How Educational Technology Makes Learning Easier

In the last couple of decades, technology has developed and still is developing, faster than ever. The achievements of modern technology proved to be extremely useful, especially during lockdowns. Many areas of our lives have improved in their quality because of our smartphones, electric cars, WiFi, etc. However, the area that has probably been transformed the most is education. The transition from traditional to virtual classrooms has been a great achievement, bringing benefits to both the teachers and the students. The way we learn has changed, making it possible for anyone to reach their full potential and become proficient in their area of expertise. Here is how educational technology has made learning much easier and more efficient. 

Students are more engaged

In the traditional manner of teaching and learning, the teacher delivers the lesson, instructs students on what pages from the textbook they should read, and sometimes assigns homework. In this situation, the student is mostly passively receiving information and then repeating it on a test or exam. On the other hand, educational technology helps learners engage more. While the professor is there to guide and help, students research, analyze, find relevant information on their own, and even make their own opinions regarding certain matters. Moreover, with the help of online quizzes or fun games for pupils in the primary and secondary education levels, every student gets a chance to participate in the class and contribute. All this makes it easier for young people to acquire knowledge, unlike the traditional methods, which many consider outdated and even boring. The new, modern approach to education creates highly motivated students who will also have more confidence in themselves and their professional skills. 

Easily available resources

Many students know the trouble when they need a specific book to prepare for an exam, but they cannot find the book in the university library or the bookshops. Educational technology has helped in this area as well, as it is easy to find any book in electronic format nowadays and read it from your laptop or smartphone. Not only books, but many additional resources are now at the disposal of students. For example, if you study at McMaster University, let’s say, and weren’t able to go to a certain lecture but need the notes from that class, you can easily find them online. With the help of your laptop and the Internet, you can get detailed McMaster transcripts from basically any lecture and subject. Written by students who attended the class in question, this kind of notes help you not only prepare for the exam, but also learn faster, as you won’t waste time calling your friends to check if they were in class and collecting notes from different people. Moreover, there are virtual clouds that serve as a place where students and teachers can upload relevant materials so that everyone has access to them. And the best thing is that your access to different notes, textbooks, and books doesn’t have to be limited to a particular school or university, as online you can find useful and helpful documents from all over the world.

Learn anywhere, anytime

Remote learning is an option that has reached its peak popularity during the pandemic. Being able to listen to lectures, take exams, deliver presentations, etc. from your living room is nowadays considered quite normal, but it wouldn’t be so without the help of educational technology. Remote classrooms made it possible for students to attend a class not only from their homes, but from a favorite coffee shop, while visiting family, or even while on vacation. Having online courses or attending lectures remotely has also made education available to a wider specter of people. For instance, working parents with full-time jobs found it quite difficult to organize their time to actually go to university. With the remote option, studying became immensely easier for them, as they can read notes and watch video presentations when they have finished all other duties of the day. Additionally, video calls with the teachers help these students get one-on-one time and ask questions, without feeling like they are falling behind their peers. What is more, online classrooms deleted the condition of having to go to a university that is nearby your home. Before, many students who wanted to attend Columbia, Southampton, or McMaster University weren’t able to do so, because they could not afford to move to a new city. Now, with the advancements in technology, you can easily get your desired degree from the university of your choice, as long as you have a laptop and stable WiFi connection. 

To sum up, we can say that learning has truly never been more interesting and easier. Educational technology gives a lot of freedom, as well as responsibility, to the student. Of course, teachers are still an essential part of any learning process, but they now have more time and resources to create high-quality classes and dedicate themselves to the individual needs of their students. As a result, we have confident future professionals who enjoy learning and will thrive working in their chosen field.