Technology has made a foray into education and is entwined with every step of learning today. Education has evolved over time and as we know that early education models were driven by religious texts that were read aloud. Memorization was a critical skill and strong emphasis was given on rote learning and therefore, classroom became a critical tool. But over the past 150 years the field of education has undergone a sea change and we are living amidst a world of education where knowledge is freely available and classroom learning is gradually taking a backseat. In 21st century the learning environment is expanding and apps are opening new educational doors.
Classroom learning is only advantageous when it comes to rapidly building conceptual understanding rather than developing knowledge of detailed tasks and remains relevant for group discussion and group problem solving where people are located close to each other. Classrooms remain a good platform for collaboration and sharing whereas if we look at technology, it offers abundant opportunities for social learning, peer feedback and easy access to information. There is no denying the fact that Google is the largest educational provider on earth and it is doing so 24x7, 365 days a year without any classroom.
Apps are gaining immense popularity across the globe and many are of the opinion that apps will become the future classrooms. We are witnessing the large-scale development of learning and performance tools and services via apps. That day is not far off when mobile apps or their successors will be the main source L&D which will support learning and skill building. Usage of apps has already become rampant in the corporate sector.