Read an excerpt from a thought piece by ScotlandIS CEO, Jane Morrison-Ross, discussing a digital revolution in education, as an ever-evolving world increases the need for lifelong learning, in which technology can play a vital role.
Covid-19 restrictions have brought change to all parts of our lives and in this changing world, education cannot and should not stand still. Such a fast-changing environment requires that we equip people to adapt and ensure that our education systems are supported to do this.
A piecemeal approach to this crisis and its impact on education will not stand Scotland in good stead. We need a more radical rethink about the role of technology in education and how we can augment the use of technology to benefit all learners.
We need to ask, is focusing investment in learning primarily for children and adolescents still enough? Lifelong learning will be even more critical in the future to enable people to adapt, and technology has an important role to play in assisting teachers and lecturers to reach and engage us all for longer and in new ways.
Digital, when used in the right ways, can also help improve the learning experience. For example, gamifying our education could help engage our students. I grew up in the age of computer games – albeit of a much more basic level than today’s blockbusters. But the principles remain much the same and our children are today immersed in technology in a way that my generation was not.
We can learn a lot from gaming and tapping into the digital environment that now surrounds us. Working with teachers and lecturers, we need to make learning as addictive as gaming currently is. While Fortnite might not seem an obvious education tool, it helps us understand the psychological processes underpinning learning as we observe and try to solve ever more complex situations.
Digital technology brings us the opportunity to democratise learning, empowering students; to make sure everyone has access to the best tools and resources regardless of their background; and personalise learning to enable people to learn at their own pace.
You can view the full article here.