Category Archives: Education

Technology is the driving force behind every aspect of human life and education too falls within its sphere of influence. Education has always been a pillar of development and any advances made in this arena will impact the whole world for the better. And ever since it has embraced technology, it has witnessed a dramatic forward leap. With globalisation giving technology a world-wide reach, more and more people are reaping in the benefits of education that is spurred on by technology.

• Interactive Education

Learning from textbooks can be tedious and many students find it hard to retain facts and figures simply from reading a book. But interactive classroom technology can be utilized by teachers to craft instructional materials that can bring even the most boring subject matter alive, engage more learners through feedback and keep tabs on their progress. Interactive technology is beneficial in research as well, for example, most students simply refer to Google Maps or Google Earth to help with their geography projects instead of learning about the earth through 2D maps or globes.

2. Simulation And 3D Models

Through educational simulation, learners get to experience or witness a scenario that without technology would have been impossible to recreate. A virtual reality through computer simulation is constructed to help students grasp a concept. For example, simulations or 3D representation of how a hurricane develops, the evolution of mankind or how dinosaurs walked can captivate young minds and inculcate in them a passion for learning more.

3. Availability of Information

Gone are the days, when books alone used to be the only source of information. Libraries contain a finite number of books, and many schools and institutes have an insufficient repository of books. But this shortfall has been met by the internet. With the rise of the ‘flipped classrooms’, both teachers and learners can tap into open educational Resources and digital libraries where documents are available either free or at nominal costs. There is a plethora of online educational websites and forums such as Khan Academy, Coursera, TED.com, JSTOR and innumerable podcasts, and essay online. Moreover, there are cyber learning technologies that are redefining education and helping students and scholars.

4. Increased Collaboration 

With the advent of technology in education, classrooms are no longer isolated units and the scope of education has been expanded. Classrooms across the country and the world are connected where students can collaborate on different projects through video conferences, Skype, Google Docs, web seminars and interactive software. This brings uniformity to education across the spectrum fosters interaction and understanding among students from all over the world.

5. Online Education

Online courses are the most rewarding outcome of technology’s foray into education. It has made education and skill training reachable to more people than ever before. All that is needed is a smart device/laptop and an internet connection and anyone can acquire a degree of their choice with the added benefits of online courses such as lower costs, flexible timing and the opportunity of furthering their career.

Technology has brought education, a basic human right, to the fingertips of the masses. Digital tools and platforms are modernizing education by making it more relevant, impactful and in tune with the spirit of the time.

Education is something that those of us who are lucky enough to have access to, often (unfortunately) take for granted. It is a given that education is a privilege, but more than that it is also something that has historically been somewhat exclusive – up until now. Of course, this exclusive nature has not been intentional, but nonetheless it is the reality. Not anymore, though. Thanks to technological disruption, the likes of which the academic industry has never seen before, there is change always happening, and more on the horizon. This is an industry that has historically been traditionally-run, and now it is modernising to realign itself with the rest of the world. It is a wonder to behold, and it is an enormous benefit to all students who want the opportunity to study, but have perhaps not had the geographical proximity or the financial means to make it possible for themselves – now, at long last, they can, and they do.

Traditional education requires proximity

The nature of traditional education demands that students live, or have the finances and the means to travel to, their chosen school. Geographical limitation is something that education has always endured, and it has been a constant thorn in its side since the dawn of its inception. And while it has been an ongoing issue, it has also been an issue that students have had no choice, no option to resolve. Until now. The rise of technology in education is changing everything, and this is a very exciting time to be a student, an educator, or anyone who pays attention to the seemingly-constant ebbs and flows of the worldwide education industry. Times are changing, and will continue to do so.

Online learning allows for unparalleled inclusivity

The introduction and further advancement of online learning has enabled for geographical freedom to be the new norm in education, all around the world. Up until this point, students have had to content with the limitations imposed in the wake of traditional education, but no more. These days, students can study wherever, whenever, and however they choose to – all they need is a reliable laptop or tablet to complete their work on, and a stable – and preferably speedy – internet connection to stay in the know at all corners and edges of their academic experience.

Why online learning is such an incredible benefit

Not only does online learning allow students to learn outside of geographical proximity to their chosen campus and school, but they can learn on their own terms. Whether students are studying Python interview questions and answers in preparation for internship applications, or cramming for their art history finals (or any other manner of studious activities or exercises, for that matter), they can now do so freely, with nothing but their own mindset blocking them from achieving good grades and a strong sense of work/life balance. The world is changing, and digital transformation is heading that change. In education, online learning is the bread and butter of modern (and future) education. And it is here to stay.

