|
The idea of learning remotely using technology is nothing new. Correspondence courses were first offered by mail back in 1728. In 1858, the University of London was the world's first university to offer complete degrees through distance learning. In the 1950’s the School of the Air was developed in Australia so children in the remote outback could learn through radio broadcasts. Today, of course, the big innovation in education is the use of the Internet and other digital technologies to enhance education and streamline school communication. From textbooks loaded onto Kindles and iPads, to tutors accessible by text message, modern technology is not only transforming distance learning, it's also changing the way students, parents, teachers and administrators communicate. Here are a few inspiring examples of how modern technology is changing the face of both distance learning and school management around the world. 1. Skype Brings the World to Your Classroom Skype is looking to connect educators, experts and students with their Skype in the Classroom program. One way classrooms are using Skype is to bring guest speakers to their class who otherwise might never be able to visit. For example, imagine a video conference in a rural eighth grade classroom with a national expert on climate change. Such an expert might never be able to make the trip to the rural area for a one-hour discussion with a class of eighth graders, but with Skype, the expert can stay in his or her office and travel to that classroom remotely. 2. Blackboard Software Makes Everything Easier Another company that's betting that the school of the future will need to rely upon everything from social media to virtual classrooms is Blackboard. Blackboard offers schools a range of technologies not only to provide high-tech distance learning environments, but also to manage school communications, grade reporting, student enrollment, content management, faculty training, and a host of other solutions for the modern school or university. Notable Blackboard clients include the University of California at Chico, Tulane University and the U.S. military. 3. Google Apps for Education Makes the IT Department Smile In its ongoing effort to make itself ubiquitous and indispensable, Google has been offering educators a free software suite called Google Apps for Education since 2006. Like Skype, Google's education apps can be utilized to offer video conferencing, virtual field trips, and bringing guest speakers from halfway around the world into the classroom. Like Blackboard, Google's education apps can also help to free up the school system's IT department by providing email, calendar, and document storage solutions. Technologies offered by companies like Skype, Blackboard and Google promise to transform the way students are educated and the way schools are run. Just as online classrooms already utilize chat rooms and screen sharing now, classrooms of the future will include Internet-based video conferencing on an iPad, emergency weather notifications via Twitter, and virtual study groups that rely on Skype or Google Video. Are you a classroom teacher, an online university professor, or a student who relies upon some of the technologies listed above? Share your experiences with how technology is changing the face of education. Sources: Blackboard. http://www.blackboard.com/ Google Apps for Education. http://www.google.com/apps/intl/en/edu/ Skype in the Classroom. http://education.skype.com/ Wikipedia. “Distance Learning.” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Distance_education With years in the education vertical under her belt, Crystal now writes about the benefits of higher and continuing education. Westwood College's School of Technology trains students in the specialized skills needed in the fast-growing technology industry. If technology is your passion you’ll enjoy browsing through our program descriptions to find the degree program that caters to your interests.
Related Articles -
education technology, new education technology, education,
| 
