Alternative Fact 3: Learning gets better with technology.
How many times have we heard from tech evangelists and vendors that technology is the solve-all to today’s pressing education challenges?
Real Fact: Learning gets better with personalized, innovative teaching practices.
True progress in education comes not from the latest gizmo, but from practices that think outside the box in terms of helping each individual student. If technology helps support those practices, great! If not, there’s no need to use it.
Alternative Fact 4: The more programs offered, the better, especially nationally
The best way to attract the most students and boost funding is by offering as many diversified services and degree programs as possible, for as many diverse student populations as possible, across the country.
Real Fact: Start small and diversify only if successful and if needed.
Institutions should only consider program diversification and alternative pathways on a national scale if A) These programs and pathways align with institutional missions, and B) they have vetted these alternatives and found success on a small scale—campus-wide or state-wide—that can be scaled up for effective results.
Alternative Fact 5: Every student wants to learn with devices.
With the abundance of cell phone and tablets used by students in their daily lives, it seems like they’d want to learn on them.
Real Fact: Not all students find learning via devices or digital resources to be the best option. For instance, even students living by Silicon Valley don’t all want to learn via an iPad: http://www.eschoolnews.com/2017/01/12/ipads-ignite-furor-schools/
- 25 education trends for 2018 - January 1, 2018
- IT #1: 6 essential technologies on the higher ed horizon - December 27, 2017
- #3: 3 big ways today’s college students are different from just a decade ago - December 27, 2017