Tech and Education

Since the pandemic, technology is now deeply intertwined with education all over the world. Accessing education only online for the better part of the past two years has led us to realise the massive benefits and potential to not only aid but enhance education.

By following a hybrid model which combines the best of online and offline modes of education, educational institutions are taking full advantage and are providing the best education possible.

Furthermore, having education available online has made it much more accessible to children who were earlier stopped due to lack of resources, transport and/or infrastructure.

Let us look at how the educational institutions and systems in some countries are integrating tech into their daily teaching.

UAE

Technology adoption in education is becoming common in the UAE with smart classrooms, digital screens, online classrooms, and ebooks, the UAE is revamping its educational system edutech aims to empower children with the latest practices and educational reforms. Schools in the UAE have adapted technology into the curriculum for several years now, but a new study has revealed that 52 per cent of schools have fully integrated them into classrooms. However, only 28 per cent of schools have built technology into the curriculum so far. In conclusion, the technology and education in UAE would further be developed in the future.

Sweden

Technology is helping the world develop. Lots of schools in Sweden think so too, by giving students a chance to explore their creativity through electronic devices where a lot more

information can be accessed easily compared to using pens and paper.

Few schools in Stockholm encourage their students to use apps to create posters online for school activities. They say that when children use paper they could make mistakes that demotivate them which causes them to stop working on the project. By using digital means, they can erase their mistakes and look for more ways to enhance their projects which helps their creativity and motivates them to do more.

Schools provide students with laptops or iPads as a lot of students could have the issue of not owning a laptop. This is also useful because they don’t have the issue of losing work

and progress. It also helps students to be more digitally aware. This way, teachers can also keep a regular check on students'; progress.

Suss Forssman Thullberg is the Information and Communication Department for the Swedish National Agency for School Improvement. She strongly believes that students

should use ICT (information and communications technology).

She implements that Sweden has been using ICT since the 1900s. the Swedish government has spent $170 million on developing the hardware so that schools could have broadband and strong internet connections. Once the hardware was developed, it was given to the schools who then had the responsibility of developing ICT which makes it an everyday experience.

USA

Across the country, there is increased use of technology in schools. Digital learning is starting to replace the classic paper and pencil method. Technology is a powerful tool that makes it easier for teachers to create instructional material and enables people to work with others in ways unimaginable 20 years ago. Most exams and tests are taken online because grading is instant. Almost all students get access to iPads or laptops through school to submit homework assignments, attend online classes and have special access to platforms only available to districts. Billions of free online resources are open for students to use; even those with limited access to devices at home. Students from all over the world can communicate with each other and share their new learning and collaborate on interactive tools such as Google Docs.

In my school district, students receive iPads in 5th grade and get new ones at the start of 9th grade. These iPads are purely for educational purposes. We use Microsoft as our main program and have access to Word, PowerPoint, Excel, etc. under a paid plan by the district. All communication between students, teachers, and other staff occurs through the accounts. Everything is completely secure, so students are not able to message people outside of district emails. All assignments are posted on an app called Canvas where we can submit or download the proper documents. Although most of our work is done online, there are always options to work on paper - it is purely a student’s choice. As a high schooler, I believe that technology is very convenient and useful in a learning environment since we are only a couple of clicks away from any information needed. Education is now available at everyone's fingertips, so why not take full advantage of it?

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Authors

• Shivika Varshney: USA

• Adithi Natarajan: Sweden

• Anika Varshney: UAE