the same time. Unlike other online classes where students attend at their own pace, these have designated start times and are intended to mimic a normal physical classroom. Students participate in lectures and discussions in real-time, without having to wait until later to respond.
The education technology used to support synchronous learning may include:
- Video conferencing as a whole class, in breakout rooms, or one-on-one
- Real-time webinars or lectures
- Virtual classrooms
- Instant messaging
- Live Q&A and student polling
17. Virtual Classroom
A virtual classroom is an online room where students attending a virtual class learn and ask questions. A virtual classroom lets everyone hear or see the others that are there, and answer questions as they come up. It brings the benefits of a physical classroom online. Think of a virtual classroom as the object of fully remote learning. When you are engaging in fully remote learning, you are participating in a virtual classroom.
18. Webinar
A webinar is a presentation focused on a specific topic that is hosted and attended virtually. Attendees can sign up ahead of time and are taken to a digital lecture where slides, video, or other multimedia will be presented. These are done with the help of video conferencing technology and software and can be either synchronous or asynchronous, depending on if the webinar in question is live or pre-recorded
EdTech Tools that Support Students + Teachers
Educational technology that supports students and teachers encompasses tools designed specifically for education, and those that weren’t necessarily created for educators, but are effective in pursuits of learning. For example, many schools use programs like Microsoft Teams, which was originally designed for professional teams, but works well as a video conferencing software platform for collaborating.
Some of the most used EdTech tools to support students and teachers include:
- Video conferencing cameras
- Video meeting apps
- Learning management platforms
- Gaming apps
- Digital whiteboards
- Communication boards/discussion tools
- Laptops, tablets, and projectors
- Communication apps
- Research platforms
- Presentation and design software
Education technology is designed to improve the learning experience for all educators and students who are engaging in remote, hybrid, and even in-person learning. It is an industry that will surely continue to evolve as tech continues to play a role in our classrooms. To begin introducing EdTech into your lesson plan, start by downloading the Owl Labs for Education guide today.
Colin Duff Owllabs.com education-technology
EdTech And SaaS
SaaS, or software as a service, is cloud-based software delivered to a web browser without requiring users to be involved in time-consuming installations. This software is typically paid for over time, making it more affordable and also flexible for the user. As you can imagine, startups and solutions that use SaaS are very popular, which of course applies to the edtech space.
SaaS-based edtech platforms can be tapped into by students around the world. This new SaaS-based education makes it easier for teachers and students to thrive, whether they are in the classroom or, at times, when remote learning is desired.
Data-Driven Education Helps Learners With Disabilities
Today’s physical classrooms are diverse and complex, and access to technology helps meet each student’s needs. Educators select edtech tools that meet the most important criteria for use in the classroom. These tools can free teachers up from administrative tasks such as grading and testing to develop individual student relationships.
One of the most exciting and important results of the edtech boom is that it provides access to all learners, including those with disabilities. Edtech brings various benefits to students with disabilities, such as audio recordings, text-to-speech solutions, one-to-one devices such as iPads for all students, and videos. Large interactive whiteboards, otherwise known as smart boards, provide a touchscreen that can be used in classrooms, along with features such as file and screen sharing. With the assistance of all this technology, edtech has certainly had a profound effect on the entire spectrum of learners.
Privacy In EdTech
With the ever-growing rate of edtech in today’s classrooms, there have been many changes for the teachers as well as the students. You can see the increase in personalized content, virtual spaces for students and teachers to interact, and many technologies that help hone the learning process. All of this information sharing and web hosting has been very beneficial, but we must not lose track of how we best protect students’ privacy. There are many startups in the edtech space creating edtech solutions, but student privacy is not always front and center in these offerings. The privacy policy must be spelled out in the software in an easy way for teachers and students to understand how their sensitive data is being protected and not manipulated.
Challenges Facing EdTech
Edtech is exciting. The trends covered in this article spell out why it is so beneficial, and the number of funds injected into all areas of edtech continues to increase at substantial rates. But, like anything, there are plenty of challenges that must be overcome.
One important issue is the lack of teacher training that is required to effectively implement edtech solutions in the classroom. In addition, many teachers are invested in the status quo of the teaching paradigm and may not be interested in embracing edtech into their curriculum.
And, like the internet with the initial promise that it would usher in an unprecedented level of equality across all of society, how do we ensure that all schools get to take advantage of edtech and not just those that are in the wealthiest areas of a country? This is truly a great opportunity when you consider innovative workforce development and generating interest in career pathways. Edtech has an opportunity to meet this unique moment, which is critical to where our society is today.
In particular, high-demand industries like healthcare, IT, advanced manufacturing, among others are critically ripe for strategic interventions from edtech and with a focus on diversity, equity and inclusion; it presents a transformative opportunity to also further develop the workforce of the future.
Edtech is in an exciting period of creative expansion, so who will determine what are the most effective platforms and solutions and who gets to use them? It is possible to make the case that education moves much slower than technology, so how do we avoid not implementing edtech solutions that shortly become out of date and need to be replaced with more advanced technology before the current solutions have been mastered and the benefits realized?
