Education today isn’t about a routine classroom session glaring at blackboards and listening to teachers and professors. Also, the education digital transformation today isn’t limited to just digital screens watching some cool graphics and videos to learn the English alphabet. The digital age in education refers to the much-advanced use of technology in this domain where students can learn at their convenient times and space, educators can use technologies like data science and artificial intelligence to make the learning experience more personalized and more engaging for their students.
A report by the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA) found that 88% of educators are now leveraging technology in their classrooms globally. This fact highlights the growing importance of digital tools and methods in teaching and learning.
However, effectively implementing advanced and modern tools and techniques in higher education requires educators to be equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge to use such tools. In this article, we will explore why there is an absolute need for tech-education programs for training and empowering educators with digital skills and knowledge, see through the challenges that might come in way, and effective training strategies to empower them with the right skill set in the digital age.
Challenges in training educators for the digital age
Various challenges need to be addressed in making educators digitally proficient. First of all, they have high time constraints. A study by RAND Corporation stated educators spend around 50 hours a week in their work-related activities. That means they have little time to give to their professional development and tech-education programs.
Another problem is anxiety with technology. Another survey by the National Center for Education Statistics reported that 22% of teachers are not comfortable with using technology in classrooms be it for primary or higher education.
On top of that, schools might not have all the necessary resources required to properly train educators and equip them with the necessary skills related to the latest technologies. Not just this, some educators might even resist the change which can make the transition to new pedagogical approaches difficult.
Necessary skills and training required
Now, you may ask what kind of training or skill sets do the educators require? Well, to grow in the digital age, educators require a mixture of technical skills as well as pedagogical expertise.
When we talk about the required technical skills it, it includes proficiency in using Learning Management Systems (LMS). LMS refers to any educational platform that help educators create online courses, distribute materials, and track student progress.
Educators should also be good at using advanced educational tools being innovated in the education market to assist in enhancing teaching and learning experience. They should know how to use presentation software, conferencing platforms, online assessment platforms, etc. Additionally having basic troubleshooting knowledge can help them sort out minor technical issues themselves that can arise while they are conducting online sessions.
Now comes the digital pedagogy part which includes their ability to integrate technology effectively into their lesson plans. Educators should know how to use technology to improve their traditional methods and enhance student’s learning experiences. They can use multimedia resources, encourage online discussions, include interactive activities, or something else to boost engagement.
Educators must develop strategies to properly assess their students in the digital landscape. For this they can use online quizzes, and introduce collaborative projects to evaluate students’ learnings.
Effective Training Strategies
Here are a few ways to address the above-mentioned challenges and help educators gain the necessary skills and make them future-ready.
- Blended learning
This means a training program that uses a combination of both online learning modules along with offline face-to-face workshops provides flexibility and helps educators learn at their convenience and their own pace. With online modules, they can learn the core concepts, whereas in workshops they can learn practically and interact or discuss with peers.
- Practical learning
Not just kids, but even educators learn best by doing. So, training programs should include practical exercises and real-world application of skills. Practical learning includes how to design a digital lesson plan, how to use new online tools, and create online assessments.
- Peer learning and collaboration
It is very important to build a supportive community to enhance the training experience. Educators must be encouraged to share the best practices, troubleshoot challenges together, and discuss among themselves to share and learn from each other’s experiences. They can use online discussion forums, or work on collaborative projects.
They must also keep in mind that the digital landscape is continuously evolving. So, they must be ready to embrace newer technologies and should be eager to learn and implement them in their teaching methodologies.
Conclusion
A study by UNESCO concluded that schools having well-trained teachers who can effectively integrate technology in their teaching practices have witnessed significant improvements in their student’s learning outcomes. So, we can sum up that it is very important for teachers to continuously upgrade themselves with the latest educational tools and technologies to not only stay relevant in the industry but also enhance student’s learning experience effectively. Also, schools must be ready to invest in the digital skills of their educators because it is an investment in the future of education.