Edtech news roundup – October 2021

EdTech News Roundup

Published: October 5th, 2021

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Here are 3 of the latest and trending U.S. education and Edtech news subjects.

1. The Future of Learning – The Merge of Traditional and Technology Tools

While schools across the country adapted to a fully virtual world last year, this school year is still experiencing adjustments to virtual and hybrid learning environments. The implementation of essential virtual tools, as well as the traditional in-person teaching techniques from pre-COVID times, has blended to create a new state-of-the-art learning experience.

Now, as we move forward with a semi-familiar school year, it is time for those educators to decide which virtual learning tools they will be bringing to in-person classrooms, and what will be left behind. This is where schools and teachers must critically assess the implemented technology. Ultimately, this will allow them to select tools that will bring the maximum benefits to students in the modern classroom.

To decide this, it is most important for educators to not only focus on what the technology does, but what the outcome of using that technology provides for students. An example of this is utilizing an interactive display rather than a traditional whiteboard or projector. Those traditional methods require constant back and forth between the computer and the board, and do not retain the information written that is crucial for students to note. By transitioning to an interactive display, teachers will be providing an advanced teaching style for their students and ultimately be saving time.

2. Schools Refusing Remote Learning – How It May Hurt More Than Help

Some local governments are putting restrictions on the return to remote learning and encouraging students to stay in-person. As a majority of schools across the country decided to go back to in-person learning for the Fall 2021 school year, the repercussions of the ever-growing Delta variant have taken a toll on classrooms.

The Delta variant, and the limitations on vaccine eligibility, has led to schools sending thousands of K-12 students home due to COVID-19 symptoms and positive tests. While at home, students are receiving little to no instruction for their daily learning lessons, despite the states having billions of dollars in federal funding to help avoid new outbreaks and create better plans for schools. Thus leading to some students spending their school year at home without a proper virtual learning solution being provided to manage distance learning.

This issue only continues to grow, creating frustration, sadness, and confusion among students and parents that are required to quarantine due to local guidelines.

To help with this issue, school districts and teachers need to encourage and focus on creating a positive classroom culture that is equal across in-person and virtual learning. By creating a safe environment for all of their students to benefit from, and utilizing technology to provide a productive lesson to at home students, this school year can make progress to address the setbacks of last year rather than cause more..

3. Creating a Caring Culture for Both Teachers and Students

With the jump in edtech advancements and demand over the past year, it is important that educators are given the right professional development tools and resources to utilize technology for the highest return on investment. Along with overall professional development, teachers’ well-being is critically important in order for meaningful learning to occur.

Following the disruption of COVID-19, teachers also have a different idea of what makes a successful classroom and school year. A combination of school strategy, the use and implementation of education technology, along with student wellbeing, all impact how schools are now starting to measure success in the classroom.

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