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Digital transformation in education has become all but inevitable in recent years. In the modern world, we’re connected more and more by technology and the internet. That means how students and teachers perceive the world around them is continually evolving. Like any industry, education must leverage technology to help make the experience of teachers, students, and parents as efficient and effective as possible.
The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the embrace of digital for many industries, such as retail and health care. Yet digitization has long been on the rise as a way for these industries to compete in the modern marketplace, adapt to volatility and manage risk, optimize their workflows and business strategies, and meet the expectations of customers and stakeholders.
Many in the education world have embraced digital transformation, and the increase in distance learning the past few years has shown how necessary digital improvements can be for students to succeed.
One study shows the following digital transformation in education statistics for 2020:
· Around 75% of students used some kind of virtual or hybrid online curriculum during the year.
· Around 98% of students took online tests in a virtual or hybrid capacity.
· Virtual or hybrid school formats didn’t negatively impact student views on learning.
Digitization also impacts in-person learning. Teachers and students use technology, cloud-based learning, and other technology-driven applications in the classroom every day.
Learning means repeating new concepts until they’re second nature. The question is, how can digital transformation in education streamline learning to avoid wasting time on repetitive tasks that detract from learning? What’s the best way to bring more equity into the classroom, and enhance learning outcomes?
Let’s take a closer look at the benefits of digital transformation in education.
Digital solutions can save teachers and students time in the classroom, so more of that time can be spent on learning. Tasks like grading, attendance, and taking and handing out assignments can be time consuming for teachers. Implementing the right digital solutions can help teachers focus less on these repetitive tasks and more on critical classroom learning.
For instance, grading software adds automation to grading and reporting so teachers can focus more on lesson planning, and assigning work digitally saves classroom time and printing and supply costs.
Too much time spent transitioning between classroom tasks can also add up and make students feel disengaged. Digital tools help create more seamless transitions from one task to the next. All-in-one software like Google Classroom centralizes many of those tools in one easy-access platform connecting teachers and students.
Saving valuable classroom time can have many positive impacts. Yet digital transformation in education can also transform learning in other meaningful ways. Here are a few examples:
· Flexible learning tools. Tools like cloud learning platforms give teachers access to new mediums, like videos, recorded lectures, and game-based assignments. This flexibility offers many advantages. For instance, technology allows teachers to adapt assignments to each student’s learning style to suit their strengths and keep them engaged.
· Accessible learning tools. Technology helps improve access to education, especially for students who can’t physically attend due to distance or who have certain disabilities or impairments. For instance, assistive technology can help improve learning for blind and visually impaired students.
· Hands-on virtual learning tools. VR technology provides hands-on instruction at a relatively low cost. VR is currently used in a wide range of training programs and classroom instruction. VR can be used to replicate environments outside the classroom, such as getting behind the wheel for a driver’s education course, visiting remote locations for a geography course, or learning anatomy by interacting with 3D models.
While the pandemic forced schools to embrace more digital infrastructure, the crisis-based solutions have many flaws and aren’t sustainable, especially when it comes to digital security.
Schools face cyber threats such as data breaches, phishing scams, and malware that can be costly and expose personal information of teachers and students. School IT networks and system security may be compromised as well. It takes the right level of expertise, planning, and tools to keep these systems secure.
Digital transformation in education can spot behavioral patterns of bad actors before they act and other methods of preventative measures, and increase detection and response time if an incident does occur. Secure data storage methods, firewalls, and network monitoring are all important considerations in a school’s digital transformation plan.
While student data can provide important insights, focusing too much on traditional standardized testing limits how we think about and use data.
Digital transformation in education can provide more granular insights. This helps us better understand the conditions that cause students to excel or struggle, as well as how to deliver information most effectively.
Leveraging data effectively means teachers and administrators can better address student performance, enhance learning experiences, and meet individual students’ needs. It also means school districts can better strategize and plan on a broader scale.
Finally, data can help promote equity in schools by targeting data on areas to address, such as attendance, grades, participation, discipline, and graduation rates.
As technology and the digital landscape continue to evolve, the need for digital transformation in education spaces is clear.
You need to have the right tools and information at your disposal. Technology leaders can help you achieve the best possible digital strategy. Having the right IT strategy means bringing the experience of administrators and educators and the expertise of IT leaders together to align classroom and digital objectives.
At Vudu, we’re focused on your classroom goals first and foremost. We do more than our due diligence to understand your and make recommendations that clear the path to your goals.
At Vudu, we are technology wizards who want to bring IT magic to your schools and achieve supernatural results. Want to digitally transform your classroom? Tell us more about your goals.