All of these challenges in the edtech space must be dealt with in order for all students to benefit equally from this promising educational development.
Geoffrey Roche Forbes.The-impact-of-edtech
Digital Technologies in Education
The World Bank Group is the largest financier of education in the developing world, working on education programs in more than 80 countries to provide quality education and lifelong learning opportunities for all.
The WBG works in partnership with governments and organizations worldwide to support innovative projects, timely research, and knowledge sharing activities about the effective and appropriate use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) in education systems -- "EdTech" -- to strengthen learning and contribute to poverty reduction around the world, as part of its larger work related to education.
Reflecting on COVID Response and Remote Learning
Technology played and continues to play an essential role to deliver education to the students outside of school. Commendably, all countries were able to deploy remote learning technologies using a combination of TV, Radio, Online and Mobile Platforms. However, many children in low income countries did not participate in remote learning with about a third of low income countries reporting that 50% of children had not been reached in a joint UNESCO-UNICEF-World Bank survey. The pandemic has also led to significant losses in learning. School closures and limited access to remote learning means that Learning Poverty is likely to worsen from 53% to 63% especially in low-income countries if no remediation interventions are taken.
The crisis has starkly highlighted the inequalities in digital access and that ‘business as usual’ will not work for delivery of education to all children. To close the digital divides in Education and leverage the power of technology to accelerate learning, reduce learning poverty, and support skills development a focus must be placed in bridging the gaps in: i) digital infrastructure (connectivity, devices and software); ii) human infrastructure (teacher capacity, student skills and parental support); and iii) logistical and administrative systems to deploy and maintain tech architecture.
Education systems must adapt. It is against this backdrop that the EdTech team at the World Bank has identified five key questions to address in the short to medium term. These questions touch on the need to re-imagine education, to provide an equitable, engaging and fun learning experience for all children.
How can countries leverage EdTech investments to develop resilient hybrid learning systems? This question requires both reflecting on the lessons from implementation of remote learning during COVID and addressing the new digital infrastructure access divide. The World Bank is working with countries to identify how to address issues of affordable connectivity, device procurement, cloud solutions and multi-modal delivery of education. Moreover, the investments that countries have made in remote learning could be leveraged address existing challenges in education. Many countries are now thinking about a dual role for remote learning: as an insurance policy against future calamites especially in a world experiencing climate change as well as a way to reach out of school children and provide a lifelong education to all citizens.
How can countries recover learning loss, more effectively harness data and personalize learning with technology? The World Bank is deepening its work on adaptive learning systems, remote assessment and how education systems can more effectively use learning analytics to personalize education. A major part of this work will be developing a new strategy for Education Management Information Systems (EMIS 2.0) to support more effective use of data.
What are the changing roles and new skills for teachers in hybrid learning systems and how can additional human connections be leveraged through technology? The World Bank is exploring teacher competency frameworks, teacher networks, and communities of innovative teachers to support countries to empower teachers. Teachers are still central to learning even, or rather, especially in an environment rich with technology. Evidence is growing that bypassing Teachers and not engaging them with technology does not lead to student learning improvement.
How can countries leverage open technology ecosystems to expand access to quality content and learning experiences? The World Bank will collaborate with partners developing open global public goods and strategies to engage the large ecosystem of innovators in client countries to support the design and development of new educational content and curriculum. The team will develop communities of practice around EdTech innovation hubs and creative talent to develop new open educational libraries. A key content area of focus will be climate change.
How can technology support the development, measurement and accreditation of future skills? The World Bank will support countries to define 21st century competencies in students and teachers; explore ways to more effectively measure these skills and accredit these skills in collaboration with external partners sharing knowledge and experience in communities of practice on hard to measure skills and blockchain for education.
Education technology by itself is not a panacea
Though investment in EdTech has been increasing, learning and outcomes as a result have not changed considerably in many countries. An OECD report found that, when it comes to impact of computer usage in schools as measured through PISA, “impact on student performance is mixed, at best." COVID however has changed the debate on EdTech from a question of if to a question of how. Experience to date highlights that teaching and learning remotely is not the same as face-to-face pedagogy. Many teachers with access to e-content, for instance, use it like any another textbook to read from in class. Some adjustments include shorter and more modular content, more engaging content such as edutainment, continuous feedback, smaller group on-line discussions on more open-ended questions. Education at its heart is about human connections and relationships. While we can never replace the magic that happens between great teachers and students in an in-person environment, we should focus on the social aspects of technology to enhance connections from a distance. Much more attention must be directed on how technology will enhance teaching and learning in a blended learning environment reaching students, both in school and at home.
Educational technology is an inclusive term for both the material tools and processes, and the theoretical foundations for supporting learning and teaching. Educational technology is not restricted to high technology but is anything that enhances classroom learning in the utilization of blended, face-to-face, or online learning. 11
An educational technologist is someone who is trained in the field of educational technology. Educational technologists try to analyze, design, develop, implement, and evaluate processes and tools to enhance learning. 12 While the term educational technologist is used primarily in the United States, learning technologist is synonymous term used in the UK 13 as well as Canada.
