We all now live in an increasingly digital age and technology plays such a central role in our society and continues to advance at such a great pace that we would be lost without it. One example is how you can now invest, with online brokers making it simple to access the financial markets online from your home. For those who are business leaders, running a company would be very difficult without Microsoft Office software and Cloud computing.
One sector that has seen especially large changes in how it operates due to the introduction of technology in education. It is fair to say that the education sector has really gone out of its way to embrace the digital age by adapting what it offers to students and simplifying access. Digital technology has allowed colleges and schools to enhance what they offer to those studying in the 21st Century.
But just how has education done this and become a truly digital sector?
Digital coursework submission and receipt
In days gone by, submitting your coursework for assessment was a painfully manual process. You would not only have to travel to one specific location to submit it in person, but you would also have to wait for someone to manually mark it off as received to provide a receipt. Education has adapted to the digital age by using technology to update this antiquated way of working. Now, it is possible to submit coursework online rather than having to do it all in person. Getting confirmation of submission is also much simpler now as one will be automatically emailed to you when you submit online.
Online resources for students
Another way in which education has really taken up what the digital age can offer is around resources for all students. Many institutions now use virtual learning platforms to upload lecture notes, relevant information and documents for modules or courses as suggested by CustomEssayMeister. Any student can access them and this makes it much easier for them to get the information needed to study effectively. Missed a class through illness? With modern online resources, that is no longer a problem as the lecture notes are uploaded by the tutor each week to allow a student to catch up. This is just one example of how online resources can benefit them.
Online education courses
As well as putting resources for all students online, many colleges now offer courses that are run entirely over the internet. These are great if you work full-time and cannot commit to attending classes in person on set days each week. Online courses are also a good option if you cannot attend classes on campus due to personal circumstances, like a disability or lack of transport. Bryant and Stratton College offers many online education courses which showcase what this way of learning delivers – follow Bryant and Stratton through their Twitter feed for more details.
Student tracking and monitoring
Another useful way that education has embraced digital technology is how it tracks students’ progress. Using spreadsheets and specially built marks entry systems enables schools or colleges to more accurately record marks. This, in turn, makes it much easier to see how a particular student is doing not only in one module but across the whole course. Students can then be helped if they seem to be falling behind as a whole or in one subject.
More effective digital communication
Communication is very important to any educational institution but was actually quite poor in previous times. The problem was that, if you could not catch your tutor in person or on their office phone, you could not get the help you needed. If this went on for days, it could prove very stressful! Modern digital methods of communication such as email, mobile phones, and video calls, eliminate this and make it much easier for students to stay in touch with their tutors. This comes in very handy for them completing an assignment one afternoon to hand in the next morning who suddenly find themselves stuck!
The digital age has helped with education
As with everything else that modern digital technology has influenced, education has certainly benefited from adapting to it. Modern colleges and schools now offer a far more satisfying experience to students and cater to how they would like to study. It has also greatly helped staff in educational institutions as technology makes their job easier and more efficient. As the digital revolution within schools and colleges continues to move forward, it will be interesting to see where it heads next.
