How is technology changing?
Technology can put the students in control of their own learning and help them find ways of learning that work best for them. It also means they don't have to request help in every class, which can reduce the stigma.
Matt Setchell, IT Services Lead, Lourdes IT
Technology is giving students and teachers more flexibility
Education used to be fairly one-size-fits-all. The teacher would deliver their lesson plan and the students would gather in a classroom to listen.
Technology has given students and teachers more flexibility in terms of how the learning is delivered , where it takes place and what support is available. Students can now interact more easily with teachers and the rest of their class via Google Classroom and Microsoft OneNote - working on their class work or homework remotely at any time, and, depending on the teacher, garner feedback at any time too.
Students who struggle with reading can use Immersive Reader to follow along. Students who can't physically attend can watch remotely or on-demand. Students who struggle with typing can use a stylus or voice recognition.
Coronavirus has sharpened our appreciation of the value of remote learning. But location is just one part of a much wider trend.
Edutech is about giving teachers and students more options so they can tailor the learning experience to students' needs and preferences.
Using technology has become a core life skill
Bringing technology into the classroom not only enhances the learning experience, it gives students the opportunity to get to grips with IT. Students that don't benefit from this early exposure will be disadvantaged in the long run.
It's also important that students feel inspired by technology. Positive early experiences will encourage them to explore and discover more for themselves.
Today's students are being trained for jobs that don't even exist yet. Nobody can say for sure what the job market of the future will look like, but it's certain that technology will play a big part.
If these kids are going to be able to not only use technology but push it forward and innovate they need to be exposed to the full potential of IT as early as possible.
Matt Setchell, IT Services Lead, Lourdes IT
IT adoption is accelerating
A lot of schools have struggled to invest in IT over the last few years. It's rarely seen as a budgetary priority.
In fact, it's common for students and teachers to have access to better technology at home than they do in school.
The coronavirus situation has highlighted the need to invest in IT and the risks of not doing so. Since IT adoption rarely moves backwards, it's likely that schools will be more aware of the need to invest strategically and proactively in IT in the future, rather than just waiting for the need to arise.