On this day of celebration, we’re looking at the impact of teachers on research, innovation and preparing students for tomorrow’s world. If we know that they play a major role in the acquisition of knowledge, what about their ability to create change in learning methods ?
First of all, let’s put things into context. When we talk about university teachers, we’re talking about more than 80,000 tenured or contract teachers in France in 2020. These teachers have an essential role to play in the adoption of new digital devices and uses. In fact, we believe that without their involvement, EdTech solutions cannot perfectly suit their needs and those of their students.
Getting to grips with digital tools opens the door to new creations!
As the crisis has clearly shown, getting to grips with digital tools creates new opportunities. During the crisis, teachers embraced new technologies despite their uncertainties, and proved to be quite creative. Testing the tools available is the only way to understand them, improve skills and, above all, create new uses. And what if using these solutions in the classroom opened up new pedagogical perspectives, more in line with students’ expectations? That’s what happened during the crisis. Spurred on by confinement, teachers managed to adapt quickly, in an uncomfortable context. For some, this meant discovering and adopting new practices, while for others it meant deepening their knowledge. With their students, they have created teaching methods that will endure, such as hybrid learning, which makes learning more flexible! They became more familiar with the solutions already on the market, learned how to make better use of digital tools, and above all were able to give real feedback on how to improve them!
Experience feedback!
Feedback accelerates innovation. Indeed, feedback from both students and teachers on their new uses, enables EdTech to target much more precisely the areas for improvement and potential development of their technology. In fact, many solutions have been developed during the crisis, responding to new needs. For example, the crisis revealed the inadequacy of a non-interactive videoconferencing solution. Teachers and students alike quickly realized that the lack of interaction with the course created a lack of consistency. Thanks to their feedback, universities have sought to implement complementary solutions and have enriched their proposals!
“Even if schools had managed to anticipate – a little for some, a lot or not really for others – they had to make a sudden switch to distance learning. Not only did they have to adopt new digital tools, but they also had to transform their pedagogy to adapt to the new conditions. It was at this point that we saw an exponential rise in the use of Beecome, and a very strong acceleration in its appropriation, because Beecome met the criteria for distance teaching and communication. This had the effect of strengthening our links with the schools, enabling us to provide better support, collaborate and exchange, and thus continue to innovate with them.” – John-Edwin Graf, CEO of Beecome
Collaboration creates innovations that really live up to expectations!
Collaboration between R&D teams and teachers enables the latter’s needs and expectations to be precisely targeted. This collaboration can take a number of different forms, ranging from quantitative studies to individual interviews, right through to co-creation. This last option involves teachers in the innovation process, giving them the opportunity to find solutions that can improve their daily lives and those of their students. This collaboration also enables them to learn about technology directly from its creators. This makes it easier for them to get to grips with it and grasp all its uses!
The example of the Nordic countries
The Nordic countries are renowned for being among the most innovative in terms of teaching methods. Their strength is the synergy between teachers, students and EdTech. It’s natural for them to be quick to employ new technologies, test them and give feedback. Indeed, the Swedish government is pushing these practices, with the creation of a national testing system Swedish EdTest, which uses teachers’ expertise to improve EdTech solutions.
“In Finland, teachers are a considerable force. They drive development, always striving to improve the quality of their teaching. Many of them end up becoming entrepreneurs in the EdTech sector” Anna Demtyeya, program manager of the xEdu association.
What’s the outlook for tomorrow?
Today, most students and teachers are back at university. While this return is necessary and much sought-after, the digital progress made during the crisis will not be forgotten, as Virginie Dupont, President of the University of Bretagne Sud, asserts, as she looks forward to continuing the hybrid teaching between face-to-face and distance learning.
“We’ve been urging people not to forget the quantum leap we’ve made in terms of digital technology, and we’re going to continue to make the most of it,” says Virginie Dupont, President of the Université Bretagne Sud.
This massive uptake of digital solutions has created new expectations, and universities have realized the importance of meeting them. Objectives have changed, and most of them now include digital issues. Alexandre Fournier, vice-president in charge of digital campuses at the University of Bourgogne, shares with us the new features implemented on his campus. For example, training courses are now available for teaching staff and students to ensure they are comfortable with the new digital solutions!
Methods are changing in response to the rapid evolution of our world. The importance of the teaching role also lies in preparing students for the environment in which they will have to evolve. New technologies are an integral part of our lives. Learning about the digital world at school helps students to understand how they work, and to master them so as to reap their full benefits. We can’t wait to see what new role technology plays in teachers’ learning methods, and how innovation in education evolves!
