Over the last few years, higher education has changed and expanded. With the Covid pandemic and classes forced to move online, advanced technology expectations among students, faculty, and staff increased. Students--even those who preferred handwritten notes with a face-to-face instructor--now have desktops, tablets, laptops, smartphones, and everything in-between. Social Media has blown up. Having user-friendly and up-to-date access for all the variety of students who show up for school is no longer a choice for any academic institution. This shift in the way students consume higher education means instructors and universities must adapt and grow to continue bringing knowledge and change to their academic and local communities.
In the traditional education model, an instructor lectures from the front of the classroom. Students memorize provided information and display knowledge through tests. Classrooms have changed a bit over the years. A good teacher will add discussions and practical assignments to engage with their students and enhance the material instead of just speaking at them.
Technological advancements have increased the options to improve traditional and sometimes outdated teaching and learning processes. Instructors both have the opportunity, and now the expectation, to use apps, social media, and other online tools to reach their students. Studies have shown that instructors who utilize these additional resources connect better with their students. These students perform better and retain material longer. Instructors are not only lecturers; now, they facilitate the student becoming a partner in their own education. While instructors offer more up-to-date tech-savvy options, students must now take ownership of their learning. Good instructors use technology to help foster critical thinking within the students.
In addition to enhancing in-person classrooms, technology has provided for online classrooms and dramatically expanded education access. In the almost forty years since the first online class in Toronto, online classes have become more widespread among universities and colleges. It used to be that only the affluent had access to education. Even just a few decades ago, students would need to travel to and live in the city in where they were studying--having to attend classes in person. Although many students still choose face-to-face instruction, often, students' only choice is an online class.
With both synchronized and asynchronized options, students can pick and choose the classes they need from local and non-local institutions. Online classrooms often remove the physical barriers of time and place that are inherent in a conventional classroom. Providing options, especially for nontraditional students who otherwise would not be able to attend classes because of family and work responsibilities, allows academic institutions to reach a wider variety of students. Students have an unprecedented number of options, and with the plethora of choices comes the expectation that their university and all of its instructors are aware and using the latest technology.
Universities must use technology to engage with students and make education accessible and fun. Using the institution's platform, students can create online discussions, study groups, or even just ask a fellow student about homework. Utilizing other online resources such as Google Docs, social media, or apps for their smart devices keeps students connected to each other, connected to the instructor, and connected to the vast array of learning materials. Learning isn't restricted to the walls of a classroom.
Technology is a powerful tool that has transformed education. It has made it easier for teachers to create instructional materials and to enable inventive ways for people to learn and work together. This means students have a more chance of success in both classes and their professions. Students, faculty, and employees have a global reach by connecting their smart devices to the internet.
Students expect personalized and connected experiences with choices in how, what, when, and where they learn. They want responsive and easy administration. They are mobile and technologically savvy...and they expect you to be too.
Even knowing how vital technology is in attracting and keeping students, universities struggle to fully take advantage of what technology offers. Updating and reworking existing systems can be time-consuming and expensive. Our services at Full Stack Data Solutions are specifically tailored to higher education. We automate your behind-the-scenes processes, freeing up staffing and cash flow so your institution can continue leading your community. Your university has a mission. Let us help you achieve it efficiently and economically. We focus on practical services that will address issues before they come up and snowball into massive problems, and we can quickly respond to unexpected issues. Let us provide your institution with a reliable, scalable environment responsive to and aligned with your mission.
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