Effects of Educational Technology on College Students

Technological advancements have helped us create more comfortable day-to-day routines and lead easier lives. The same goes for education, which proved true during the COVID-19 global pandemic in 2020/21. Not only did it produce satisfactory results, but it opened new doors to introducing educational technology to daily learning. So, how does this phenomenon truly affect student learning? We’ll tackle this and similar questions in the following article, so read on.

Enhanced Accessibility of Information

Technology has made learning easier for students, as access to information has never been simpler. With a ton of resources being largely digitalized and online, students do not need to spend hours at the library to find all the data they need.

This is not only true for accessing content but also for writing papers, facilitating the learning process, and much more. In turn, students don’t spend that much time looking for information but can dedicate their time to classroom activities, which also impacts test scores and learning.

Personalized Learning

Every student has a unique approach to learning. So, introverts might prefer to put on their headphones and cram in their rooms, while extroverts tend to rely on auditory, visual, and other forms of studying. This is where technology steps in — students can make their own choices and rely on tech-dependant products that they deem necessary in the learning process. One of those might be campusM, an application that helps navigate campus life and student orientation in different academic areas.

Sharpened Critical Thinking

In recent years, we have learned that relying on modern tools in the classroom can make the learning process and related activities feel more engaging. That’s true because technology has the power to appeal to multiple senses and increase students’ interest in the materials.

That’s why professors and TAs should use technology to boost students’ confidence in the classroom, motivation, attendance, and so on. This way, the educators encourage students to sharpen their critical thinking and become more confident in front of their classmates and faculty members. Also, this develops a more hands-on learning experience, which is necessary to meet the demands of today's society.

Improved Collaboration

Educational technology can significantly aid student collaboration, as not only do professors build better communication channels with students, but they do the same among themselves. Students work together to solve problems together through educational games and online classes, and they can also share ideas and thoughts and support one another in this way.

Such educational technologies can even help outside of the classes and increase social interaction. This can lead to organized gatherings, parties, meetings or other wellness experiences you can find on platforms like Zing events.

Increased Communication

Thanks to technology, learners can improve their communication skills by using online tools to collaborate on different tasks together. Connecting with different students worldwide can promote cultural learning and bring people of various backgrounds together. There’s plenty of opportunity to improve our interpersonal skills online. You can read more about this here.

Such skills will later serve you well in oral exams, internships, job interviews, and possibly your future career.

Can Technology Replace Traditional Learning?

Although this is a difficult question to answer, technology cannot replace traditional learning in its entirety. It isn't equal to the conventional campus atmosphere, but it plays a big role in improving traditional learning. It also helps the environment become more collaborative, effective, and accessible. 

Technology makes subjects more interactive, engaging, and easier to learn. It opens doors for professors to realize what students are capable of and how far they’ve come. Furthermore, students have access to online lectures even after hours, allowing them to multitask and focus on other important responsibilities. 

(Disclaimer: Devdiscourse's journalists were not involved in the production of this article. The facts and opinions appearing in the article do not reflect the views of Devdiscourse and Devdiscourse does not claim any responsibility for the same.)