5 Software Approach Examples in Educational Technology
Technology is an inevitable and very helpful part of our everyday life. It provides humanity with multiple possibilities to develop, learn, enrich an experience, become better, faster, etc. The educational sector actively implements different kinds of software to improve the quality of the learning process. Learners and educators receive various advantages thanks to technology.
Experts have prepared an informative article, which sheds more light on the combination of technology and education. It discusses 5 outstanding examples of how to successfully use different software in educational technology. These insights are relevant and useful for teachers and students.
1. Access to Useful Materials
The first and most important software approach is the spreading of information. Using special software, schools, colleges, and universities are connected to the Internet. Accordingly, teachers/professors, and students are welcome to access whatever sources of information they require. There are multiple open-source platforms, which offer useful educational tutorials, guides, scientific journals, articles, etc. They are free of charge and so, students can overcome their learning complications without spending a single dollar.
They likewise help to develop different kinds of skills necessary for the adequate development of students.
These are:
1. Research
2. Communication
3. Social
4. Self-management
5. Critical thinking
6. Time-management
7. Problems-solving
It’s worth mentioning two essential types of software. Courseware is the combination of two words, which are coursework and software. It fulfills the functions of an instructor. Using it, students can quickly learn the main demands for any piece of writing and even receive helpful prompts about how to complete it properly.
The second type is reference software. Its main function is to provide students and their teachers/professors with useful and trustworthy information sources. It’s very important because students spend heaps of precious time finding relevant facts. Moreover, they frequently come across fake search results and don’t even understand that. Accordingly, the vast database of trustworthy sources is utterly essential for education.
2. Virtual Reality and Simulations
One of the most outstanding technological innovations is virtual reality or, briefly, VR. It makes students more enthusiastic about their learning. Thanks to VR, they can feel, touch, and sense something yet impossible. For example, they can travel to ancient Rome or China, simply putting on special glasses. They can fulfill various tasks in virtual reality to obtain experience and enjoy the process. Different simulations are more interactive than the standard reading and retelling of the necessary material.
This software approach isn’t widely spread in educational institutions because it is relatively new and quite expensive. Nevertheless, it has bright perspectives.
Accordingly, educational institutions will steadily implement it to provide their students with more opportunities and dividends.
3. Improvement of Collaboration
The software helps to enhance the collaboration of all the participants in the educational process. Students can receive quick responses from their educators. Parents get in touch with teachers to learn about the progress of their children. Students collaborate to solve their common assignments together. It’s only necessary to use dependable software and special apps to create an online community and improve collaboration skills.
4. Control and Support of Students
Teachers and professors likewise receive dividends from the implementation of technology. They can maintain control over the learning process and help their students if they require immediate assistance. One of the standard ways is the deliverance of tests and quizzes, recording of the results, etc. Thus, educators receive instant feedback about how good their students are. If there are any problems, they can adjust their teaching methods to improve the efficiency of the educational process.
Educators likewise support their students faster and more frequently. It’s only necessary to create a backchannel, which is a simple live chat. Students are welcome to ask important questions online. Teachers/professors will answer those questions and so, quickly solve the problems of their students.
5. Help for Students with Special Needs
The fifth software approach is dedicated to students with some disabilities. Unfortunately, some children have in-born physical problems or serious traumas they’ve received because of some accidents. Such children commonly have problems with motor skills. They cannot even hold a pen firmly. This is when educational technology will be useful again. Smart software enables great functions for students with special needs. They can type using the keyboard or/and touchscreen. Moreover, various software use voice commands.
As you can see, these approaches are helpful and perspective. It’s worth mentioning that there are other types of software and so, they can be applied to provide other benefits. The potential of technology is huge, and if the educational sector implements it correctly, students and teachers will reap lots of benefits.
Lokesh works as a Developer for leading Custom Website Development Company Digital Geeks, offering custom website development services for a range of clients. He has worked at Digital Geeks since Nov. 2016 with a concentration in Website Development, search engine marketing(SEM) and display advertising. Lokesh worked with a variety of clients across various industries including education, healthcare, e-commerce marketing, and Web design & development.