Technology is evolving, and the world changes every day. To keep up with this change, like any other sector, the education sector must transform too. Education as a concept has evolved into better, more comprehensible, and personalized learning material as the ed-tech industry establishes its prominence.
In such transformational times, the rise of learning apps has revolutionized the education system. A typical learning app works as a medium for interactive, visual, and self-paced learning. It has exponential potential to enhance the learning experience and boost productivity manifold.
However, a popular age-old debate among educators suggests that such apps do more harm than good. `
Let’s find out how these learning apps might be helping or hurting education!
Advantages:
Enhanced learning experience
Learning apps can bring much-desired elements to the table that enhance the overall learning experience. Textual material combined with images, videos, and audio can help students learn faster and more efficiently.
While it adds up to their curiosity, it also leads to a more innovative approach to learning in better ways. Learning apps can positively impact the education of students, making it feel more like a joyful experience rather than something that they are supposed to do.
Boosted independence
Learning applications are literally like schools without the boundaries of time and the availability of teachers. However, it still offers excellent learning opportunities. The accessibility and convenience of learning apps help the students to learn on their own and thus, eventually be more actively self-paced. They aim to make learning interesting by deconstructing the traditional ideas about teacher-centric education.
Maximized productivity and engagement
Everyone learns differently and therefore needs a different kind of support during the process. The best way to boost engagement in learning is to make the material more personalized so all the needs of the particular student can be fulfilled.
Learning apps provide this extra degree of personalization with testing and tracking methods. The high interactivity of the apps also makes learning more student-centric.
Disadvantages:
Low social interactions
The purpose of education isn’t just academic excellence, but it’s also to help students become more socially sound. Schools are the hub of social interactions that help children learn to deal with the world while making meaningful connections with their peers and teachers.
Digital personalization of education can disrupt social interactions since students are independently learning in their comfort zones. Such conditions can lead to lower interactions and disconnection between students and teachers.
Overconsumption and overwhelm
Most learning apps tend to have everything available in one place. Since there is no regulation on the material, there’s no specific pace for learning. With their curious and delicate minds, students may overconsume educational material and go through mental burnout.
The unregulated bombardment of educational material can even increase the level of stress and anxiety while creating imbalances in social lives.
Regulated incorporation of learning applications into the K-12 curriculum can lead to an amazing step-up in the education sector. However, the overconsumption of education technology can be harmful to both students and teachers. Ultimately, both sides of the argument are important to consider while creating the perfect learning environment for our citizens of the next generation since their growth and development are the only end goal.
At Great Principals, we hope to bring about a necessary change in the ways of Indian Education. Each new generation is far more capable than the last, and we owe it to evolution. But as humans evolve, we are required to transcend from our old ways and look at things from a different perspective, one that shapes the untapped minds of the children for the ever-growing world.
We are here to capture the journeys of marvelous School Leaders and Principals through an interactive talk show. We hope to inspire the parents who are the true changemakers in a child’s growing life. Our goal is to bring about a much-needed change in the way we educate our kids. Feel free to check out our episodes on YouTube www.youtube.com/c/GreatPrincipals