The new-age students are extremely tech-savvy since they have grown up in a world which is entirely ruled by digital tools ranging from the hi-tech applications to the more sophisticated mobile gadgets. Educational institutes are increasingly tagging along this latest trend, incorporating a wide range of technologies, be it outside or inside the classroom. Let’s get a closer look at some of the raging mobility trends that is taking the existing edifying patterns to a whole new level.
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Globalizing education
With progressively, students’ showing an inclination towards higher education, this trend is considered to grow further. Everyday new campuses are coming up while the existing ones are getting bigger. This is giving rise to a stiff competition among the universities globally who are striving hard to provide an international learning environment through the integration of the best resources, education funding as well as faculties.
Thanks to the technological innovations, distance learning courses are gaining a strong foot-hold worldwide. Some of the leading universities across the world are encouraging students to go for online degree/diploma programs. Distance learning programs which were once considered a very specialized way of delivering educational material has now turned out to be conventional with a wider reach to quality education.
Technical literacy on ‘high demand’
The modern day colleges and universities are paying more attention towards the establishment of an environment that promotes technical literacy. Faculties are encouraged to assimilate PC’s, innovative tools and other smart devices in the course curriculum. While most of the students are accustomed with the use of latest technologies and smart devices, a couple of them necessarily may not be information-savvy.
Even after, growing up in a digital world, many students are still unaware about the use of technology for educational purposes. Institutes are trying to address this area by utilizing various methods to create a tech-savvy culture through student employment programs and support desks just to make sure they turn out viable to work in the competitive global workplace.
Learning with mobile technology
No generation is more comfortable with mobile or any other collaborative technologies than the millennial generation. PDA’s and tablets have simply become the part and parcel of their lives, whether it is inside or outside the college campus. This prolific trend has obligated universities to make the most out of smart mobile devices which are rich in features, mobile phones that does more than just receiving and making calls. Use of iPhone, BlackBerry and other smart gadgets with blazing internet connectivity are enabling both faculties and students to carry out a broad spectrum of academic as well as administrative assignments. Students can even enjoy benefits like instant messaging; lecture downloads, etc on their mobile devices.
Services like Soonr accessed from the mobile phones enables students to retrieve computer files from remotely placed locations. They can even schedule study dates or meetings remotely through mobile applications like CitySense and Twitter. Mobile learning is also on a rise that is bringing the extensive use of smart-phones and PDA’s for delivering field data, courseware, classroom polls and short tutorials.
M-learning- A trend in its own way
To enhance the conventional education system, some of the raging trends of today comprises the rise of Web 2.0 along with other social networking marvels like ‘wikis’, ‘blogs’, delivery websites and the new online video storehouse like iTunes U, Big Think, YouTube. Mobile learning or ‘M-learning’ is on its way to enhancement- all credit goes to the invention of smart mobile devices like iPhone and BlackBerry. All these innovative mechanisms collaboratively are paving way for new channels meant for podcasting, online video expansion and content delivery.
The era has finally come when technological innovations are going to transform the approach of education, pushing it from being the old faculty-driven, ‘course-centric’ system towards a pattern that is more ‘learner-centric’. For this reason, educational concerns are adopting unique solutions to enhance the learning experience to give rise to an environment that is highly technical, collaborative and personalized.