Youth: A Catalyst For Educational Change

It is always interesting to notice how youth culture and behavior is shaping education. With the rise of the Internet we have seen an introduction of various new resources to class rooms as well as a variety of new study directions to accommodate the influx of youths who want to work in these fields. Here is a quick breakdown of five ways youth have become catalysts for change in education:

Change #1 – The introduction of technology in the classroom

The University of Johannesburg was one of the first South African universities to introduce compulsory tablets for all first year students. Many schools also include interactive white boards in the class room to enhance the classroom experience. Youth enjoy learning by means of technology and this encourages engagement and access to even more information.

Change #2 – The need for new ways to gain an education

Many universities and colleges choose to offer a variety of short online  courses  that students can take to earn credits toward a degree or just to enrich their skills or develop their existing skills.

Change #3 – Learning beyond the classroom

Many students enjoy taking their studies beyond the classroom, choosing to view lectures online in their own time, engaging in student forums or engaging with and sharing a variety of study materials. Institutions naturally have to make provision for this, allowing students to be able to supplement their studies with these kind of resources.

Change #4 – Enriched resources

Whether prescribed textbooks are available for tablet, or whether an institution chooses to engage students in a virtual space, many students prefer rich content. Youth have become accustomed to second screen experiences – they choose to tweet while they watch TV or Google matters of interest while watching the Discovery Channel. The need for rich resources has never been greater. Academic, literary and cultural references can be at hand when you refer to them and eliminate the fact that many students will forget to look up a reference in the library.

Change #5 – The type of courses on offer

The popularity of the Internet provides a variety of new opportunities and career paths. Many of those who are specialists in the field are young working people and this is but one example of how new technology and social advancements can shape the need for new departments in education… popular culture is no longer something you experience on MTV, but you can learn about it to ensure that you can include the best approaches in your marketing attempts. The rise in popularity of platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Mxit among youth ensures that “best practices” are introduced in a syllabus as well.

Youth will always remain a dynamic part of our society and with the investment in youth and how they contribute to the future of South Africa, it is only natural that they play a role in how education is shaped.

Blended education.... an intervention for the new generation?

Being bombarded with the infinite amount of information has changed the way we communicate process information and think. Innovation and creativity is essential in approaching new methods of education. 

Education in the digital age is based on how learners are changing the ways they interact, and their increased ability to create, share and organise their own learning.

The truth of the matter is that we need to find a way to teach with the available tools that makes it easier for them to learn. More and more teachers are finding that this breakthrough method is blended learning.

Blended learning combines the best of online learning with traditional teaching and is vast becoming the ‘go-to’ tool for both secondary and tertiary institutions.

For instance, most educators in blended classrooms use some version of a course management system application to connect with students online. Blackboard and Moodle are perhaps two of the best known applications used today. Through platforms like these, students can access video of lectures, track assignments and progress, interact with educators and peers, and review other supporting materials, like PowerPoint presentations or articles.

Applications like these give educators the freedom of alternating between online and the more traditional teaching methods.

Traditionally an educator would use their class time to lecture and facilitate supporting material, then give tasks and projects for students to do on their own time.  Within the blended method, educators can still use their class time to lecture and facilitate material, but could already have shared this information on an online portal for students to review at home and on their own pace beforehand. Class time can now be used to discuss and engage on this content. This creates a much richer environment for content to be discussed and field related question to be asked, focusing on the individual rather than the mass.

Rather than making learning frustrating and impersonal, students are empowered through blended learning to participate, not only with the teacher, but also with other students. Instilling such habits at an early age will result in positive change for all.

Although blended education is a relatively new concept it’s an important one to be aware of.  This model has the potential of not only changing the secondary and tertiary learning environment but also career development and even continuing education in the future which in effect pose positive change for the entirety of the population and bodes well for the future economy.

Innovative Education Trends In 2014

Whether you are one of the first years who have to own a tablet for this year’s studies or whether you are a teacher looking for new ways to inspire your students, here are a few innovative trends in education for this year… and most of them is about increasing access to information…

Online Collaborative Learning

We spend a lot of time online, sharing information. It only seems natural for learning to take the same course. Online independent learning can happen a lot easier because of the online skills that many students already have. This model is great for collaboration, allowing students to benefit from shared memory and shared resources. Just imagine study groups online, where you will be able to talk about articles, books and ideas that will help each other.

Online Resources and Textbooks

Many often consider online learning as a static learning process with little interaction. Many of the online resources that we will be seeing reenacts face-to-face learning experiences, so the classroom will physically be represented online with the help of video and audio mediums. Sharing digital resources is also a lot more efficient – you no longer have to wait for your textbook to arrive at your local bookstore (and chances are that you can access them on your smartphone or tablet).

Social Media for Learning

87% of Facebook and 85% of Twitter users in South Africa are accessing these platforms on their mobile phone and with South Africa having a mobile penetration well over 100%, social media is going to become important in providing students with access to information and encourage them to participate in conversation. Challenges still exist in proving the credibility of this medium, although we should be seeing a lot more interaction between educators, students and industry specialists on platforms like Facebook and Twitter.

The Flipped Classroom

Many learning institutions have a structure where most of the time spent in class includes an educator delivering information to the students and then, by use of a textbook, it is up to the student to read the relevant chapters. The idea of the flipped classroom allows students to access information how they want to, allowing them to absorb the information in a way that is best suited to them. This might include watching videos, listening to podcasts, collaborating with peers online for example.

Regardless of what you are studying, remember that we offer loans for textbooks, study-related equipment, laptops and tablets to ensure that you have everything you need to help you during your studies! Contact us today to find out how we can assist you!