Whether it’s an issue of data, security, or technology-supported learning, the top issues in IT education affect every campus. These issues are the topics that top the list of EDUCAUSE’s research and advisory services, which help leaders make informed decisions about IT-related investments and initiatives.
Big Data & Education
Educators must collect and store large amounts of data to properly assess student learning. This is why it’s important to have access to the right tools for collecting and analyzing data from multiple sources. However, big data can be overwhelming for educators and administrators to keep track of.
In this regard, data analysis has become more complex than ever before. For example, instructors now have to find out where students are looking for information, which questions are most important to them, and how they are responding. This makes it more difficult to design and implement educational programs that are effective.
Teachers also must be prepared to handle an increasingly larger number of students. This can cause teachers to be overloaded, leading to poorer student performance.
The use of mobile devices has also increased as students are able to join online classrooms through their smartphones. Although this is an attractive trend, it can be harmful to students if they are not aware of the potential risks.
Video-Assisted Learning
Using videos to teach lessons is another popular trend in educational technology 2021. This involves creating video lectures that can be viewed on the students’ own time. In this way, it reduces the need for live lectures and allows the instructor to spend more time with the students.
One problem with this strategy is that it can distract students from the lesson. This can lead to poor performance on tests that measure the knowledge of a lecture.
Social Media & Students
Social media has a negative impact on students’ academics and their social lives. This is because it can be distracting and it can lead to cyberbullying and sexting.
The use of social media has a negative impact on students’ relationships with teachers and classmates, which can have a long-lasting effect on their learning outcomes. For this reason, some schools ban social media in order to prevent these problems from occurring.
Increasingly, colleges and universities are trying to find ways to improve their learning environments for their students by adopting new technologies. This can involve creating a digital library, integrating e-learning into courses, or using digital content to enhance student learning.
There are several different ways that colleges and universities can implement these technologies in their educational institutions, but there are also a few challenges that they must address. For instance, some schools may be unwilling to invest in new technology or have limited budgets for their IT departments.
College and university IT managers are challenged to find a balance between the needs of their institution and the skills, training, and experience that they need in their workforce. They must adapt their employees to these new roles and techniques, while at the same time attracting and retaining the best talent in their IT department.