In our lives, we learn new things and implement them in our daily routine to change the way we live and are used to carrying out tasks. Learning and education are lifetime processes with no definite time to start or stop. We start learning things from the time we are born. A baby learns about his/her environment by adapting to things around him. He starts speaking walking writing by learning it from their parents or others. Learning is an innate property of human beings and to seek knowledge is our hunger to make the learned things better each time. Education thus plays an important role in defining what a person learns and how he implements that learned knowledge into something beneficial for himself and for others.
Today with the advancement of technology, the influenced and enhanced sector leveraging on the technological advancements in the Education sector. Globally education is being positively influenced by the progress of information technology. IT has made lives easier and thus made fascinating changes in the traditional methods of learning. Teachers and students both have become technology savvy and feel comfortable in using smart devices for educational purposes because these enabled gadgets to provide stop information faster than ever.
It is very important to spread valid and authentic information everywhere because that is only how we can cope with the global illiteracy rate. In this time of need, Information technology has the magnificent ability to spread information faster around the globe. The use of Information technology for educational purposes is and can do wonders in the field of education. IT makes it easier for people and children to learn anything anywhere and anytime. This technology cuts down the cost of acquiring and accessing educational material.
The only challenge we are facing right now is IT comes with a cost making people unaware of the educational technologies they can benefit from but it does not mean the circumstances are the same everywhere. There are many countries that have made Information technology an integral part of their education system. They are using It to help children comprehend and grab concepts in a better way as compared to the traditional methods. Some of the benefits Children and teachers achieve from technology are described below.
Information technology has made both teaching and learning easier:
IT with its capabilities to transform has transformed traditional teaching methods into innovative ones. Now teachers and students both find themselves more engaged in the lessons than before. Teachers have eased to show and make them understand complex topics and concepts with the help of audio and video lessons and students are more engaged during lessons and comprehend them better than with only textbooks. Information Technology has made boring classroom lessons into more interactive ones, now teachers and students can take benefit from the digitalization of the education methodology.
Information Technology helps the teachers and administration to keep track of all students in classroom:
The use of Information Technology has given rise to process automation. Now the old task that used to take place on files and bulky registers, now have come on a single computer. Institutions can archive student and teacher databases on these computer files and can use them to assess and keep track of their student’s performance. With these tracks and records students and parents can be kept updated on their performances and teachers can point out to those students who are weak in some subjects and can help them by providing extra time, attention, and notes to them. On the other hand, students who have shown good steady performance throughout the year can be appreciated and motivated to work even harder to achieve their goals in life. Most of the institutions in the world are using Google Classroom for this purpose.
Education using Digital Books:
With the digitalization of the education sector, Students and teachers both are motivated and encouraged to use information technology in their studies. Students now can access information faster and conveniently and prepare for their lessons and tests easily. Now students are encouraged to submit their tests, assignments, and homework using technology. Teachers now have started giving students Ebooks, that they can read anywhere whether they are home or out. These digital books are easier to read and carry in a cell phone or a tablet than other traditional paper books. The use of E-books has played a crucial role in saving resources and the environment.
IT has made education fun and entertaining:
In this digital age, everyone around is tech-savvy and knows how to use technology. Children of today know how to use mobile and tablets and computers for playing games and other entertainment purposes but this technology can be used to achieve educational goals too.
This energy to use information technology for other purposes can be directed in a positive direction by using platforms like Facebook and Whatsapp groups for students where they can discuss topics with other classmates at any time of the day and get answers to their queries on these forums.
Information Technology has made Access to Research and information much easier:
Before the introduction of IT in the realm of education, it was really hard to get our hands on old and new research and information. But now the students and teachers can benefit from the tools that technology provides and get their hands on the latest research. The old methods of going through every book in the library have been revolutionized with the advent of mobiles and computers now students can find data and research material on various websites. They can see video tutorials on YouTube and can see Google articles for subject-related information.
Information Technology has made group studies and Assignments much easier:
IT has exposed so many ways of conducting educational methodologies in a more efficient and smart way. The classroom discussions have become more effective with the use of information technology tools, students can now participate in discussions on social media platforms, unlike traditional methods where classroom discussions used to be a total mess and everyone stayed perplexed about the ongoing topic of discussion. The collaboration and communication between students and teachers have been enhanced due to these online platforms where they can upload their tasks, work out on assignments, pose questions, and discuss educational topics with other students.
IT has made Education Accessible for all the students:
Technology has enabled students to learn anywhere in the world. They have wide access to information around the globe. Long-distance learning has made students attend online classes and take online courses anywhere in the world. This has been made possible by the availability of cheap broadband internet all over the world. In the past students had to go through a tiring and expensive process of moving to other countries to take those courses.
But Nowadays, students have access to courses online globally. Many universities have introduced their online educational curriculum to the world such as Harvard and Oxford and with a minimal fee, students can be part of that university while sitting at a remote location. These students take the same exams tests and assignments and are marked by the same teachers in those universities.
Breakthrough Technologies AR/VR for Educational Purposes:
Today the information technology has brought breakthrough technologies into the market. These technologies are now being used in the educational sector too for giving an immersive study experience to the students. Students now take augmented reality and virtual reality courses and participate in virtual field trips through virtual reality headsets. Institutes are introducing VR/AR courses in which students can take part and experience the literal material in a more practical and advanced way.
There are multiple educational technology companies that use cheap VR headsets such as Google Cardboards, to give students an opportunity to take part in Virtual Field Trips to places like Mars surface, The Great Barrier Reef, and The Great Pyramid of Giza. These tours include digitally immersed components like texts, narrations, and panoramic images, and other study materials for more elaboration.
Plenty of Educational Resources:
IT has made it convenient to access academic material at any time and anywhere. With the help of Information technology students and teachers, can acquire, discuss, and exchange academic material. Using computers and tablets teachers can provide online classes and audio-video lessons to their students. The Internet has made this world a global village and its impacts are not any lesser on educational resources. Now students can attend their lectures in online classrooms. The costs have been cut down because now we do not need anything physical to attend a classroom, read a book or take exams or tests, all can be done with a computer and a broadband connection.
Instant Access to Educational Information:
Technology has made the exchange and expansion of information faster than ever. New technologies such as smartphones, tablets, and super-fast computers have opened new doors to access academic data and resources. IT engineers have now developed smart study applications that every student can use to acquire education and information rapidly. These applications are now replacing traditional classroom methodologies such as borrowing books from libraries, now students can use Online Library mobile applications and download digital books in the form of E-book that they can use any time without wasting time to rummage through educational material in libraries.
Helping with the reports:
Information technology has a contribution in analyzing the growth, productivity, and learning outcomes of the students. It has made it handy for educational institutions to manage the monthly reports of all students on campus and online. Now teachers and parents can evaluate their students and make better future decisions for them. Reports are an integral part of schools but generating them manually is a very hectic task and comes with high a probability of errors. But using IT in their daily operations teachers can easily manage such laborious tasks in just a few hours and are able to provide a deeper insight into each student’s performance and academic record.