Modern electronic educational technology is an important part of society today. 14 Educational technology encompasses e-learning, instructional technology, information and communication technology (ICT) in education, edtech, learning technology, multimedia learning, technology-enhanced learning (TEL), computer-based instruction (CBI), computer managed instruction, computer-based training (CBT), computer-assisted instruction or computer-aided instruction (CAI), 15 internet-based training (IBT), flexible learning, web-based training (WBT), online education, digital educational collaboration, distributed learning, computer-mediated communication, cyber-learning, and multi-modal instruction, virtual education, personal learning environments, networked learning, virtual learning environments (VLE) (which are also called learning platforms), m-learning, ubiquitous learning and digital education.
Each of these numerous terms has had its advocates, who point up potential distinctive features. 16 However, many terms and concepts in educational technology have been defined nebulously; for example, Fiedler's review of the literature found a complete lack of agreement about the components of a personal learning environment. Moreover, Moore saw these terminologies as emphasizing particular features such as digitization approaches, components, or delivery methods rather than being fundamentally dissimilar in concept or principle. 16 For example, m-learningemphasizes mobility, which allows for altered timing, location, accessibility, and context of learning; nevertheless, its purpose and conceptual principles are those of educational technology. 16
In practice, as technology has advanced, the particular "narrowly defined" terminological aspect that was initially emphasized by name has blended into the general field of educational technology. 16 Initially, "virtual learning" as narrowly defined in a semantic sense implied entering an environmental simulation within a virtual world, for example in treating posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). 17 18 In practice, a "virtual education course" refers to any instructional course in which all, or at least a significant portion, is delivered by the Internet. "Virtual" is used in that broader way to describe a course that is not taught in a classroom face-to-face but through a substitute mode that can conceptually be associated "virtually" with classroom teaching, which means that people do not have to go to the physical classroom to learn. Accordingly, virtual education refers to a form of distance learning in which course content is delivered by various methods such as course management applications, multimedia resources, and videoconferencing. 19 Virtual education and simulated learning opportunities, such as games or dissections, offer opportunities for students to connect classroom content to authentic situations. 20
Educational content, pervasively embedded in objects, is all around the learner, who may not even be conscious of the learning process. 21 The combination of adaptive learning, using an individualized interface and materials, which accommodate to an individual, who thus receives personally differentiated instruction, with ubiquitous access to digital resources and learning opportunities in a range of places and at various times, has been termed smart learning. 22 23 24 Smart learning is a component of the smart city concept. 25 26
Technologies
Educational media and tools can be used for:
- task structuring support: help with how to do a task (procedures and processes),
- access to knowledge bases (help user find information needed)
- alternate forms of knowledge representation (multiple representations of knowledge, e.g. video, audio, text, image, data)
Numerous types of physical technology are currently used: 98 99 digital cameras, video cameras, interactive whiteboard tools, document cameras, electronic media, and LCD projectors. Combinations of these techniques include blogs, collaborative software, ePortfolios, and virtual classrooms. 100
The current design of this type of application includes the evaluation through tools of cognitive analysis that allow to identify of which elements optimize the use of these platforms. 101
Audio and video
Preparation for training teachers on the subject of Wikipedia - Center for Educational Technology
Video technology 102 has included VHS tapes and DVDs, as well as on-demand and synchronous methods with digital video via server or web-based options such as streamed video and webcams. Videotelephony can connect with speakers and other experts. Interactive digital video games are being used at K-12 and higher education institutions. 103
Radio offers a synchronous educational vehicle while streaming audio over the internet with webcasts and podcasts can be asynchronous. Classroom microphones, often wireless, can enable learners and educators to interact more clearly.
Screencasting allows users to share their screens directly from their browser and make the video available online so that other viewers can stream the video directly. 104 The presenter thus has the ability to show their ideas and flow of thoughts rather than simply explain them as simple text content. In combination with audio and video, the educator can mimic the one-on-one experience of the classroom. Learners have the ability to pause and rewind, to review at their own pace, something a classroom cannot always offer.
Webcams and webcasting have enabled the creation of virtual classrooms and virtual learning environment. 105 Webcams are also being used to counter plagiarism and other forms of academic dishonesty that might occur in an e-learning environment.
Computers, tablets, and mobile devices
Collaborative learning is a group-based learning approach in which learners are mutually engaged in a coordinated fashion to achieve a learning goal or complete a learning task. With recent developments in smartphone technology, the processing powers and storage capabilities of modern mobiles allow for advanced development and the use of apps. Many app developers and education experts have been exploring smartphone and tablet apps as a medium for collaborative learning.
