Integrating technology into education is critical. It's not just about using tech but understanding and engaging with it. Skills like AI prompting, coding and advanced digital literacy are becoming fundamental. We are moving beyond teaching students to use technology. We're preparing them to innovate with it.
Having been at the helm of VERTO for over a decade, I have had a front-row seat to witness the changes technology has brought to how we learn and teach. But as we celebrate the opportunities at hand, it's also important to consider the barriers and the challenges that remain.
So today, I want to share my thoughts on the impact of technology on education, good and bad, and what we can do to level the playing field.
Online learning is breaking down barriers, but not for all
One of the most revolutionary changes we're witnessing is how technology has broadened access to quality education. Online learning has come a long way in the last decade. In the last five years, we've experienced massive advancements in online delivery, with many innovations driven by necessity during the pandemic lockdowns.
And that's great for people in regional and remote areas, who may not be able to access metropolitan or even regional centre campuses. But (and it's a big but) there remains a digital literacy divide between regional and city-based Australians. Lack of access to infrastructure and/or expensive devices at home or school are only widening this delta.
We hear a lot about how technology breaks down learning barriers. For me, it's only partly true. Online and technology-driven learning has great potential to level the playing field, but only when we support it with access to infrastructure, education and hardware can it be accessible to all.
Beyond the 'Zoom classroom'
Rewind ten or so years, and online learning was really just about putting the classroom on Zoom. Learning online delivered only a fraction of the benefits of an in-person experience.
Today, online learning is about AI, immersive learning, streamed classes, on-demand courses, customised experiences, gamification and interactive projects. It's a whole new ballgame.
In the VET sector, for example, we're able to recreate highly realistic retail customer service environments online, allowing students to interact with customers, and teachers to measure performance and progress.
In areas like healthcare, creating online environments gives students a chance to test, practise and refine key patient care and interaction skills before they put them to use in a real-life situation with vulnerable patients.
Not only is this style of online learning engaging, interactive and effective, but it's also critical in the VET system, where students must demonstrate competence to graduate.
Customisation capability is immense
Technology in education goes beyond just access and classroom experience - it's about personalisation. AI-powered tools enable a learning experience that adapts to the individual needs of each student.
This adaptivity is critical at a time when we are embracing the wide range of neurodiversity in our communities.
Tailoring learning to the student will ultimately lead to a better outcome for the individual learner and, quite possibly, society at large. Developing effective and engaging means of teaching all learning styles will allow us to harness the unique talents in our community. However, we have only just seen the tip of the iceberg when it comes to what's possible.
Education systems struggling to keep up
Understandably, education systems take time, careful consideration and deep expertise to create and change. However, with the rapid acceleration of technology, particularly AI, education systems are being challenged to keep pace.
It's an almost intractable problem in most countries today – how do we create education systems that remain relevant in a world that is moving so fast? It's going to require an incredible amount of flexibility and agility.
It's one of the reasons I anticipate we will see even greater interest in shorter, sharper training and learning experiences that quickly upskill and reskill. The traditional three- or four-year degree is a significant time investment when the workplace is changing so rapidly.
Balancing human and technology-driven learning is key
Another challenge we're seeing first-hand is the need to balance in-person, human learning experiences with technology. We are already hearing from employers that younger workers struggle with some key workplace interpersonal skills, and decreasing face-to-face learning won't help.
It's often during meal breaks or in-person group work tasks that students get to practise and build critical communication skills. Moving further away from in-person teacher and student and peer-to-peer learning experiences has the potential to exacerbate challenges with communication, collaboration and general workplace social skills.
It's a real challenge with AI, too. Students must be highly competent AI users to thrive in today’s workforce. However, we must also be careful to make sure students are not relying solely on it so that they can build problem-solving and critical thinking skills. For those interested in reading more in this space, Carnegie Mellon University and Microsoft recently released a report entitled The Impact of Generative AI on Critical Thinking.
A new era of lifelong learning
The scope of education is changing. Learning no longer ends with school or even higher education. With the pace of technology today, it must be truly lifelong. Now, the onus is on us as a society to harness the opportunity, making learning more engaging and accessible for all.
At VERTO, we're excited and committed to pushing the boundaries and exploring how we can continue to enhance and transform the communities we serve through access to education.
Right now, there is an excellent opportunity for educational providers to work together to achieve a shared goal - a future where learning is lifelong, accessible and adaptive.
