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EdTech projects that the total amount that will be invested in markets all over the world will be 87 billion dollars. What exactly is meant by the abbreviation "EdTech" (which stands for "educational technology")? Why is it difficult to see today's educational system functioning without the use of digital technology? This is the first essay in a series of many that will discuss various instructional technology.
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The breakthroughs that have been made in information technology are increasingly taking up a greater portion of our everyday lives. We can now place orders for anything, from meals to cab rides to home goods to even water, buy assignment online, using our iPhones. This includes placing orders for water. Information technology has allowed whole companies to become operational, as well as the flight of helicopters and the planning of new home construction.
The computerization of education also did not avoid this. There is little doubt that the use of technological tools such as iPads, computer classrooms, and interactive whiteboards has affected the learning process. On the other hand, this calls for far more in-depth research.
What is the EdTech market?
The term "educational technology" is abbreviated as "EdTech." The term "EdTech" refers to a market that encompasses all of the companies, developers, and academic institutions that provide items and technology to improve educational procedures.
A little more than a quarter of the total population of the globe is now enrolled in some kind of educational program. When you include continuing education for adults and personal development, it becomes abundantly evident that the education technology (EdTech) industry is one of the most promising markets for companies involved in contemporary technology. EdTech companies exist for the sole purpose of turning a profit by improving some aspect of the educational system in some way, be it the construction of global online learning centers or virtual reality technology.
These improvements can range from payment systems for education to improved communication between schools and parents. The development of these technologies is proceeding at a dizzying speed, and they are already successfully competing with all other educational resources. As a result, the most important skill for a contemporary educator is the capacity to maintain a healthy equilibrium while making use of educational technologies that have been developed by hundreds of EdTech startups and organizations located all over the world. As a result of this, it is essential for educators to stay abreast of the latest developments in the field of educational technology.
"The brain learns better than the machine… so far»
The world is now home to a plethora of different types of instructional technologies. On the basis of what criteria can we construct a list, and which of the hundreds of others may we choose? In the majority of situations, we care about how well things turn out. But let's take a look at the industry from the perspective of the cognitive processes that companies are trying to stimulate.
Rethinking reading: novelty and accessibility
The accessibility of knowledge has been the factor that has caused the most dramatic change in the educational system over the course of the past three decades. The unrestricted availability of the new knowledge is among the most crucial factors in determining the level of success that will be achieved by the newly discovered and comprehended information.
For instance, Suspicious stream is comparable to Netflix in terms of the educational content it provides. There are hundreds of documentaries and instructional programs available, providing lots of opportunities to concentrate on educational content.
However, I would want to discuss about Newsela in more detail. This online platform provides youngsters from elementary school all the way up to high school with articles on current events that are written at several reading levels. At least three articles from well-known American publications and news agencies are added to Newsela's collection of current events each and every day. Newsela rewrites all of the news articles so that they are intelligible at five different levels, beginning with those appropriate for third graders and progressing all the way up to those suitable for adults (for 12th grade).
Are the benefits real?
But does this make it possible for teachers to make the most effective use of technology in the classroom, and for students to acquire the skills and capabilities necessary to succeed in today's complex world?
In most cases, the answer is no. There is no denying the importance of computer technology, and the globe has witnessed a number of initiatives funded by governments to buy computer equipment for educational institutions; yet, this technique suffers from two significant drawbacks.
- The very first issue is that the park that it self is growing increasingly antiquated. As a result of the lightning-fast rate at which technology develops, even a computer course that gives the impression of having been updated only a year or two ago may already be considered antiquated and part of an ongoing process.
- The second thing to keep in mind is that the children who are currently a part of generation Z want more than just information; they want an explanation of why they require it, how they can put it to use, and what they may anticipate from it in the future.
The most important obstacle that education must overcome is recapturing the enthusiasm of the younger generation in academic pursuits.
The goal is to control attention
Attention is a complex mechanism. We have previously gone through strategies to get people's attention through novelty, and ways to strengthen selective attention through the relevance of societal issues. Having the ability to carefully concentrate one's attention on the issues that are most important is, nevertheless, one of the major goals of education. So, finally, the business Akili Interactive has come out with what is not quite an educational startup called EndeavorRX.
It is the first video game that the Food and Drug Administration of the United States (FDA) has ever approved for use as a treatment for children ages 8 to 12 who have ADHD (ADHD). In order to accomplish this goal, the option had to be approved by five separate clinical studies, each of which established that daily play for a duration of twenty-five minutes significantly decreased the symptoms of ADHD.
This outcome informs us once again: we are really enthused about what information and skills our children should learn. But the search of knowledge should not slip out of the logic of children's mental growth, where play is a significant component in developing the brain and mind. It has been shown that a child's inability to cope with change, lack of self-control, and increased susceptibility to addictions are all caused by a lack of playful behavior.
In fact, games have been shown to boost even highly specialized abilities like reading. It is previously established that active video games enhance reading abilities in youngsters with dyslexia. But there have been recent studies demonstrating that action games are an excellent method to increase your learning skills in the long term.