Computers and tablets enable learners and educators to access websites as well as applications. Many mobile devices support m-learning. 106
Mobile devices such as clickers and smartphones can be used for interactive audience response feedback. 107 Mobile learning can provide performance support for checking the time, setting reminders, retrieving worksheets, and instruction manuals. 108 109
Such devices as iPads are used for helping disabled (visually impaired or with multiple disabilities) children in communication development as well as in improving physiological activity, according to the stimulation Practice Report. 110
Computers in the classroom have been shown to increase rates of engagement and interest when computers and smart devices are utilized educationally in classrooms. 111 112 better source needed
Single-board computers and Internet of Things
Embedded single-board computers and microcontrollers such as Raspberry Pi, Arduino and BeagleBone are easy to program, some can run Linux and connect to devices such as sensors, displays, LEDs and robotics. These are cost effective computing devices ideal for learning programming, which work with cloud computing and Internet of Things. These devices are part of a Maker culture that embrace tinkering with electronics and programming to achieve software and hardware solutions. The Maker Culture means there is a huge amount of training and support available. 113
Collaborative and social learning
Group webpages, blogs, wikis, and Twitter allow learners and educators to post thoughts, ideas, and comments on a website in an interactive learning environment. 114 115 Social networking sites are virtual communities for people interested in a particular subject to communicate by voice, chat, instant message, video conference, or blogs. 116 The National School Boards Association found that 96% of students with online access have used social networking technologies and more than 50% talk online about schoolwork. Social networking encourages collaboration and engagement 117 and can be a motivational tool for self-efficacy amongst students. 118
Whiteboards
There are three types of whiteboards. 119 The initial whiteboards, analogous to blackboards, date from the late 1950s. The term whiteboard is also used metaphorically to refer to virtual whiteboards in which computer software applications simulate whiteboards by allowing writing or drawing. This is a common feature of groupware for virtual meetings, collaboration, and instant messaging. Interactive whiteboards allow learners and instructors to write on the touch screen. The screen markup can be on either a blank whiteboard or any computer screen content. Depending on permission settings, this visual learning can be interactive and participatory, including writing and manipulating images on the interactive whiteboard. 119
Virtual classroom
A virtual learning environment (VLE), also known as a learning platform, simulates a virtual classroom or meetings by simultaneously mixing several communication technologies. Web conferencing software enables students and instructors to communicate with each other via webcam, microphone, and real-time chatting in a group setting. Participants can raise their hands, answer polls, or take tests. Students can whiteboard and screencast when given rights by the instructor, who sets permission levels for text notes, microphone rights, and mouse control. 120
A virtual classroom provides an opportunity for students to receive direct instruction from a qualified teacher in an interactive environment. Learners can have direct and immediate access to their instructor for instant feedback and direction. The virtual classroom provides a structured schedule of classes, which can be helpful for students who may find the freedom of asynchronous learning to be overwhelming. Besides, the virtual classroom provides a social learning environment that replicates the traditional "brick and mortar" classroom. Most virtual classroom applications provide a recording feature. Each class is recorded and stored on a server, which allows for instant playback of any class over the course of the school year. This can be extremely useful for students to retrieve missed material or review concepts for an upcoming exam. Parents and auditors have the conceptual ability to monitor any classroom to ensure that they are satisfied with the education the learner is receiving.
In higher education especially, a virtual learning environment (VLE) is sometimes combined with a management information system (MIS) to create a managed learning environment, in which all aspects of a course are handled through a consistent user interface throughout the institution. Physical universities and newer online-only colleges offer to select academic degrees and certificate programs via the Internet. Some programs require students to attend some campus classes or orientations, but many are delivered completely online. Several universities offer online student support services, such as online advising and registration, e-counseling, online textbook purchases, student governments, and student newspapers.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many schools have been forced to move online. As of April 2020, an estimated 90% of high-income countries are offering online learning, with only 25% of low-income countries offering the same. 121
Augmented reality
Augmented reality (AR) provides students and teachers with the opportunity to create layers of digital information, including both virtual worlds and real-world elements, to interact in real-time.
AR technology plays an important role in the future of the classroom where human / AI co-orchestration takes place seamlessly. 122 Students would switch between individual and collaborative learning dynamically, based on their own learning pace, while teachers, with the help of AR, monitor the classroom and provide necessary interventions in cases where computer systems are not yet designed to handle. In this vision, the technology's role is to enhance, rather than replace, human teachers' capabilities.
