by Arthur Meyster, Guest Blogger, CTO of CareerKarma (YC W19)

Education technology is advancing, changing, and improving the educational landscape more and more every year.

Educational technology (Edtech) is graduating beyond word processors and PowerPoint presentations. Technology is enhancing educational methods and improving learning results. It is helping teachers develop better lessons and determine student’s misconceptions. Parents and taxpayers both believe that investing in education is good for their children and communities. This likelihood to spend is giving companies a reason to develop innovative technologies for classrooms. 

Edtech’s larger goal is to improve education. Forward-thinking educators are finding inventive ways to implement technology in their classrooms. Learning programs that engage young learners and new analysis tools for Ph.D. candidates are changing the educational landscape. A lot of the tools used for education have business applications as well. Tech companies often offer free or discounted programs to students in hopes they will continue to use their tools well into their professional careers.

Edtech Trains Students For The Workforce

There isn’t a job that doesn’t require technology of some type. Even farmers and landscapers use technology to improve the efficiencies or outputs of their work. Using technology in schools builds the skills students will use in their professional careers. Companies want to spend as little time and resources as possible on training on new technologies. Students often pick the schools that offer the most training on technological equipment to better market themselves on the job market. 

The best online colleges are built upon the foundation of the best traditional schools. Hiring managers often value degrees based on how esteemed the universities are in public opinions. Acquiring an online degree is a valuable investment for learners who want to attend the top schools but don’t want to relocate. The schools that incorporate educational technologies will be sought after by students and hiring managers.

Edtech Removes Barriers

Technology increases student’s access to education. Online degrees are often cheaper than attending universities in person. Edtech also helps students access more material. Parents have a hard time to remember any algebra despite their best efforts, making it hard to help their children with their homework. The number of resources to help students online is growing substantially, especially during the global pandemic. Some websites will show you the exact steps to solve calculus equations, while others teach principles. 

These online learning resources supplement in-class teaching, allowing struggling students to find the answer to their questions without the help of an adult. Even undergrads pursuing their bachelor’s degree can benefit from the wide availability of resources. The reduction of barriers means more students will move to higher levels of education as they can find the appropriate resources to answer their questions.

Teachers Have More Tools

Edtech is providing teachers with ample methods of teaching their class. Courses can be made by compiling a playlist of YouTube videos on a certain subject. One tool teachers are using to increase the success of their students is analyzing their assessment data. Data processing software allows teachers to quiz their students daily to find the most commonly missed questions. This data is increasing the effectiveness of teachers. 

Edtech programs are helping students to work on the skills they need the most help with. Math and reading programs analyze students’ misconceptions and provide supplemental instruction and practice to boost the needed skills. 

“As a CTE instructor for the BUSD school district, I rely on education technology to supplement my students lesson plans, giving student’s the tools they need to learn more on their own time outside the classroom.”

De Ivett

Teachers can now supplement their instruction by recording lessons to give students access to a second and third viewing. College instructors assign lessons as homework, so class time is spent discussing and applying the lesson.

More Cheating Options

While it is true that students have more options to learn, technology provides students more opportunities to cheat. Programs that solve math problems step-by-step can be used to falsely show a teacher a student has mastered a topic. There are cheap article writing companies that allow students to purchase an article written for them. There are even article writing programs that use artificial intelligence. 

Cheating is hardly a new issue for teachers, and technology also helps teachers catch unethical students. Programs that check for plagiarism help teachers catch students taking the easy way out. Students learn the hard way when they plagiarize or cheat. Students also get exposed when classes are forced to use restricted browsers while taking a test or writing an essay. Teachers can always tell a less-than-honest student who has perfect homework but fails a test.

Education Is Evolving

In education, you get out what you put in. The fastest online degree programs help students quickly build their skills but aren’t the best fit for all learners. Technology gives students more options to achieve their degree. Students can find programs to meet their budget and time frame. 

5D Spectrum develops custom technology platforms for the education market. Find out what we can do for your education technology project!