Education Special Section
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.
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in the K-12 classroom setting are endless
and, if implemented correctly, change the
course of education as we know it.
Change in Educator
Practices / School
Infrastructure
Although technology is getting all
the hype for being a game changer in
the education industry, the real success
comes from teachers and their active role
in ensuring the proper employment of
that technology in making a difference
in learning. According to Education
Week, 90 percent of teachers agree that
technology gives them the ability to tailor
lessons and homework assignments to the
individual needs of students. Yet, teachers
and schools who rate their system-wide
technology integration on a lower 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