Learning management system
A learning management system (LMS) is software used for delivering, tracking, and managing training and education. It tracks data about attendance, time on task, and student progress. Educators can post announcements, grade assignments, check on course activities, and participate in class discussions. Students can submit their work, read and respond to discussion questions, and take quizzes. 114 An LMS may allow teachers, administrators, and students, and permitted additional parties (such as parents, if appropriate) to track various metrics. LMSs range from systems for managing training/educational records to software for distributing courses over the Internet and offering features for online collaboration. The creation and maintenance of comprehensive learning content require substantial initial and ongoing investments in human labor. Effective translation into other languages and cultural contexts requires even more investment by knowledgeable personnel. 123
Internet-based learning management systems include Canvas, Blackboard Inc. and Moodle. These types of LMS allow educators to run a learning system partially or fully online, asynchronously or synchronously. Learning Management Systems also offers a non-linear presentation of content and curricular goals, giving students the choice of pace and order of information learned. 20 Blackboard can be used for K-12 education, Higher Education, Business, and Government collaboration. 124 Moodle is a free-to-download Open Source Course Management System that provides blended learning opportunities as well as platforms for distance learning courses. 125
Learning content management system
A learning content management system (LCMS) is software for author content (courses, reusable content objects). An LCMS may be solely dedicated to producing and publishing content that is hosted on an LMS, or it can host the content itself. The Aviation Industry Computer-Based Training Committee (AICC) specification provides support for content that is hosted separately from the LMS.
A recent trend in LCMSs is to address this issue through crowdsourcing (cf.SlideWiki 126 ).
Computer-aided assessment
Computer-aided assessment (e-assessment) ranges from automated multiple-choice tests to more sophisticated systems. With some systems, feedback can be geared towards a student's specific mistakes, or the computer can navigate the student through a series of questions adapting to what the student appears to have learned or not learned. Formative assessment sifts out the incorrect answers, and these questions are then explained by the teacher. The learner then practices with slight variations of the sifted-out questions. The process is completed by summative assessment using a new set of questions that only cover the topics previously taught.
Training management system
A training management system or training resource management system is software designed to optimize instructor-led training management. Similar to an enterprise resource planning (ERP), it is a back office tool that aims at streamlining every aspect of the training process: planning (training plan and budget forecasting), logistics (scheduling and resource management), financials (cost tracking, profitability), reporting, and sales for-profit training providers. 127 A training management system can be used to schedule instructors, venues, and equipment through graphical agendas, optimize resource utilization, create a training plan and track remaining budgets, generate reports and share data between different teams.
While training management systems focus on managing instructor-led training, they can complete an LMS. In this situation, an LMS will manage e-learning delivery and assessment, while a training management system will manage ILT and back-office budget planning, logistics, and reporting. 128
Benefits
Effective technology use deploys multiple evidence-based strategies concurrently (e.g. adaptive content, frequent testing, immediate feedback, etc.), as do effective teachers. 174 Using computers or other forms of technology can give students practice on core content and skills while the teacher can work with others, conduct assessments, or perform other tasks. 174 175 Through the use of educational technology, education is able to be individualized for each student allowing for better differentiation and allowing students to work for mastery at their own pace. 176
Modern educational technology can improve access to education, 177 including full degree programs. 178 self-published source? It enables better integration for non-full-time students, particularly in continuing education, 178 self-published source? 177 and improved interactions between students and instructors. 179 Learning material can be used for long-distance learning and are accessible to a wider audience. 180 177 Course materials are easy to access. 181 177 In 2010, 70.3% of American family households had access to the internet. 182 In 2013, according to Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission Canada, 79% of homes have access to the internet. 183 Students can access and engage with numerous online resources at home. Using online resources can help students spend more time on specific aspects of what they may be learning in school but at home. Schools like the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have made certain course materials free online. 184 Although some aspects of a classroom setting are missed by using these resources, they are helpful tools to add additional support to the educational system. The necessity to pay for transport to the educational facility is removed.
Students appreciate the convenience of e-learning, but report greater engagement in face-to-face learning environments. 185 Colleges and universities are working towards combating this issue by utilizing WEB 2.0 technologies as well as incorporating more mentorships between students and faculty members. 186
According to James Kulik, who studies the effectiveness of computers used for instruction, students usually learn more in less time when receiving computer-based instruction, and they like classes more and develop more positive attitudes toward computers in computer-based classes. Students can independently solve problems. 179 There are no intrinsic age-based restrictions on difficulty level, i.e. students can go at their own pace. Students editing their written work on word processors improve the quality of their writing. According to some studies, the students are better at critiquing and editing written work that is exchanged over a computer network with students they know. 181 Studies completed in "computer intensive" settings found increases in student-centric, cooperative, and higher-order learning, writing skills, problem-solving, and using technology. 187 In addition, attitudes toward technology as a learning tool by parents, students, and teachers are also improved.
Employers' acceptance of online education has risen over time. 188 More than 50% of human resource managers SHRM surveyed for an August 2010 report said that if two candidates with the same level of experience were applying for a job, it would not have any kind of effect whether the candidate's obtained degree was acquired through an online or a traditional school. Seventy-nine percent said they had employed a candidate with an online degree in the past 12 months. However, 66% said candidates who get degrees online were not seen as positively as job applicants with traditional degrees. 188
The use of educational apps generally has a positive effect on learning. Pre- and post-tests have revealed that the use of educational apps on mobile devices reduces the achievement gap between struggling and average students. 189 Some educational apps improve group work by allowing students to receive feedback on answers and promoting collaboration in solving problems. The benefits of app-assisted learning have been exhibited in all age groups. Kindergarten students that use iPads show much higher rates of literacy than non-users. Medical students at the University of California Irvine that utilized iPad academically have been reported to score 23% higher on national exams than in previous classes that did not.
