Photo by Glenn Carstens-Peters on Unsplash
Education Technology (EdTech) has had a more significant impact on education than anyone expected. Now its effects are reaching into the field of higher education. In this article, we will discuss Education Technology and the future of higher ed leadership.
What is Education Technology?
Education Technology has to do with the hardware, software, processes, and other technological tools intended for the promotion of education. These tools are used to improve teacher performance and facilitate learning.
Some examples of EdTech include:
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V.R. used in the classroom
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Gamification
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Artificial Intelligence (A.I.)
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Digital readers
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Cloud technology
How is Education Technology Changing the Future of Higher Education?
Universities are typically at the cutting edge of research and, thus, at the cutting edge of technology. This technology not only improves learning but also lowers the costs of education. This makes EdTech highly desirable. Pushed by the need to keep clients coming, and the fact that those new clients are Generation Z and beyond, they are continuously looking into updated technology.
Students learn more quickly, gain more insight, and retain more information due to the submersive experiences that EdTech provides. As technology, such as A.I.s, continue to advance, so will EdTech, and so will technology.
The future of EdTech may include a student traveling to the university in a driverless car while studying for her exams on the 3-D hologram projected before her on the windshield. Who knows? The technology already exists, and advances are being made. It’s only a matter of time.
How Does This Affect Higher Ed Leadership?
Although much of the higher ed leadership are old-school, they must prepare for and promote change if they are to become a more effective higher education administrator. Here are some ways that they can do that.
Training
The first thing the leadership can do is to be sure that the professors receive the training they need in the EdTech field. Teaching techniques change when EdTech is involved. Professors are no longer only giving lectures. They are required to use teacher-operated equipment in combination with their syllabus and extra student-operated devices. Professors must be trained in the when, where, why, and how-to of not only the equipment, but also the teaching methods that go along with it.
Motivation and Recognition
The leadership must motivate the professors. Learning all these new ways of doing things is difficult. It can be overwhelming and is sometimes disheartening.
The best way to motivate their professors is for the higher Ed leadership to recognize their efforts. The administration can go a long way by implementing a reward program for recognizing the innovations, dedication, and abilities of their professors.
Listening
Lastly, the leadership must listen to their professors. The professors are in the classroom. They see the Education Technology first-hand. They know what can be changed and how it can be better implemented. The higher Ed leadership can better promote and prepare for change by taking their professors’ suggestions and concerns into account.
Conclusion
I think we will be seeing higher education changing quite a bit in the near future. It changes in leaps and bounds every day. Higher Ed leadership must prepare for this. They are doing a great job, as it is. Let’s support them in their endeavors.
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