How Digital Learning is Changing the Face of Education?
What Is Digital Education System
Digital education is all about using digital technologies and tools in an innovative manner to teach and learn. It is also referred to as e-learning or Technology Enhanced Learning (TEL). Besides, digital technologies allow educators to design engaging learning sessions in various courses. On the other hand, digital education enables students to learn from anywhere in the world or in the comfort of their homes. While the conventional education system focuses on grades and scores in exams, the digital education system is focused on effectively imparting knowledge as well as skills. Digital education has revolutionized the learning process and made it mobile, engaging, and interactive.
Advantages of Digital Education For Students
Personalized Learning
One of the top digital education advantages is helping students learn at their pace. Further, the digital format enables educators to customize the curriculum to suit the students’ learning capabilities.
Makes Students Smarter
Tools developed using the latest technologies allow students to develop effective self-directed learning capability. They become good at using online resources and searching and gathering the required information. As such, digital learning enhances their productivity and efficiency.
Motivates Students
Students who use the digital education platform become more engaged and develop their knowledge base. Moreover, digital learning is more interactive than the one-sided lectures in the traditional system. In addition, digital learning allows students to connect better with the learning material.
Extensive Learning Opportunities
One of the greatest advantages that digital education offers to students is extensive learning opportunities. Students get to learn several new things through digital tools.
Makes Students More Accountable
The assessment of students is more transparent in the digital education system as reports are auto-generated and feedback is provided in real-time. It empowers students to self-assess their performance and determine ways to improve the same.
Better Engagement Rate
The scope for engagement is limited in the case of the traditional education system. The digital education system, on the other hand, provides a wide range of learning options through limitless availability of content, interactive sessions, virtual reality, etc.
Deeper Involvement of Teachers and Parents
Digital learning technologies and tools such as social learning platforms make it easier for teachers to create as well as manage separate groups for students and parents. Further, the opportunity to personalize learning sequences for students makes education more productive and accelerates progress.
Makes Students Acquainted with Digital Technologies and Tools
Exposure to various digital technologies and tools during elementary and secondary classes prepares students for higher education and taking up modern careers. Further, they help them acquire various skills.
Digital Learning Tools and Solutions
Digital education in India is changing the way children learn different subjects. Modern Internet technologies and artificial intelligence (AI) enable the personalization of the learning experience to suit the time schedules and specific needs of students. Further, a wide variety of digital learning solutions and tools are available today.
Digital learning involves the employment of technology to enhance the learning process. This is mainly because it allows students to learn from anywhere. The different types of digital learning solutions and tools available to stude4nts include the following:
- – Adaptive Learning
- – Badging And Gamification
- – Blended Learning
- – Classroom Technologies
- – E-Textbooks
- – Learning Analytics
- – Learning Objects
- – Mobile Learning
- – Personalized Learning
- – Online Learning/E-Learning)
- – Open Educational Resources
- – Virtual Reality
- – Augmented Reality
Digital Learning in the Classroom
Digital learning, an instructional practice, enables interactive learning. It employs the use of a wide range of enhanced educational strategies and includes blended learning, personalized learning, and flipped learning, among other strategies. It also relies on digital tools to a large extent. Further, it doesn’t refer to just the use of digital tools in the classroom. The purpose of employing digital learning strategies is to enhance learning and not just continue it through digital means.
The Obstacles to Effective Digital Learning
The popularity of digital learning is on the rise. However, there are obstacles that have to be overcome to make it very effective. Studies show that digital learning is changing the face of education for the better, but the obstacles are:
- – Self-discipline is a major issue that many students struggle with.
- – Moreover, children cannot have the kind of social interaction that the traditional education system allows.
- – Digital platforms do allow children to interact with teachers but it cannot be compared with the kind of interaction that is possible on a physical campus.
- – Other obstacles include poor time management and difficulties posed by technology.
How has the COVID-19 pandemic changed digital transformation?
As a result of the threat posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, schools, as well as universities around the world, had to be closed down. Though the digital transformation of the education sector had started, COVID-19 was instrumental in hastening the process in an unprecedented manner. This created new opportunities and challenges for teachers, students, and administrators as well as suppliers of educational equipment and material. The availability of Internet connectivity at cheaper rates with the implementation of the 5G technology enables many children to attend classes. Many employees started working from home, and firms developed digital business models in order to ensure some revenue flows.
Recent Developments in Technology and Education
The recent technological developments that are heavily impacting the education sector include virtual reality and augmented reality, gamification, artificial intelligence, and virtual learning (ILT over the web). These developments or trends have changed the way students learn and teachers teach in virtual classrooms. Smartboards and technology-enabled learning have started replacing the traditional methods of teaching using blackboards and chalks and learning from textbooks. These trends in the education sector make learning engaging and less stressful. They enhance the experience of the students and learning occurs in real-time.
The Challenges of Digital Transformation in Education
It is a fact that the recent developments in technology open up exciting new possibilities. However, shifting to digital transformation does pose some challenges to students and teachers. Some of these challenges are as follows:
Internet connection speeds – It may not be a challenge in schools, but many students may not have access to broadband and WiFi.
New interfaces – Unfamiliar and complicated interfaces often dissuade students and teachers from getting involved due to the fear of failure.
New systems – Schools may have to purchase new systems or significantly upgrade their existing systems.
New Distractions – Students may be distracted by other apps on their devices.
Benefits of Digital Learning over Traditional Education Methods
Digital learning is beneficial in many ways when compared with the traditional methods of education. Digital learning allows educators to design curriculum and courses on the basis of the ability of individual students. Other benefits include the abundance of information available on the Internet and the ease of sharing information between students, teachers, and parents.
