CultusTechnology and education have a symbiotic relationship that leads to one improving the other. However, with all of the advances being made today that would have been considered science fiction even a few short decades ago, the question that many people are asking is what will the education of the future look like? Well, chances are good that it will look very different from the world of today.
No more teachers, no more books
Two of the most essential parts of education have been teachers and textbooks. Even if a classroom had nothing else, it had those two things. However, the classroom of the future may not have either of these two things, at least in the traditional sense.
Electronic books, more commonly referred to as eBooks, have become all the rage among students. They’re a fraction the price of more expensive textbooks, they can all be carted around on an easy-to-carry electronic device, and the books never degrade in quality the way physical books do. The actual e-Book reading hardware will need to be replaced when it gets too battered or damaged to serve, but that cost is still less than students would pay for new books every semester.
As far as teachers go, someone’s always going to have to be present to lead the classroom. However, thanks to communication technology and the Internet, it may not always be necessary for students to physically be present for their education. Students can watch lecture over video chat, or take purely online classes from home. This helps students keep caught up when they’re sick and otherwise ensure they don’t get left behind.
Educator’s tools
The tools available to teachers are no less impressive than those students will likely come to take for granted. Teachers will have access to digital whiteboards that will act as computer screens for things like watching videos, accessing the Internet, etc., but they’ll also act like a traditional whiteboard with a stylus for showing how a problem is completed. Teachers will also have access to alternative methods of taking attendance, and record keeping for grades, and for files on students. In the future it’s even possible that essays and homework will be done digitally rather than printed out and turned in at all (that’s a long ways away, however).
The sky is the limit
There’s no way to say for certain what education and technology will look like in the future. However, there have already been calls for reduction in the sheer amount of paper that’s used, both for taking notes and for producing textbooks. Online databases might be used to collect assignments, and grades may be accessed straight from any home computer. With the ability to record, communicate and learn at a rapid pace the likes of which has never been seen before, there’s no telling where schools and education will go. However, it isn’t going to be easy, cheap, or done all at once. Changes will likely be gradual, taking place over generations as the bugs are worked out, and as certain pieces of technology just become part of the everyday landscape for students and teachers.
About the Author:
Amanda Sani is a content writer for Christian Universities. Amanda Sani is a sophomore at Stanford University studying Science, Technology and Society. She is originally from sunny San Diego, California.