Role of technology in improving education in Africa
Technology is a critical aspect of the world we live in today. Every day, a new piece of software or device is introduced into the market that promises to better our lives in some way. Technology plays an important part in almost every subject, and the education sector is no exception. In a traditional educational context, technology’s function is to promote knowledge and skill education by increasing efficiency and effectiveness.
People’s education has begun to spread as a result of technological advancements, and ongoing research and development are underway to introduce improved technologies to make education easier, more enjoyable, and more accessible. Both students and teachers can be considered as learners when technology is directly used in an educational context, such as a school. As a result, we may proceed with the assumption that any improvement in teacher knowledge and use leads to increased student learning. Finally, technology should be used to help students achieve greater academic success.
African nations have encountered a variety of challenges in adopting educational policies that promote economic and social development, including curricular and pedagogical difficulties, as well as economic and political issues, since their independence.
Poverty’s impact on education in East Africa remains one of the most pressing issues, compounded by major structural issues such as a shortage (if not complete lack) of job possibilities for school and university graduates.
Despite progress over the previous decade, 67 million children worldwide, more than 53% of whom are females, do not have access to basic education. According to the Education Commission, if current trends continue, just 4 out of 10 children of school age (1.4 billion children) in low and middle-income countries will be on track to achieve basic secondary-level skills by 2030.The technical education system is being re-examined by governments across Africa. The link between technology, education, and socioeconomic growth is becoming apparent, and African countries must act quickly to solve these concerns. Otherwise, Africa runs the risk of undoing recent gains and falling further behind.
Impact Of Technology In Education
With an Internet connection, we have access to information 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Almost anything may be found online in its most recent edition. This provides students with access to anything from research materials and instructional apps to interactive edutainment and open resources from top universities all around the world. (However, students may require assistance in locating credible resources and properly attributing them when they are used).
By making studying more collaborative and engaging, technology may help students become more involved in their learning. Students learn by doing and critical thinking rather than memorizing facts. This might be as simple as taking part in a tech-enabled group discussion or completing an interactive quiz in class. It may also be as easy as playing instructional games, exploring in a virtual lab, or taking a virtual field trip.
When schools in diverse regions of the state, country, or world collaborate, students can use video conferencing to meet their counterparts without having to leave the classroom. Several websites link a group of students with an instructor from another nation or state to enable them to study foreign languages online. Many reputable universities and institutes now offer distance learning courses to their students instead of requiring them to attend classes on campus. The classroom no longer has walls, thanks to technological advancements. There are no longer any boundaries in the learning environment. In addition to the person teaching the course through the use of technology, education can be offered by any number of subject matter experts in the real world.
Development Of Creative Teaching Methods
The advancement of technology has greatly altered how we obtain and use information. Instructors have now shifted from being a “sage on the stage” to being a “guide on the side”. Technology expands the possibilities for teaching innovation by allowing students to access real-world case studies online, watch video-recorded lectures, and listen to podcasts (including collaborative group work and hybrid classroom).
The Birth of Online Testing
With the advent of online education comes the birth of online testing, which is extremely beneficial for a multitude of reasons. The most significant of these reasons is that online testing is unbiased and fair. When a machine marks the exam and automatically corrects erroneous answers, it is impossible to detect bias. Additionally, for those who suffer from test anxiety and are frightened by taking tests in a room with a group of other people, online testing can be an effective alternative. Finally, it is considerably more convenient for people with hectic schedules who may find it difficult to get to a testing location at a specific time.
While technology is important, there are several issues that instructors and students confront in conventional classroom settings. In the current modern era, these issues hinder effective classroom teaching and learning, which influences teaching, learner performance, and the quality of graduates’ end product.
The absence of adequate, ongoing professional development for teachers who are compelled to integrate new technology into their classrooms yet are unprepared or unable to grasp new technologies are at the forefront of all issues.
Aversion to technology can take various shapes, but one of the report’s primary resistance concerns is “satisfied with the existing quo.”According to the researchers, technological experimentation is typically seen as outside the purview of teachers and school administrators’ job descriptions.
Teachers are frequently left without the tools (and, in some cases, the skills) to effectively integrate new capabilities into their teaching techniques when schools mandate the use of a specific technology.
Technology is playing an increasingly important role in both traditional education and other fields that use technology for educational purposes, in terms of its current status and use for educational purposes. We can regard technology as a tool for lowering barriers for both students and teachers in the educational field. First, through distributed learning, technology may eliminate financial and geographical constraints.
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Technology aids learning ? ?.
This is very educative.