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The digital transformation in education started long before online learning became possible because both teachers and learners had to use various technology tools to create their assignments, work on multimedia presentations, and approach social media as a way to share and learn. The true essence of digital transformation lies much deeper and relates to the ways how we perceive information and the methods that we implement to communicate the main educational message. In other words, it is not enough to report the presence of digital tools in the classroom when one cannot use them to the full extent or track the students’ progress.
Digital Transformation in Education: Importance & Trends
- Student-controlled Assignments & Learning Practices.
The most important digital learning trend in 2022 is the presence of assignments that are controlled by the students. It means that modern learners have a right to adjust and fix their papers based on their prior progress and the primary objectives. For example, if a student is good at math, one can focus on more numeric tasks or choose to focus on the social sciences to address one’s weaknesses. It still needs control by the teachers, so one can use oneclick essay service for help when feeling stuck or if services like proofreading and editing are necessary. Such a way of learning also helps to make students more responsible as they choose what they learn and make important decisions.
- Individual Classrooms.
The majority of classroom content management systems provide educators with individual classrooms. While it has been used mostly in special education classes, more college students tend to choose this practice and learn exactly as students in institutions like Oxford do. It means that they approach their learning individually and talk to the teachers privately, who track their progress and leave suggestions. There is also an individual curriculum and a schedule based on a student’s individual progress. As a rule, there are socialization concerns, yet these are quickly addressed by the team projects.
- Progressive Grading.
This practice is not new, yet most educators feel hesitant about the use of progressive evaluation methods. Luckily, things are changing fast, and more educators see the benefits. As students have no fear of getting bad grades, they can focus on analytical work and improve their writing skills gradually by checking their progress and focusing on one task at a time. One should also remember the stress factor and the methods one can use to stimulate and inspire students to learn.
- Academic Blogging Practices.
This is a new trend in the digital world that became especially popular during the Covid-19 times when most students had to study remotely and still find ways to communicate and express themselves. There are also special closed groups on Facebook (managed by schools and universities) and other social media platforms where students can post their thoughts and work on assignments by allowing college and school professors to check their content and grade it. It is also a great way to learn a foreign language and cooperate with fellow students worldwide.
Digital Transformation and Accessibility
Dealing with the digital transformation, one should never ignore the accessibility factor as the introduction of tools like Google Classroom may be unavailable in remote parts of the country, or the teachers may be unable to cope with the technical hiccups that may occur. In such a case, digital transformation simply becomes a barrier for learners who may not have available resources or enough bandwidth to implement all the latest technical achievements. The same can be said about the learners with special needs who still require human input, which makes digitalization even more challenging. The only efficient solution is to provide both teachers and students with training sessions and implement surveys as a way to learn about practical experiences. It will help to determine the safest and most suitable digital learning methods.
BIO
Andrew Mazur knows much about technology and online learning as an educator and a certified technology specialist. Offering his skills to universities and online courses, he loves to write and share his opinion. Follow Andrew to learn more about the trends in education and find inspiring solutions.