Today's students are encountering more technology in the classroom than ever before, from interactive whiteboards to video conferencing tools and e-learning platforms. In recent years, educational technology has transformed how students learn and how teachers teach, helping many educators to create more immersive learning environments.
But as technology grows in the classroom, it has become increasingly important to nurture digital skills in both teachers and students to ensure they get as much value as possible out of educational technology solutions.
But what is educational technology, what are some of its benefits and what does its future look like?
What is education technology?
Educational technology, or ed tech as it’s commonly referred to, is technology specifically designed and used to facilitate learning and improve student performance and engagement.
During the last decade, educational technology has grown, as smart classrooms pop up in schools across the country and tablets and laptops become the norm in many classrooms. In 2020, according to Grand View Research, the global educational technology market size was valued at nearly $90 billion and is expected to grow by nearly 20% from 2021 to 2028.
What are the benefits of educational technology?
During the pandemic, educational technology became a lifeline for millions of students participating in remote learning. Nearly 93% of American households with school-age kids had children who participated in some form of distance learning, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
There are a number of benefits of educational technology, according to the eLearning Industry. For students, some of those benefits include:
- Allowing students to access the internet from anywhere at any time.
- Helping students learn news skills and acquire new knowledge.
- Helping students stay up to date with new technological advances.
But educational technology also offers a number of benefits for teachers, according to the eLearning Industry. Some of those benefits include:
- Enabling teachers, just like students, to access information from anywhere at any time.
- Helping teachers track student progress.
- Helping to make it easier to teach difficult concepts.
While technology in education can help to improve the learning experience—along with the skills and experience of dedicated teachers—educational technology isn't a cure-all. Teachers, students and schools also need resources and support to improve how they use these tools.
Preparing for the future of education
As the educational technology landscape expands, schools will need resources like next-generation education portals to help ensure teachers and students are better equipped to use educational technology solutions. Although how students learn may be changing, technology in education can help to nurture a more collaborative, inclusive and engaging learning environment that better serves students of all backgrounds, geographies and learning styles.
Now that you have an answer to the question, “what is educational technology?” along with an understanding of some of its benefits and what the future may hold, discover ways Verizon solutions are supporting K-12 education and read the FAQs below to learn more.
The author of this content is a paid contributor for Verizon.
FAQ
Educational technology is designed to facilitate learning and meet the changing needs of students in the information age.
Over time, integrated distance learning platforms to facilitate hybrid and remote learning, along with mobile hotspot solutions and robust wireless connectivity, have become more important for ensuring learning continuity and expanding access to education in different environments.