Creating tools for a Future-Ready Education

July 20, 2021

Looking towards the future is part of the cycle of life, whether you are ready for what it would bring or not, we all anticipate the future. It is no news that we are currently living in a digital age and to embrace a future-ready education in your endeavors is to consider EdTech within your growth plans.

By Saratu Abubakar for FlexiSAF Edusoft Limited

Creating tools for a Future-Ready Education

Looking towards the future is part of the cycle of life, whether you are ready for what it would bring or not, we all anticipate the future. It is no news that we are currently living in a digital age and to embrace a future-ready education in your endeavors is to consider EdTech within your growth plans.

For the educational system to be future-ready, it is important that it is technology-driven. For students to be successful they should be equipped with skills and information that will help them navigate the ongoing rapid changes in the world.

EdTech tools that focus on student-led learning tools, skills development and easy access to information are essential for students to be future-ready and for schools and educational institutions to promote future-ready education.

Student-led learning tools

According to experts, one of the important factors for a future-ready educational system is a student-led learning environment. Such a model of learning empowers and engages students. It gives room for a sense of agency (the feeling of control over actions and their consequences) in learning. It also promotes learning that is tailored to the needs of every student and encourages collaboration with peers as they navigate the world of problem-solving.

The sense of agency from student-led learning makes students aware of who they are, their strengths and weaknesses. It also helps them tap into their interest as soon as they identify it.

Student-led EdTech learning tools such as Jangu Kids e-learning platform where learners in primary and secondary school can access engaging educational video content, and Kahoot, a game-based EdTech learning platform that makes it fun to learn- any subject, in any language for all ages, allow students to keep up with learning irrespective of where they are.

If there is anything that the pandemic has taught us it is that at any time, anything can happen and despite your resources and financial capabilities students could still be forced out of the physical learning environment.

 Tools for Skills Development

According to Jon Philips, managing director of worldwide Education for Dell, it is important to include tools in education plans that equip students with skills that make it easy to excel in the workforce, which would be their future.

A technological driven educational system gives room for students to step out of the scrutiny of just their teachers and peers and be under the eyes of the public. It allows them access to real-world challenges and that shapes their skills for the workforce in the future.

According to an example given by the USA office of Educational Technology in its 2016 plan, in a technological-led environment, a student can publish their research findings online where they get feedback from researchers and other experts.

Tools like Storybird, a visual digital platform for curating visual stories where users can pair their work with site-curated properties and Animoto, a video making EdTech application that allows users to create and share videos, sharpen writing and video creation skills. If students decide to be creatives, such skills are essential.

Access to information

With the future being technologically driven, a tool that grants access to technology and information is paramount for future preparedness. Access to information eases learning irrespective of it being teacher-led or student-led. It aids the student in cultivating interest and building the necessary skills required to succeed.

A technological driven educational model widens students’ information scope beyond textbooks. It allows them to experiment with different informational tools and then pick which works best for their learning process.

For instance, augmented reality is a tool for investigating context and history. When it comes to history, AR can allow users to augment their experience at a historical site. Therefore, even without being born in that era, they have a feeling of what it feels to live at that time.

Information sharing tools that allow users access tons of information from different educators and students are EduClipper, a social learning platform that allows teachers to create and share any kind of content with room for feedback on content posted and CK-12, a library of free online textbooks, videos and other materials across different subjects.

In conclusion, technological driven tools are very important now more than ever in the educational sphere. We are in a digital age and to be prepared for the future is to be tech-savvy.

Although, students in the world do not all have access to technology, whatever level of access they have opens the educational sphere for them and can set them on a path to acquire skills that will prepare them for a future-ready education.

You can learn more about EdTech here: https://global-edtech.com/edtech-definitions-products-and-trends/