8 Ways Technology Can Improve Education

As technology grows, so do the options for gathering and sharing information. Because while finding cat gifs or funny memes on the internet is fun, there are also scholarly dissertations on a variety of subjects, public domain novels and classics, and up-to-date scientific information.

This, in combination with advances in personal computing in both applications and general hardware, means that there are a host of new tools and methods that can be used to improve student learning outcomes. But what ways work? Members from the Forbes Technology Council offer their thoughts.

1. Teach With Open-Source Resources 

The open source movement is a technology in itself. The trend has already started with open-source education options available from high-profile universities and the Khan Academy. The trend should continue with our help. These open-source systems level the playing fields between the rich and the poor. When driven people are able to educate themselves, we all stand to benefit. - Charlie Youakim, Sezzle 

2. Tap Into Education Platforms Online 

With the rise of large online educational platforms such as Coursera, Udacity, Khan Academy and others, we see more and more people involved in learning from the best universities in the world. This trend is going to continue, with colleges starting to provide real degrees for finishing online courses (probably with in-person exams). Algorithms also help students learn faster and finish more often. - Andrey Neverov, Trucker Path 

3. Invest In Video Games 

Video games are a source of great entertainment and engagement to people from all backgrounds. They can be an outstanding way to motivate people to learn if handled the right way. Most of the currently available options are just not good enough for gamers' standards, and the main reason for that is the lack of considerable investment. If the game is good, people will play it: It's that simple. - Nick Chandi, SlickPie 

4. Regulate Interactions 

We need to make sure that every kid has easy access to information, but I think one of the most important things is to use technology to regulate itself. Monitoring the when and why of technology can help parents make better decisions about how much, and to what end, children are interacting with simulations. - Timothy Chaves, ZipBooks 

5. Let The Kids Teach 

Kids instinctively know how to use technology that we once had to learn and assimilate. They teach themselves using that tech as they grow. Put that ability to work by letting them teach a classmate, parent or teacher using their preferred gadgets. Students can demonstrate they've assimilated new concepts and lessons by communicating them to others using the same tech they learn with. - Jason Drass, Bull & Beard

6. Use Tech Sparingly 

Use it sparingly and only when appropriate. Too many times I have seen technology thrown into a classroom in the hopes it will improve the educational process, only to distract from the lesson being taught, or prove to be less optimal compared to traditional methods. That's not to say there isn't a place for tech in the learning — but it needs to compliment or enable, not replace. - Chris Kirby, Voices.com 

7. Switch To Tablet Learning 

More schools should switch to tablet learning and coursework submission at all levels. Kids and adults love using them, and are therefore more conducive to real learning, especially when adding gamification and virtual reality. - Chalmers Brown, Due 

8. Make Sure Higher Education Has High-End IT Options 

Higher education institutions face many challenges: financial constraints, small IT teams and increased competition. Remote monitoring and management, strong security postures and automating manual tasks are key enablers to higher education success. Commercial enterprise companies have access to affordable high-end IT innovations; our education system should have that access as well. - Fred Voccola, Kaseya