Technology

Parents often say that TV isn’t educational and will melt your brain, figuratively of course. But that isn’t true. Today we have many educational channels like PBS and National Geographic. But it was much earlier that this began. The Ford Foundation was important in the creation of educational TV. In the 1950s, television started to be considered for a teaching device, even setting aside 242 educational channels”. Although later in the 1980s it lost traction and funding thanks to the highly favored computers. “U.S. Commissioner of Education Earl James McGrath, declared, ‘Through the use of television, educational institutions will be able to bring the greatest teachers, the finest artists, scientists, and philosophers into schools and homes.’”

In 2020, with the influx of advancements in technology, there is an increasing need of engineers. Technology like the 3D printer can help with the education & development of trade skills. “...we also need new education and training programs to raise a new generation of industrial designers".

AR has made great strides in recent years, and therefore its abilities in education have too. “Autodesk has recently been 3D scanning the historic Apollo 11 lunar module, which has slowly been degrading over time. Capturing that data allows us to preserve a digital copy of the Apollo 11 — but more importantly it allows us to share it with others for educational purposes. When combined with AR and VR capabilities, this means students in classrooms around the country — and around the world — can virtually step into the Apollo 11 and experience it for themselves".

VR has the capability to technically transport you into a new world which helps engagement in a lesson thanks to the virtual hands-on interaction. It helps students by providing an immersive, interactive experience. For one, it has helped students with autism and other learning difficulties, “A 2007 study showed that children with autism could effectively apply skills they had learned in a virtual environment — like fire and street/road safety — to the real world”. And VR can also help with social and communication skills. A start-up called Floreo uses VR technology to help students with autism practice interacting with others and more.

Games are at least one of kids’ favorite things, and gamification has brought gaming into education. An app called Duolingo utilizes gaming to teach languages. A feature of duolingo is its “timed task-based game” with rewards and varying levels. However, there is some debate about how gamification really impacts students, “While educators are likely to focus on how gamification keeps students engaged and self-motivated, critics point out that embedding entertainment into learning can make students more easily distracted”. Still though, it has definitely impacted the way we learn. And although we don’t know its long-term effects, - if used right it - it provides a nice break from regular school work.

As is common knowledge, 2020 has totally changed education. So, education had to adapt. And in that adaption came the spectacular rise of learning platforms like Canvas. Canvas is similar to google classroom - an organization tool for students; for assignments, announcements, classes, etc.

“The education industry is experimenting with artificial intelligence (AI) applications…” AI can also prove helpful for students in overcoming language barriers in education. For example, Microsoft’s Presentation Translator is an AI tool that provides real-time subtitles for presentations and lectures. Students can hear or read these in their native language.

This has been an element in some of the other topics here, but the internet was also actually invented in the 20th century. It helped launch future innovations like the previously mentioned computer.“The Internet is also one of the most useful and remarkable inventions of the 20th century. Today, computers are used in nearly all fields like in education, defense, robotics, banking, telecommunication, etc".

In 2020 through early 2021, students have been forced to stay home for the most part. And the ways students have connected have changed. It is now through online video calls, like Zoom. To put it simply, apps like Zoom skyrocketed. This is shown when Zoom went from 10 million daily users in December of 2020 to over 300 million daily users around April of 2020. And it is still being used daily in 2021. Needless to say, online communication like Zoom plays a heavy role in keeping the school community connected.