Essay Topics
Changing the face of education: 5 trends in technology
Changing the face of education: 5 trends in technology
Blackboards are out; Smart Boards are in.
For those who haven't set foot in a classroom in a few years, schools may seem a bit like a foreign land. Educational technology has radically transformed how students learn today, and it isn't just those enrolled in online schools who are noticing the difference.
Whether a child attends a traditional classroom, a blended program or a college online, here are five trends edu-tech experts are noticing as educational technology continues to impact schools everywhere. Here are five ways that ed tech is changing the face, and pace of education today.
1. Mobile devices in every classroom
The idea of providing all students with laptops has been bandied about in some quarters for nearly a decade. However, technology has finally hit the point where providing mobile devices such as laptops, netbooks, smart phones and tablets no longer seems like an unattainable dream. What's more, these devices seem to be well on their way to replacing the traditional computer lab.
According to a 2010 report from Project RED, mobile devices make up 45 percent of all computing devices used in schools. In addition, nearly a quarter of schools have a 1:1 ratio of devices to students when it comes to providing mobile technology for use in the classroom.
It also appears devices such as tablets are quickly replacing laptops as the educational technology of choice. In its second quarter earnings call, Apple reported it had doubled its sales of iPads to high schools and colleges with a million units sold. For comparison, the company said it sold 500,000 MacBook laptops to schools during the same period.
2. Mandatory online coursework
Virtual learning may be shifting from an option to a requirement in some regions of the country. The Evergreen Education Group found in its 2012 annual report on virtual learning that five states currently
Changing the face of education: 5 trends in technology
Blackboards are out; Smart Boards are in.
For those who haven't set foot in a classroom in a few years, schools may seem a bit like a foreign land. Educational technology has radically transformed how students learn today, and it isn't just those enrolled in online schools who are noticing the difference.
Whether a child attends a traditional classroom, a blended program or a college online, here are five trends edu-tech experts are noticing as educational technology continues to impact schools everywhere. Here are five ways that ed tech is changing the face, and pace of education today.
1. Mobile devices in every classroom
The idea of providing all students with laptops has been bandied about in some quarters for nearly a decade. However, technology has finally hit the point where providing mobile devices such as laptops, netbooks, smart phones and tablets no longer seems like an unattainable dream. What's more, these devices seem to be well on their way to replacing the traditional computer lab.
According to a 2010 report from Project RED, mobile devices make up 45 percent of all computing devices used in schools. In addition, nearly a quarter of schools have a 1:1 ratio of devices to students when it comes to providing mobile technology for use in the classroom.
It also appears devices such as tablets are quickly replacing laptops as the educational technology of choice. In its second quarter earnings call, Apple reported it had doubled its sales of iPads to high schools and colleges with a million units sold. For comparison, the company said it sold 500,000 MacBook laptops to schools during the same period.
2. Mandatory online coursework
Virtual learning may be shifting from an option to a requirement in some regions of the country. The Evergreen Education Group found in its 2012 annual report on virtual learning that five states currently