Edtech: The Future of Education or a Distant Reality?
- Alexsandro Sunaga
- Aug 20, 2023
- 3 min read
Have you ever imagined what the classroom of the future will look like? How technology will transform the way we teach and learn? What are the trends shaping 21st-century education?
These are some of the questions that the "Classroom of the Future Report 2023 - Key trends in edtech that will shape teaching and learning this school year - and beyond" seeks to answer. This report is produced by Clever, an educational technology company that offers solutions to connect students to a world of learning. The report is based on a survey conducted with 1,500 educators, administrators, and edtech companies, focusing on topics such as artificial intelligence (AI) and the impact of edtech on student learning.
The report highlights the role of edtech in alleviating educators' workload and the growing need for personalized support for students with different learning needs and styles. The report also explores five trends shaping the future of classrooms, such as:
- AI will transform education, making it more efficient, personalized, and inclusive.
- Edtech will help combat learning loss caused by the pandemic, offering adaptive and diagnostic tools.
- Edtech will promote a culture of continuous learning, encouraging students to develop skills for life and the job market.
- Edtech will facilitate collaboration among students, educators, and families, creating connected learning communities.
- Edtech will stimulate pedagogical innovation, allowing educators to experiment with new methodologies and resources.
You can download the full report [here].
But are these trends a reality for all educators and students? Do they reflect the education situation in Brazil? Are they accessible and feasible for our schools?
Unfortunately, we know that this is not the case. Edtech in Brazil faces many barriers that prevent or hinder its use in the classroom, especially in public education. One of the main barriers is the lack of infrastructure, connectivity, and teacher training. Many schools do not have adequate equipment, quality internet, or teachers trained to integrate technology into the curriculum. Additionally, there are other barriers such as cultural resistance, lack of institutional support, social inequality, and low-quality edtech offerings in the market.
Given this scenario, how can we overcome these barriers and seize the opportunities of edtech to improve education in Brazil? There is no single or easy answer to this question, but there are some actions we can take to move forward. Here are some tips based on the Nova Escola article:
- Seek to know the available edtech tools and evaluate if they meet your pedagogical needs and your students' learning objectives.
- Stay informed about edtech trends and keep updated on market news. You can follow websites, blogs, podcasts, webinars, and online courses on the topic.
- Join collaboration networks with other educators who use or want to use edtech in the classroom. You can exchange experiences, questions, suggestions, and resources with colleagues from different places and contexts.
- Invest in your ongoing edtech training. You can look for face-to-face or online courses that offer theoretical and practical content on the pedagogical use of technology.
- Try new ways to use edtech in your teaching practice. You can test different tools, methodologies, and strategies to engage your students and enhance their learning.
- Involve your students in the process of choosing and using edtech. You can stimulate participation, autonomy, creativity, and critical thinking, giving them a voice in the classroom.
- Establish effective communication with your students' families about the use of edtech. You can inform parents about the benefits, challenges, and responsibilities of technology in their children's education.
These are some ideas to help you start overcoming the barriers of edtech in Brazil and prepare for the future of education. But remember: edtech is not an end in itself, but a means to improve the quality of teaching and learning. Edtech does not replace the role of the educator but complements and values it. Edtech is not a magic solution, but a powerful tool.
And you, what do you think about edtech? Do you already use or want to use any edtech tool in your classroom? What are your difficulties and successes with edtech? Share your opinion in the blog comments. Let's build the education of the future together!
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