You may think that one of the biggest influences of technology on how we learn is represented by zoom, WebEx, and all other platforms that made online learning possible during the pandemic. In reality, the influence of technology on virtually every field of study goes beyond that. The rapid development of technology in recent years and decades allowed for new teaching and getting experience.
Even before the pandemic, colleges implemented technology more and more into their curriculums, terrorist attack simulation software for homeland security majors to 3-D printers and the newest equipment in design labs. Technology started to play a more significant and more prominent role in allowing students a hands-on experience.
In my own communication class in one of New York’s universities, as part of a semester-long project in Public Relations, my group manages the communications department TikTok account. We plan the content creation, distribution, follow trends and manage the following. At first sight, it may feel like we don’t really do much during that class, but the reality is different. Social media allowed my style to bring our theoretical/textbook knowledge to practice. Additionally, we do not just create any content; we make sure we plan it accordingly, edit parts of it in professional editing apps, analyzing trends, and reflect on what worked and what did not.
By doing so, we might not have memorized every word from our chapters and listened to a boring lecture. Still, instead, we can share that experience of managing accounts the next time we interview for the outside position. Therefore, with the employers looking for more and more experience, colleges will continue moving towards technology and social media to give their students more on hands experience than reading theory.