Disadvantages
Globally, factors like change management, technology obsolescence, and vendor-developer partnership are major restraints that are hindering the growth of the Educational technology market. 190
In the US, state and federal government increased funding, as well as private venture capital, has been flowing into the education sector. However, as of 2013, none were looking at technology return on investment (ROI) to connect expenditures on technology with improved student outcomes. 191
New technologies are frequently accompanied by unrealistic hype and promise regarding their transformative power to change education for the better or in allowing better educational opportunities to reach the masses. Examples include silent film, broadcast radio, and television, none of which have maintained much of a foothold in the daily practices of mainstream, formal education. 192 Technology, in and of itself, does not necessarily result in fundamental improvements to educational practice. 193 The focus needs to be on the learner's interaction with technology—not the technology itself. It needs to be recognized as "ecological" rather than "additive" or "subtractive". In this ecological change, one significant change will create total change. 194
According to Branford et al., "technology does not guarantee effective learning", and inappropriate use of technology can even hinder it. 20 A University of Washington study of infant vocabulary shows that it is slipping due to educational baby DVDs. Published in the Journal of Pediatrics, a 2007 University of Washington study on the vocabulary of babies surveyed over 1,000 parents in Washington and Minnesota. The study found that for every hour that babies 8–16 months of age watched DVDs and Videos, they knew 6-8 fewer of 90 common baby words than the babies that did not watch them. Andrew Meltzoff, a surveyor in this study, states that the result makes sense, that if the baby's "alert time" is spent in front of DVDs and TV, instead of with people speaking, the babies are not going to get the same linguistic experience. Dimitri Chistakis, another surveyor reported that the evidence is mounting that baby DVDs are of no value and may be harmful. 195 196 197 198
Adaptive instructional materials tailor questions to each student's ability and calculate their scores, but this encourages students to work individually rather than socially or collaboratively (Kruse, 2013). Social relationships are important, but high-tech environments may compromise the balance of trust, care, and respect between teacher and student. 199
Massively open online courses (MOOCs), although quite popular in discussions of technology and education in developed countries (more so in the US), are not a major concern in most developing or low-income countries. One of the stated goals of MOOCs is to provide less fortunate populations (i.e., in developing countries) an opportunity to experience courses with US-style content and structure. However, research shows only 3% of the registrants are from low-income countries, and although many courses have thousands of registered students only 5-10% of them complete the course. 200 self-published source? This can be attributed to lack of staff support, course difficulty, and low levels of engagement with peers. 201 MOOCs also implies that certain curriculum and teaching methods are superior, and this could eventually wash over (or possibly washing out) local educational institutions, cultural norms, and educational traditions. 202
With the Internet and social media, using educational apps makes students highly susceptible to distraction and sidetracking. Even though proper use has been shown to increase student performance, being distracted would be detrimental. Another disadvantage is an increased potential for cheating. 203 One method is done by creating multiple accounts to survey questions and gather information which can be assimilated so that the master account is able to fill in the correct answers. Smartphones can be very easy to hide and use inconspicuously, especially if their use is normalized in the classroom. These disadvantages can be managed with strict rules and regulations on mobile phone use.
A disadvantage of e-learning is that it can cause depression, according to a study made during the 2021 COVID-19 quarantines. 204
Over-stimulation
Electronic devices such as cell phones and computers facilitate rapid access to a stream of sources, each of which may receive cursory attention. Michel Rich, an associate professor at Harvard Medical School and executive director of the center on Media and Child Health in Boston, said of the digital generation, "Their brains are rewarded not for staying on task, but for jumping to the next thing. The worry is we're raising a generation of kids in front of screens whose brains are going to be wired differently." 205 Students have always faced distractions; computers and cell phones are a particular challenge because the stream of data can interfere with focusing and learning. Although these technologies affect adults too, young people may be more influenced by it as their developing brains can easily become habituated to switching tasks and become unaccustomed to sustaining attention. 205 Too much information, coming too rapidly, can overwhelm thinking. 206
Technology is "rapidly and profoundly altering our brains." 207 High exposure levels stimulate brain cell alteration and release neurotransmitters, which causes the strengthening of some neural pathways and the weakening of others. This leads to heightened stress levels on the brain that, at first, boost energy levels, but, over time, actually augment memory, impair cognition, lead to depression, and alter the neural circuitry of the hippocampus, amygdala and prefrontal cortex. These are the brain regions that control mood and thought. If unchecked, the underlying structure of the brain could be altered. 205 207 Overstimulation due to technology may begin too young. When children are exposed before the age of seven, important developmental tasks may be delayed, and bad learning habits might develop, which "deprives children of the exploration and play that they need to develop." 208 Media psychology is an emerging specialty field that embraces electronic devices and the sensory behaviors occurring from the use of educational technology in learning.
