Since the beginning of the human race, humans have been learning in some form or another. The first schools were started in Ancient Greece. They took place in storefronts and under trees.
Students used papyrus to learn how to read and write. Education has become much more evolved since those days. A major catalyst for the evolution of education is technology.
Of all the aspects of life that technology has revolutionized, education is the most important and well-known.
#1 Online Education
Higher education is a must in today’s economy. A bachelor’s degree no longer stands out to hiring managers. However, you most likely do not have the desire or ability to stay in school until you are almost 25 years old.
On-campus programs do not have the ability to cater to working adults. The internet makes it possible for you to earn a degree that you may not otherwise be able to earn if it were not for the flexibility and convenience of online education.
Earning a degree online eliminates the need to worry about class schedules, commuting, and fitting in homework and studying.
#2 Test Prep
Preparing for an important standardized test takes time. While test prep classes are offered in most communities, you may not have the time or money to sit through an in-person test prep program.
The internet offers resources (e.g. practice tests, games, study guides, etc.) that are often free or low-cost to prepare for the MCAT and other standardized tests.
Having free or low-cost test prep resources right at your fingertips is excellent because the MCAT costs several hundred dollars to take each time and the cost for other standardized tests quickly adds up if you need to keep retaking them. Another example of this is being able to prepare with Medify. Services like these allow many medical students to pass their exams every year.
#3 Test Taking
Waiting for your grade can be a nail-biting experience because the instructor can have hundreds of papers to grade.
Many online, on-campus programs and test-taking companies are gravitating towards tests being administered online to be graded automatically to eliminate the cost of hiring people to grade papers and/or deliver your score faster or even instantaneously.
#4 Simulations
Lectures are boring and do not help students retain as much information as hands-on and visual experiences. Certain topics (e.g. planets, volcanos, and tornados) need to be shown to students to be explained.
Technology allows certain topics to be simulated to provide students with a visual and hands-on learning experience.
#5 Real-World Exploration
Learning is not limited to the classroom. You may desire to do further research into an interesting topic that is taught in the classroom. You can access an unyielding amount of information on any topic through the internet. You just have to be wary of the source.
#6 Communication/Online Tutoring
You may need to contact their instructors throughout the day and evening to ask them questions or raise concerns about assignments, class schedules, due dates, etc. There are several smartphone apps that allow students to text their instructors without revealing the phone number of either party.
An email also makes it possible for students and instructors to communicate at any time. Many schools, colleges, universities, and online organizations are making online tutoring available to students to help them increase their understanding of a topic or guide them through an assignment.
What ways do you use technology for education?
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