The way students learn is changing rapidly. People everywhere are worried about students falling behind or falling through the cracks as educational institutions evolve. Couple that with the wider variety of educational options available, and you have a recipe for confusion. The following will explore one way to enhance student learning: incorporating applications.
Of course, every child is different, as is every adult. It’s important to take into consideration the learning styles and preferences of the individual student. It’s okay to try something out and give up on it if it doesn’t work. It’s okay to focus more on the subjects that draw a student’s attention and less on the ones they despise—in all likelihood, the things they like learning are the things they’re going to end up working with on a regular basis after school is done.
Specialized Knowledge
While there’s no way to guarantee what skills will be in the highest demand in the future, there are trends that you can notice and study. One of these trends is specialized knowledge. Most careers aren’t built upon broader subjects anymore but hyper-specific elements of one particular subject. Students now have access to learning apps that provide incredibly specific course material, resulting in specialized knowledge which can greatly benefit their careers as well as inform their interests.
Appropriate Challenge
When teachers are leading traditional classes, they often need to meet the class average where it’s at. This means that the more advanced students and the less advanced students aren’t having their needs met. App learning is highly individual and allows students to learn at a pace more comfortable for them.
Learn Anywhere, Anytime
As the adult world evolves to have more flexible hours and working conditions, schooling should also evolve. Kids need to be prepared for the “real” world, and that no longer looks like sitting in the same spot from 9-5 surrounded by other people working on similar projects and watched over by a boss or teacher. Students need to be able to work on a variety of devices in a variety of conditions; if you’re looking to broaden the use of a particular app for students, there are options like the AppsAnywhere platform that help you manage the IT demands of making learning available in all formats at all times. This is also particularly helpful for students who have irregular schedules because of ill parents, competitive sports, or other schedule-altering scenarios.
Cross-Cultural Learning
Slowly, we’re learning that there shouldn’t be one right answer to every question. We’ve realized that there are certain topics that are dramatically informed by cultural background. To help students prepare for a diverse world full of differing opinions and ideas, applications can allow students to take courses from other places and perspectives.
Reducing Pointless, Redundant, Or Disrespectful Homework
For years, homework was something that wasn’t questioned; students were given homework (sometimes several hours of it) and were expected to complete it. Cue the arguments with parents late into the night as every member of the family wished there was less assigned work. It became normal for teachers to hand off anything they didn’t get through in the day as homework, leaving parents responsible for learning and teaching their children.
Applications are changing that, but not in the way you might expect. AI applications can now be asked to write an essay on a given topic, which they produce within minutes. Yes, the quality isn’t quite New York Times level, but it’s more than enough to get an A- in fourth grade. It’s expected that the result of this will be less homework as there’s no way to monitor which kids are using AI to help them and which aren’t. Teachers will need to rely on analog tests and assignments done during class hours if they want to know whether kids are connecting with the material.
Reduction In Financial Barriers
No longer do students need a ton of money to learn. Information and top-tier classes are available to anyone with a digital device and internet access. This is a major leap forward in equality—perhaps the biggest we’ve ever had. Yes, certifications and degrees will likely still cost money, but more and more companies are turning to skill-based testing to help them hire the most knowledgeable candidates, regardless of their history with educational institutions.
The above information should make it clear that applications are changing the educational landscape. While this might be scary, it’s also extremely good news. Contrary to popular belief, students shouldn’t be preparing for the adult world as it is now—by the time they graduate, the world will be drastically different. They should be preparing for an unknown future, learning how to learn, and developing digital literacy.
