Education Special Section
scale don’t have as much hope. Buy-in
from educators, school leaders and board
members, parents, and the community is
critical when looking to successfully integrate
new technologies into a curriculum. The
change in how teachers are teaching and how
students are learning requires a complete shift
from room layouts and resources needed for
students, to continuing teacher education
and administrative observations. Each
piece of the education puzzle needs to be
thoughtfully addressed in order to successfully
accommodate a new way of learning.
“What technology allows us to do is
amplify and expand the repertoire of
techniques that effective teachers use to elicit
the attention, effort and engagement that
are the basis of learning,” Michelle Miller
says in Minds Online. “The tools we use can
and do change us but when we use these
tools mindfully, we can remain in control
of those changes, shaping them to benefit
our students.” As schools are implementing
the infrastructure needed for technology
advancements in the classroom, teachers are
being tasked with providing their students
with a more individualized approach to
learning. Professional development for these
teachers is critical to ensure that they are
not stretched too thin and their budgetary
resources are properly allocated. Support
from administrators and coaching from peer
mentors in how to approach this new way of
teaching has proven to increase the likelihood
of success in the classroom. In addition,
classroom evaluations are being reconfigured,
as sitting in the back of a classroom no longer
accurately assesses a t eacher’s effectiveness in
this new learning environment.
The World Economic Forum states that 75
percent of educators and students feel there
is a gap in their ability to meet the needs of a
growing IT-focused workforce. In addition,
90 percent of organizations currently have
an IT skills shortage; by 2020, it is estimated
that there will be 1.5 million jobs in the digital
industry across the globe. These statistics
alone make technology integration into
schools a necessity. Not only will our young
children come out of their education prepared
for a role in a booming industry, but our
teachers will have the confidence in knowing
that they’ve provided their students the best
opportunity for success. ■
Higher Education
The U.S. offers a diverse array of options for students interested in higher
education. From specialized discipline areas to on-the-job employee training,
many of these institutions aren’t as easily available to students in other countries.
Community colleges offer two-year associate degree programs that offer occupation
skills training to prepare students for employment, while private and public colleges
offer focused coursework in arts, humanities, business, education, and almost any
area of focus that may exist. Students are now asking much more from their higher
education institutions, and
those institutions are answering
the call. As the cost of
attending school sees no sign of
diminishing in the near future,
students—both traditional and
non-traditional—have high
expectations for where their
money is being spent.
Restructuring
Colleges and universities
are looking to new ways of
educating their students to
not only better prepare them
for their future, but to afford them the opportunity to learn and grow with the
advanced, ever-changing technologies accessible to them. Colleges and universities
across the nation look for ways to keep tuition costs low but expand their reach
to students looking to further their education. Digital learning has proven to be
one way to do so, providing educators with the tools necessary to reach students
wherever they may be in the world. For students wanting to stay on campus for
their learning, institutions are revamping their campuses to better incorporate the
expanding technologies available to them for learning.
Online Learning
According to the U.S. Department of Education and the National Center for
Education Statistics, 27.7 percent of all undergrads and 32.7 percent of all graduate
students complete at least some portion of their courses on an online platform.
Institutions are investing in online learning as a way to make learning more
attainable for all types of students. Specialized degrees are being offered in hundreds
of areas such as marketing and real estate instead of simply going for business
administration. Students who see a clear path to their career are opting for these
types of degrees to work directly toward their future.
Campus Changes
The integration of technology across college campuses has forced institutions
to rethink the architecture of their classrooms. There was once a time, not so
long ago, that libraries had to clear out space to add computer labs, printers and
scanners. Now, smart classrooms are connecting technologies through IoT, and
active-learning classrooms are allowing students to engage in collaborative reflection
sitting around tables of laptops, cameras and shared displays. In addition to
increased capabilities for hardware, there is also a demand for quality IT networks
with increased bandwidth. According to a 2017 study by the Center for Digital
Education, 43 percent of institutions adopting technologies are doing it as a driver
for student retention. In addition, 38 percent of institutions listed improved student
learning outcomes as a top driver for implementation of campus technologies.
SEWICKLEY
❘
FALL 2018
23