In the ever-shifting realm of education, the only constant is change. The world has gone through many an evolution since the dawn of academics, with generation after generation of students finding themselves navigating different terrain to the generations that came before them. Of course, evolution of our species’ reach is not unique to education; it is a reality everywhere. Nonetheless, it is interesting to note that the change is most prominent in traditionally-inclined industries like education. It does make sense. After all, all industries are essentially globally-scaled businesses, and society are the consumers. If society’s expectations change, then surely the education system must also change.

Education is often the predecessor for an individual’s introduction into the workforce. As such, even the workforce has changed dramatically – especially in recent years. Everything from the professional corporate training components in businesses, to the way that brands market themselves to consumers, has been fundamentally changed. And all thanks to society pivoting and changing their sense of comfort. Society’s expectations today are that the education industry is going to be able to keep up with their shifting alliances with technological progression and widespread digital adaptation. Society today has changed dramatically in the face of digitalisation and technological progression, and education has been forced into an evolution because of this.

The reasoning is simple. The exceedingly potent waves of digitalisation the world over have in turn created a sense of philosophical reasoning that society has become more comfortable with these turns of digitalisation, than without them. So much so in fact, that to conceive of a world without digitalisation and technological advancement seems crazy, even seemingly impossible. Society is ripe with individuals who value digital progression, and so their attitudes towards industries like education is that digital devices and technological solutions should be a central key focus in education going forward. This makes sense. It feels like the logical next step. And students today, and in the future, would certainly agree.

The growth upwards in global education is centred around the realisation that traditional methods of learning and teaching are not quite cutting it on their own anymore. Students today are expectant that tech will be included in their academic experience. Because they have grown up in a world that is ripe with tech-savvy solutions and digital progression, they know it well – you could even say that they are fluent in it. And so, the education industry has had little choice but to embrace digitalisation and tech in the sector. The refusal to do so would almost certainly mark the beginning of the decline of one of history’s most concrete industries. Adaptation is necessary, and education is not immune to this necessity.

The evolution of present-day society has kick-started the growth of a historically traditional industry. We have never before seen such a sturdy inclusion of technologies and digital devices in the academic industry, and this is only the beginning. The rise of this new age in education is thanks largely to the pivoting nature of modern society. This is where it begins, and there is no telling as yet where it ends.

The Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) examination is one of the most competitive exams in the world. It is mandatory for gaining an entry into most business schools the world-over. Business schools insist on GMAT scores for a variety of reasons. The GMAT exam provides standardized criteria to assess candidates drawn from diverse academic, cultural, career and work spectrum. It gauges an applicant’s commitment, aptitude for business studies, and ability to excel in the grueling MBA courses and the challenging work environment of the future. The GMAT scores also serve as a yardstick for awarding scholarships to the candidates. Moreover, the business schools are selective about admitting students as the value of a school’s MBA degree hinges considerably on the quality of incoming students, with faculty reputation and educational facilities being a given.

GMAT is a 3½-hour standardized computer–adaptive test (CAT) test administered by the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC), a global association of 223 leading graduate business schools. GMAT measures analytical, quantitative and verbal skills of a business school aspirant for a wide range of courses such as Master of Business Administration (MBA), Master of Finance and Master of Accountancy. GMAT consists of four sections, viz. Quantitative Reasoning, Verbal Reasoning, Analytical Writing and Integrated Reasoning. The 75-minute Quantitative section consists of problem-solving and data questions. The 75-minute Verbal Reasoning area contains questions pertaining to sentence correction, reading comprehension, and critical reasoning. The 30-minute Analytical Writing Assessment tests the flow and internal coherence of arguments in an essay. The 30-minute Integrated Reasoning section covers table analysis, graph interpretation and multi-source reasoning.

GMAT is a challenging exam, with estimates suggesting that only 25% of GMAT takers score more than 650 and a mere 12% cross that magical 700 figure, which is universally considered as a good GMAT score. Given the computer-adaptive format of the test, the candidates do not enjoy the leeway of skipping a difficult question and coming back to it later. The test is designed in such that high level / harder questions are thrown up depending on the most recent answers and these, in turn, yield a higher score. The examinees need to answer difficult questions in quick time in order to get a good score. A GMAT course would be handy in preparing the candidates for such an arduous test.

The GMAT is not a pass/fail test. Business schools evaluate candidates on the basis of a final score out of 800, which is the consolidated score for the Quantitative and Verbal sections. The remaining 2 sections have their independent percentile scores. The score is valid for 5 years. The GMAT exams are conducted in around 100 countries throughout the year and the exam fees are $250 US dollars. Stanford Graduate School of Business, Harvard Business School, Wharton, Kellogg School of Management and Columbia Business School are some leading B-schools that accept GMAT scores.

To conclude, business school admissions officials consider a candidate’s past academic records, work experience and recommendation letters. Nevertheless, the GMAT score is a crucial matrix in the admission decision.