Sociocultural criticism
According to Lai, "the learning environment is a complex system where the interplay and interactions of many things impact the outcome of learning." 193 When technology is brought into an educational setting, the pedagogical setting changes in that technology-driven teaching can change the entire meaning of an activity without adequate research validation. If technology monopolizes an activity, students can begin to develop the sense that "life would scarcely be thinkable without technology." 209
Leo Marx considered the word "technology" itself as problematic, 210 susceptible to reification and "phantom objectivity", which conceals its fundamental nature as something that is only valuable insofar as it benefits the human condition. Technology ultimately comes down to affecting the relations between people, but this notion is obfuscated when technology is treated as an abstract notion devoid of good and evil. Langdon Winner makes a similar point by arguing that the underdevelopment of the philosophy of technology leaves us with an overly simplistic reduction in our discourse to the supposedly dichotomous notions of the "making" versus the "uses" of new technologies and that a narrow focus on "use" leads us to believe that all technologies are neutral in moral standing. 209 : ix–39 These critiques would have us ask not, "How do we maximize the role or advancement of technology in education?", but, rather, "What are the social and human consequences of adopting any particular technology?"
Winner viewed technology as a "form of life" that not only aids human activity, but that also represents a powerful force in reshaping that activity and its meaning. 209 : ix–39 For example, the use of robots in the industrial workplace may increase productivity, but they also radically change the process of production itself, thereby redefining what is meant by "work" in such a setting. In education, standardized testing has arguably redefined the notions of learning and assessment. We rarely explicitly reflect on how strange a notion it is that a number between, say, 0 and 100 could accurately reflect a person's knowledge about the world. According to Winner, the recurring patterns in everyday life tend to become an unconscious process that we learn to take for granted. Winner writes,
By far, the greatest latitude of choice exists the very first time a particular instrument, system, or technique is introduced. Because choices tend to become strongly fixed in material equipment, economic investment, and social habit, the original flexibility vanishes for all practical purposes once the initial commitments are made. In that sense, technological innovations are similar to legislative acts or political findings that establish a framework for public order that will endure over many generations. (p. 29)
When adopting new technologies, there may be one best chance to "get it right". Seymour Papert (p. 32) points out a good example of a (bad) choice that has become strongly fixed in social habit and material equipment: our "choice" to use the QWERTY keyboard. 211 The QWERTY arrangement of letters on the keyboard was originally chosen, not because it was the most efficient for typing, but because early typewriters were prone to jam when adjacent keys were struck in quick succession. Now that typing has become a digital process, this is no longer an issue, but the QWERTY arrangement lives on as a social habit, one that is very difficult to change.
Neil Postman endorsed the notion that technology impacts human cultures, including the culture of classrooms, and that this is a consideration even more important than considering the efficiency of new technology as a tool for teaching. 194 Regarding the computer's impact on education, Postman writes (p. 19):
What we need to consider about the computer has nothing to do with its efficiency as a teaching tool. We need to know in what ways it is altering our conception of learning, and how in conjunction with television, it undermines the old idea of school.
There is an assumption that technology is inherently interesting so it must be helpful in education; based on research by Daniel Willingham, that is not always the case. He argues that it does not necessarily matter what the technological medium is, but whether or not the content is engaging and utilizes the medium in a beneficial way. 212
Digital divide
The concept of the digital divide is a gap between those who have access to digital technologies and those who do not. 213 Access may be associated with age, gender, socio-economic status, education, income, ethnicity, and geography. 213 214
Data protection
According to a report by the Electronic Frontier Foundation, large amounts of personal data on children are collected by electronic devices that are distributed in schools in the United States. Often, far more information than necessary is collected, uploaded, and stored indefinitely. Aside from name and date of birth, this information can include the child's browsing history, search terms, location data, contact lists, as well as behavioral information. 215 : 5 Parents are not informed or, if informed, have little choice. 215 : 6 According to the report, this constant surveillance resulting from educational technology can "warp children's privacy expectations, lead them to self-censor, and limit their creativity". 215 : 7 In a 2018 public service announcement, the FBI warned that widespread collection of student information by educational technologies, including web browsing history, academic progress, medical information, and biometrics, created the potential for privacy and safety threats if such data was compromised or exploited. 216
Data security breach
The transition from in-person learning to distance education in higher education due to the COVID-19 pandemic has led to enhanced extraction of student data enabled by complex data infrastructures. These infrastructures collect information such as learning management system logins, library metrics, impact measurements, teacher evaluation frameworks, assessment systems, learning analytic traces, longitudinal graduate outcomes, attendance records, social media activity, and so on. The copious amounts of information collected are quantified for the marketization of higher education, employing this data as a means to demonstrate and compare student performance across institutions to attract prospective students, mirroring the capitalistic notion of ensuring efficient market functioning and constant improvement through measurement. 217 This desire of data has fueled the exploitation of higher education by platform companies and data service providers who are outsourced by institutions for their services. The monetization of student data in order to integrate corporate models of marketization further pushes higher education, widely regarded as a public good, into a privatized commercial sector. 218
Wikipedia Educational_technology
Five trends to watch in the edtech industry
1. Capital inflows are higher than ever
Thanks to rapid technological change and enterprise digitization, many companies are looking to continuously upskill their workforce. At the same time, broadband access has become more affordable, and distance-education technologies have become more advanced. These developments have helped the edtech sector boom; venture capitalists (VCs) invested $20.8 billion in the edtech sector globally in 2021.1 That’s more than 40 times the amount they invested in 2010.
