Technology is changing the way we live, socialise, and do business. Things that seemed akin to fantasies in the recent past have been made possible via the exponential advancement of technology. We live in a hyper-connected world. As per estimates, we have over 50 billion connected devices. This means on average, each individual on Earth has seven devices around them that are connected to the internet. If we just look around, it doesn’t sound so far-fetched with all the smartphones, smartwatches, smart TVs, smart tablets, etc. This wheel doesn’t seem to stop. We are frequently introduced to newer technology revolutions such as Cloud Computing, the Internet of Things (IoT), Artificial Intelligence, Quantum Computing, Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality, Voice Recognition, Image Processing, Drones, and many more. It is widely accepted that all businesses today are technology businesses, in some form or the other. The future belongs to technology and hence children need to learn the ropes early.
This blog presents different ways in which technology education can prepare children for the future.
Democratisation of Education
Technology has truly democratised education. The entire EdTech industry that mushroomed during covid and platforms such as YouTube have ensured that all you need is a will and you will find ample learning content on the internet. Top billionaire Elon Musk expressed an opinion that he feels children don’t need to depend on universities to learn anything. Everything is freely available on the internet. Only the willingness to learn is needed. Children from any corner of the world can now access lectures delivered by teachers across the world, learn at their own pace via asynchronous learning, network with their peers across the world through social media platforms, and even look for jobs globally through global recruitment platforms and agencies. This globalisation of education has truly changed the orientation of our students. Now students even from underdeveloped regions can learn at par with cosmopolitan children via online learning platforms.
Instant on-demand access to information
The internet has got us used to instant on-demand service, all with just a click of a button (or swipe of a finger). There is no shortage of information which is available on the internet 24×7 ready to be searched, fetched and delivered to us within the comforts of our living rooms within nanoseconds. Whether it is major political news, a scientific discovery, a business deal, or anything else of interest, all information is within our reach within an instant. The AI-based recommendation engines do a fabulous job of understanding our context and interest and create a smorgasbord of information that might be relevant to us, even without us asking for it. Technology education can enable children to make the best use of all the information that we have available to us instantly and on demand.
Orientation to innovation
Technology and innovation have increasingly become synonymous with each other. In today’s world, it is difficult to imagine innovation without technology and technology is the conduit for innovation. Technology education opens up the minds of children, develops a sense of nothing is impossible, and orients them towards disruptive innovation. Recent innovations such as ChatGPT that have revolutionised the world have been developed not by grey-haired veterans but by young college students, graduates, or even college dropouts. An orientation towards innovation is an essential skill for the future and it is difficult to envisage innovation without knowing the “art of possible” with technology. Technology education orients children towards this very art of possible.
Enhances Collaboration
The future belongs to the gig economy and remote working organisations. The work-from-home concept is just the tip of the gig-working iceberg. Technology innovation, especially in the collaborative technology space has disrupted the way we work and do business. What used to be fly in fly out kind of day trip meetings between consultants and clients are now simply “Zoom Calls” on their respective laptops. Companies of tomorrow are hiring talent globally without needing them to relocate. In such a working scenario children must be well-versed with collaborative technologies that promote gig work.
Adaptability to Change
Change is the only constant when it comes to technology. The pace at which technology is getting outdated is mind-boggling. If you lose pace with this evolution, you will be left out of the future-bound train. Technology education teaches us to not just adapt to change but to also be comfortable with change around us. Every new smartphone comes with new features, every month or two there is an operating system update on our phones and laptops, new games are being launched, there is an app for virtually everything from paying bills, to shopping to even offering prayers to your deities. Technology education keeps children alert and virtually on the lookout for what’s next.
Ways to Win with Emerging Technologies
While technologies are fast emerging so much that sometimes it is very difficult to keep pace. However, there are a few prominent emerging technologies which are the future of our personal and professional world. Thus, children need to be aware, if not proficient of these emerging technologies. Following are some prominent technologies children must be made aware of:
– Computers/Mobiles
– 5G
– Internet of Things (IoT)
– Leveraging social media to their advantage
– Cloud Computing
– Artificial Intelligence
– 3D Printing
– Augmented and Virtual Reality
– Extended Reality
– Coding/Programming
– Drones
– Robotics
– Quantum Computing
– Blockchain
– Cybersecurity
Technology is one of the key pillars of education at EuroSchool. Our classrooms are equipped with world-class technology software and hardware. We ensure our students are well-versed and aware of the latest in technology. At the same time, we also ensure the balance is brought in with the way technology is leveraged while keeping the safety and security and well-being of our students as a top priority. Our students thus develop into extremely tech-savvy individuals who are well in command to adapt to any developments and innovations in technology.
