Innovation as a term has gained a lot in popularity and we associate it with creativity. A lot of articles enlighten us on the topic and motivate us to redefine our capabilities taking it to the next level. It is easy to learn about the basics of innovation in education through blogs, articles, videos, and lectures etc. which have brought about changes in the technique of demonstrating creative ideas. Here, in this post, we present some broad segments about innovation in education which has led to a paradigm shift from how education is perceived now as compared to the olden days.
To begin the topic, we might argue; isn’t education an innovation itself that has enriched the life of human beings? Try to imagine a society without educational infrastructure and you would realise how difficult evolution can be without means of education.
What more proof do we need that education is the greatest step to enlightenment? Let’s begin discussing innovation in education now.
Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) in Education
VR is the hottest trend these days. And it’s transforming education as well.
Whether it’s the science or geography or any other subject. 3D learning has changed the landscape of education. The experience is enriching and learning is augmented by using technology.
AR and VR are set to change the future of classroom studies. Something similar to the example in the video below. Have a look!
But, it is also crucial to remember that technology is the Means, not the mission.
Is technology all we want?
Well, we might be wrong if we think so because technology will only act as a catalyst. Education is what controls us all. Education is at its finest when technology is not the key driving force and used as an instrument instead to transcend and educate us to greater heights.
Thanks to technology, our library is a few clicks away. Technology increases communication and now we go to different continents in the name of education.
We have buildings; those are results of technology again. Our smart classrooms, our video presentations, our elevators etc. indirectly or directly make education space for all of us to take part and receive.
Smart Classrooms using Cloud technology and AI
It is easy to imagine a classroom devoid of professors these days, where the students attend classes sipping a cup of tea. So is imagining a school where students in a class divide themselves into groups and reflect upon a topic of their own, while the teacher plays the role of a moderator.
We have seen physical classrooms and the virtual ones but the future is set to see the rise of the mixed one. Smart classrooms are a mixture of a lot of things that make good use of cloud computing, Artificial intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning.
- Online guest lecturers
- App-based participative study
- Physical discussions
- Online collaborative study
- Virtual reality for simulations
- Multimedia support
- Greater use of technology
and many such other things.
By integrating various modes of technology in classrooms, imparting knowledge has become easier. Students’ can have access to multimedia content; they can look for anything and everything on the internet.
Well, if you are a student right now or have been one in the recent past, you would have noticed the great contributions of the internet in recent times. Technology has enhanced the scope of creative discussions.
We challenge our teachers and also our leaders and we are always in the midst of critical thought that is well supported by technology.
You get in a classroom all the information on-screen even before the lecturer begins. The classrooms would be more thoughtful and will have more negotiations.
The teacher will not need to waste time providing basic facts and data when technology has already done it. That’s when we can do what we ought to do – think critically, contribute and enhance the intellectual profile of the place we live in. This is what innovation in education has done to all of us and contributed to the overall evolution of human beings.
Digital books and study material
Digital text-book as an innovation in education is an asset to students of today’s generation. So are the online study material, e-handouts, 3D printed material and more.
Imagine carrying those weighty books everywhere you go. Nowadays, it is a delight to study through interactive videos, lectures, audio-visual presentations and communicating blogs and articles.
The kindle has encompassed all books and you can carry it anywhere. Various educational institutions have their own software that allows a student to use books in a better way that one can imagine using physical copies of the same.
All the books on one screen: unthinkable even fifty years back! Well, we have dismissed the idea too quickly since it is a common sight now, but imagine if a person from the past visited us, he would definitely know the significance of technology way more than we do.
We have just evolved along with technology which has led the innovation in education subtly but in an astounding way, in comparison to the education system of our forefathers or that of even a generation ago.
While the books and education system has been transformed, the love of those physical books still remains intact in some of us and that’s a piece of great news actually. We need to stay aligned with our basics.
Interactive Online and App-based learning
Edupreneurs have led the way to incorporate novel ideas like integrating blogging into the curriculum, incorporating interactive and app-based learning and shaping global connections and ventures.
Technology has now enabled all of us to get education and training from a distance in a simulated classroom atmosphere. You can actually be at home, relaxed and attend classes.
There are many websites that offer free courses as well, with efficient lecturers taking classes from different parts of the world. If you happen to be from the hospitality and travel industry, we have a post dedicated to free online hospitality courses that display how top universities are doing their bit while using technology in the best possible way. Well, with these unbelievable credits to technology, there comes a challenge as well. Technology can make us idle and obliterate in the quest to search, grow and learn.
We have recently seen a huge surge of educational apps and online education websites. Some of these like Byju’s, Simplilearn, Lynda and others are so popular that they are recommended by schools and colleges as well.
In schools, technology can be executed right from the primary stages of education. You know little kids love to watch and learn instead of reading books. They love the music that can teach them and they enjoy games that can help them remember.
The technology for education has invented so many applications through which toddlers can learn every subject, and since it is entertaining, they will soon master the subject and know-how technology works. Thus, the advantages as of now seem to outnumber the negatives of technology as a catalyst to ongoing innovation in education. It will keep improving and since there is no end to knowledge, innovation in education will also see no culmination.
Conclusion
Here you go, some of the top innovation in education which is set to change the future of the education industry. And, this is all too natural. Education existed right from the beginning through generations in different ways and forms. Though there were no official schools, classrooms, academic books, colleges and universities back in the times but education was always existent.
With the passage of time, education adapted to great methods and evolved itself as a tool to perceive, invent, share, innovate and create, making the world a better place to live.
Education has enabled us to improve upon technology which has in return blessed its master by enhancing and making the system richer and more vibrant. Innovation has started to take centre stage and the interdependence on education and innovation is clearly evident.
Technology, the result of the human ability to think, has allowed him/her to reason more. Today’s education system has upgraded itself. Today’s education is made better with technology, in every way. From buildings to books, laptops to kindles and educational sites to social circles that educate us and enrich our lives, technology has done it all.
The old school methodology of imparting education is giving way to novel ways of teaching. “Traditional education is very top-down, heavy-handed—sit down and read, be quiet, don’t ask questions—there’s still a lot of room for innovation.” Says Kirsten Saenz Tobey, co-founder of Revolution Foods. One thing is for sure that the digital component will be so heavily relied on in the next few years.
