GB News: Patrick Christys condemns higher education
We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. More info
The UK is said to be “leading the global education technology revolution” as the nation invests heavily in science tools to inspire the next generation. Data released by the Digital Economy Council last year showed that the UK industry is one of the fastest-growing in Europe, on target to be worth over £3.4billion by the end of the year. This is coming from more than 1,000 companies and startups exploring cutting-edge learning tools such as augmented (AR) and virtual reality (VR) – as well as searching for the next big breakthrough.
But a recent report also found that the “UK attracts almost half of all edtech investment coming into Europe”.
Howard Lewis, the UK Managing Director of Discovery Education said one of the “key driving forces” behind this is AR.
He told Education Technology: “AR’s popularity has undoubtedly been accelerated by COVID-19.
“But even before the pandemic, some of the world’s biggest providers were starting to notice UK innovation.
“No longer thought of as simply a shiny gimmick, educators everywhere now realise the power of immersive technology to transform learning and broaden student horizons, particularly at a time when normal life is restricted.
“Immersive is fast gaining a foothold in other industries too, with the UK sector poised for exponential growth this year.
“Snap’s US$500 million dollar acquisition of Oxford-based AR displays developer WaveOptics in May sealed the UK’s reputation as a global AR/VR innovator.”
In their recent report, the Robert Walters Group noted that while the market in the UK “is still in its infancy,” the sector “has proven to be an economic powerhouse in an adverse business climate.
They added: “Revolutionising the way education can be delivered to students and professionals, Edtech has proven its value in enabling learning to continue remotely in the midst a global pandemic, while simultaneously breaking down the barriers that prevent marginalised groups from accessing it.”
Edtech refers to an area of technology devoted to the development and application of tools including software, hardware, and processes intended to promote education.
The Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT) defined educational technology as “the study and ethical practice of facilitating learning and improving performance by creating, using and managing appropriate technological processes and resources”.
It denoted instructional technology as “the theory and practice of design, development, utilisation, management, and evaluation of processes and resources for learning”.
As such, educational technology refers to all valid and reliable applied education sciences, such as equipment, as well as processes and procedures that are derived from scientific research, and in a given context may refer to theoretical, algorithmic or heuristic processes.
It is the process of integrating technology into education in a positive manner that promotes a more diverse learning environment and a way for students to learn how to use technology as well as their common assignments.
Source: Read Full Article