While public valuations have recently cooled, private companies are still raising capital at double-digit revenue multiples. VCs continue to flock to edtech because professors, administrators, students, and employees have grown more comfortable with education technology during the pandemic. We believe these habits are here to stay and that online education is becoming the new normal.
2. Edtech players are merging and partnering to achieve scale and efficiency
Edtech companies want the lifetime value of their customers to exceed the cost of acquiring them. Financial statements show that sales and marketing costs at several of the largest edtech firms have ranged from 20 to 60 percent of revenue in recent years.2
As they seek sustainable ways to drive down the industry-wide problem with high customer acquisition costs (CAC), some edtech firms are turning to M&A in hopes of reaching economies of scale. In June 2021, 2U announced an $800 million acquisition of edX, a nonprofit run by Harvard and MIT. This acquisition gives 2U access to a strong customer-facing brand, approximately 40 million registered users, and hundreds of university partners. These assets give 2U a significant presence in growth markets outside the United States and could help reduce CAC while it builds out its free-to-degree model.
There have been other recent major mergers and acquisitions in the edtech sector. For example, Anthology and Blackboard agreed to a $3 billion merger. All these mergers and acquisitions have been enabled by plentiful capital. But once companies have signed the contract, they face the challenge of integrating their respective operations to realize the promised benefits.
3. Large firms view employee reskilling and upskilling as a necessity
With a near-record number of US jobs going begging, thanks to a tight labor market, attracting and retaining talent has become a core challenge for many firms. Large employers like Amazon, Walmart, Target, and Google have announced major investments in workforce education and development programs to decrease churn and fill talent gaps. Some, like Walmart, are dovetailing these programs into their diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives.3
To meet the demand for upskilling and reskilling, online-education companies are expanding and emphasizing their enterprise offerings. Among the 15 adult-education companies that received the most funding in 2021, all but one have an enterprise offering (Exhibit 1). Even companies like Coursera, which initially focused on consumers, have dramatically increased their revenues from enterprise clients in recent years.
Exhibit 1
To succeed in the enterprise space, edtech firms could offer features such as comprehensive workforce analytics that appeal to both HR departments and employees. For instance, apps could identify skill gaps in the workforce, offer educational content to fill those gaps, and provide coaching and career navigation services to match newly upskilled graduates with positions where they can add the most value.
4. India becomes a leader in the edtech race with global aspirations
In 2010, the United States attracted nearly three-quarters of global edtech VC funding. A decade later, investors turned their attention to India (Exhibit 2).
Exhibit 2
With increasing regulatory headwinds buffeting the Chinese edtech industry, prominent edtech players—including Udacity, Coursera, and edX—have turned their investment focus to the enormous Indian market. While the Chinese market accounted for 63 percent of edtech funding in 2020, that dropped to less than 13 percent in 2021. In India, edtech funding has grown from $0.2 billion five years ago to $3.8 billion and 18 percent of global investments in 2021. Since English is widely spoken in India, international edtech firms may be able to achieve rapid success there even without translating much of their content.
At the same time, locally grown Indian edtech players like Emeritus have reached billion-dollar valuations and begun acquiring companies in the US market.
To thrive amid global competition, edtech firms can tailor a growth strategy for each target country while protecting their home market.
5. Edtech leaders are focusing on supporting career progression
In 2021, McKinsey surveyed more than 3,500 edtech students. We found that many were motivated by the prospect of jumpstarting their careers and were seeking a sense of community.
New modalities, such as virtual and augmented realities, web3, AI, and machine learning, are making their way into education. However, our findings suggest that edtech providers cannot rely too heavily on technology and content. Learners want value-added services such as personalized mentoring, preparation for interviews, and support in getting a job.
To deliver more holistic user experiences, some edtech players are building their internal capabilities and making acquisitions. In India, for example, upGrad acquired a recruiting and staffing agency to help its students advance in their careers. In the United States, On Deck built a business model to give students access to a community rather than sell them courses. Arizona State University offers free counseling, mentoring, and crisis intervention support to online- and hybrid-learning students.
Despite a dip in 2019, global investments in edtech have registered an average 45 percent CAGR for the past five years and still grew 30 percent from 2020 to 2021. It’s an exciting sector to be in, but players may want to keep a close eye on how it develops.
Saurabh Sanghvi and Marius Westhoff Mckinsey Five-trends-to-watch-in-the-edtech-industry
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