The future of education no longer revolves around chalkboards and textbooks. The digital era is moving toward a place where schools and teachers can take advantage of technology as a sustainable platform to educate the future generations. Schools are becoming ‘paperless’ and adopting sustainable ways they can improve the learning environment for students. There are various technological tools, applications and programs that are continuously being developed and upgraded to enhance the learning environment for students and to prepare them for the future of work when they graduate and enter the workforce. Here are the top technological tools that will continue to shift the way of learning and stands as sustainable education platforms for the future.
- Online tutoring
When parents seek further educational assistance for their child, the first option they look out for is to hire a private tutor. However, for a tutor to travel to a student’s home or for a student to travel to an after-school tuition centre is not only costly but it is also time inefficient for both the student and the tutor. Online tutoring is becoming an increasingly popular contemporary approach to learning support where platforms such as Cluey Learning focus an entire program around the needs of your child. Whether they need help catching up to the class or to stay on top, online private tutoring provides a supportive learning environment from the online educational delivery through expert tutors.
- Smart tablets
Rather than simply using desktop computers and laptops, schools are finding more ways to get their students engaged with class content by using various platforms to access learning material. Smart tablets such as Samsung’s Galaxy Tab or Apple’s iPad are popular tools used in schools where students are able to access learning material, use educational applications as well as create documents and creative art. As smartphones and tablets are commonly used devices in various industries, introducing smart tablets to students is an effective way transitioning tools used on multiple devices, and allows students to adapt to new technological advances in the future.
- Online courses
Since the future of work is continuously changing, job roles are constantly shifting with new jobs being introduced every year. To stay up to date with the changes and demands of the current and future industry, teachers will need to become qualified in subject areas that have never been relevant in previous years. Subject areas such as coding, digital marketing and management will always be required to be kept up to date where teachers’ past qualifications can easily be outdated. Educators can enrol in online courses such as Codecademy, Upskilledand Skillshareto upgrade their knowledge and skills to ensure that they provide learning material that aligns with the updates of the current workplace.
- Online chatrooms
Online chatrooms are an effective tool that increases the confidence of students to engage in class discussion. Students can anonymously ask questions in a safe, shared space without being embarrassed about speaking up and concerned of asking a ‘silly question’. This is a fun and interactive way to initiate class participation where teachers can become creative with using online chatrooms
- 3D printing
3D printing is a new form of technology that has been recently introduced in schools to enhance the learning environment. This involves printing out a model that has been created from a software which can be made by using any material and constructed into a product. 3D printing aims to enhance the engagement and interaction of the classroom as the 3D shapes can be felt directly and viewed in 360 degrees. The model can be better understood by students as the object is exhibited physically as opposed to viewing the virtual version from a desktop computer. This enables a realistic and tangible model that can enhance the learning process. This can be used when referring to equations and models in science as well as shapes and figures in mathematics. In the future, we may be seeing the use of 4D models as well as virtual reality to enhance the learning space for students in classrooms.
- Digital drawing pens
Wacom drawing pens are a great way for teachers to draw diagrams, graphs and images onto the board without having to physically move in front of the interactive whiteboard. The digital drawing stylus is easy to use and fitted to your hand, similar to a pen. This tool is an effective technology to invest into any classroom especially subjects such as maths and arts where drawing and is highly required. Digital drawing is also a form of creative art that students are adopting when looking to create digital art rather than the traditional forms of painting. Industries such as graphic design and animation require the use of digital art tablet and drawing pens that will then be saved and uploaded or printed.
No matter what lies ahead for the future of education, schools must stay on top of learning processes through enhancing technology to enable a sustainable education platform for future generations. Which technological tools do you think are the most effective sustainable platforms to drive the future of education?
