How technology is energising the future of education From global online education institutions to local secondaries, schools around the world are embracing distance learning and cutting-edge education technology, even as lockdowns recede into memory. Pupils in hundreds of countries were introduced to online learning during the pandemic, with teachers taking the register virtually and delivering lessons via video and cloud-sharing tools. Such technology was key to helping children weather the early months of the pandemic in Britain, as in dozens of countries around the world. Whilst education technology has been growing and developed even before the pandemic, hybrid learning modes are now taking the lead in future education. Teachers in particular believe that education technology has more to offer. More than half of teachers think education tools such as video learning that support virtual classrooms will have great potential for their school over the next ten years, according to the Government’s Future Opportunities for Education Technology in England report, based on interviews with experts and more than 5,000 teachers.
Teachers speaking to the researchers said that remote teaching could offer flexibility in staffing terms, for instance by reducing the need for agency staff, and noted the benefits of a blended teaching model where teaching is delivered in-person and online at the same time. The teachers interviewed for the research noted that pupils suffering from health problems actually perform better while studying from home.
how technology is breaking down barriers. At Zoom, we worked closely with schools worldwide throughout the pandemic, and learned a great deal about what works and doesn’t work in terms of delivering remote learning via technology. Our experts took into consideration parents’ feedback to ensure that lessons could be delivered even over slow connections and to older devices. In the latter parts of the pandemic, we also helped teachers to work out how to deliver An inclusive classroom education in a hybrid environment, with some Hybrid teaching and video technology pupils in the classroom and some at home. can also make classrooms more inclusive. For schools, the benefits of remote learning One British grandfather passed a GCSE at and technologies such as video conferencing the age of 92 this year, thanks to distance don’t stop with remote and hybrid lessons. learning technology. Derek Skipper achieved Video technology also enables remote staff a grade five, the highest possible on the meetings across the whole school, or several foundation paper he took, with all his schools, virtual field trips and virtual lessons taking place via video mentoring, creating learning conferencing, on a course experiences that would For run by the Cam Academy not have been possible schools Trust in Cambridge. without the technology. , the ben Although an extreme Video technology and example, it shows remote learning E remo efits of
Written by Jane Ross, EMEA education lead, Zoom
Jane Ross reflects on how education technologies such as video learning are being embraced by primary and secondary schools, even after lockdown, and why such technologies will be central to education going forward
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Issue 27.6 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE
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