How has online
education revolutionised the world?
Answers
Answer:
For better or worse, we’re living in a technology-driven world. Since the internet exploded onto the scene in the ’80s and ’90s, became accessible to the average family in the early 2000s, and eventually began to fit into our pocket with the development of smartphones, it’s safe to say technology is on an upward trajectory, and it shows no sign of slowing down anytime soon.
Today, the internet dominates many aspects of our life. We’re so used to it that we don’t even think about all the areas it touches. It helps us communicate with our friends and family. It’s an invaluable tool in the kitchen as we look up recipes and ingredients. If we’re attempting DIY repairs on our car, we might look up a tutorial on YouTube. We access our entertainment online. Whenever we have any question, from the most mundane to the most complicated, we ask the internet.
There’s one facet of our life, however, where we might not often think about the effects of technology, and that’s the realm of education. Today, we want to spend some time examining how technology has found its way into the halls of schools across the country and around the globe, and all the ways technology has changed education.
How Does Technology Impact Education?
In many ways, education has not changed at all. The foundational system is still in place. A teacher instructs a student or a group of students, who use their studies to learn to become members of society. A few will then go on to become teachers themselves, and pass their knowledge along to the next generation. Books are frequent educational tools, and students will read these, write essays, reword my essay, conduct research, participate in debates and projects, and even gain hands-on experience that will help them better understand and navigate the world and their future careers.
While much of this tried-and-true model still exists today, changes are popping up. So how has technology affected education today? Let’s look at a few of the most common ways.
1. Greater Accessibility
In the past, students and teachers alike needed to be physically present in the same location for learning to take place. Thanks to the way internet technology allows for instant and convenient communication over great distances at the click of a button, this is no longer the case.
How has technology changed learning? In the realms of higher education, it has led to the exciting possibility of online degrees. Established traditional schools now offer some of their courses online, while other schools have sprung up that operate entirely online, with students and teachers never once meeting face to face. In primary and secondary schools, this same technology allows for cyber-schooling, where children can complete their work from the comfort and convenience of home.
Online schooling such as these examples has helped immensely in breaking down geographic barriers that have long prevented many students from reaching certain educational institutions. For example, imagine someone who wants to study a highly specific program only available at one school across the country, but is unable to attend due to family commitments that don’t allow her to uproot her life and move. Thanks to online education, she can now complete her degree.
2. Increased Flexibility
The idea of flexibility due to the internet goes hand in hand with improved accessibility. Online classes have freed students from having to attend school at specified times, something that is often impossible due to work or family responsibilities. Instead, course materials are available online, and students have the freedom to study and complete classwork whenever their schedule permits. As long as they complete work by the assigned deadline, it’s up to them to plan how to use their time.
Technology has opened the doors of education to many who might otherwise be unable to attend a traditional school. Anyone working full-time, for instance, will now be able to continue their job while getting an education. Parents with young children can also find opportunities to attend school. Kids who are extremely serious about a sport and train for hours during the day now have the freedom to fit their schooling around their busy schedule.
3. Differing Interactions between Teachers and Students
With the development of online educational programs, the interactions between teachers and students have undergone a fundamental shift. There are advocates on both sides of this matter, with some saying this change is for the better and others saying it’s for the worse. Perhaps the most helpful position to take is that this change is neither wholly negative nor entirely positive, and instead has both pros and cons.