Innovative Education: How Technology is Changing the College Experience

Who knows how to use technology better than college students? Today, the college experience is transformed because of technology on campuses and in dormitories. It's so integral to most universities that students today would hardly be able to imagine their college years without it. These innovations in education are helping to better prepare the next generation to enter their careers and become global leaders.

Today's Student Studies in Different Ways and Places

Long gone are the days when a student had to study from piles of books and paper notes in the library. Today, students can browse most of their textbooks right from their smartphones and laptops. These online textbooks reduce the cost of attending college by hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars each year. In fact, some professors are opting not to use textbooks at all, but instead provide a list of materials from the Web.

Most libraries have also digitized their journals and books, forgoing physical shelves completely. This doesn't mean that students don't congregate at the campus library during finals week. Rather, libraries are adapting to new innovations in technology by offering state-of-the-art software, hardware and Internet connectivity. Spaces that were once used to store books are now being used for collaborative spaces and advanced technology like 3D printers and VR systems.

Notetaking is Easier and More Collaborative

Notetaking has also become more collaborative thanks to technology innovations. Some students will take notes together in a shared form, where they can make quick notes, ask and answer questions and save documents to the cloud where they cannot be lost. This helps better prepare them for the workplace, where cooperation is a valued skill.

Speech to text software is also improving, making it possible for recorded lectures to be translated to an easily browseable document.

In addition, online textbooks often have note-taking capabilities within their interface. Students can scribble notes right across their pages without actually ruining an expensive book, and then download those notes onto a single document.

Modern Campus TV is Actually Useful

Better technology also means that classes aren't limited to physical classrooms. More and more universities are moving toward online and satellite classes. This is helped along by improvements in television delivered over IP.

IPTV such as Beehive video allows campuses to scale up their ability to film and broadcast recorded lectures. This makes it possible for professors to lecture to students at regional campuses, for example, or for universities to broadcast important community events. Of course, it also provides more entertainment options for students, making dorm life more desirable than before.

Technology Brings Students and Community Together

Today, college students are also much more in tune with what's going on around campus and in their community. Social media allows them to stay informed whenever they look on their smartphones. Not only does the extra connectivity help them network and make friends, but it also gives them greater access to enriching activities they might not have otherwise known about.

Thanks to technological innovations, students are reaching out and learning about more subjects and cultures than ever. Campus newspapers, too, are relying more on digital production rather than traditional print. This frees up their budget to spend more on valuable reporting, making some student newspapers competitive with local, professional news sources.

Technology has forever changed the way universities educate their students. The college experience today is more collaborative and innovative than it was even just a decade ago. Rather than making the need for a physical campus obsolete, technology has enhanced the best parts of studying at a university. Soon, new technology could help to make college an affordable and accessible dream for everyone.