4 Reasons Young People Still Need Formal Tech Education – eLearningInside News – eLearningInside News

With the growing accessibility of online training and learning resources, the need for a formal tech education may seem unnecessary. After all, today’s young people are exposed to smart televisions, tablets, and the internet in general from a young age. This level of connectivity is nothing new – it’s something they were born into and grew up with.

However, while they are undoubtedly more comfortable with technology as a concept from younger ages, this familiarity cannot necessarily replace a structured approach to teaching.

Indeed, it remains the responsibility of educators to ensure that young people not only have access to technology but are informed of its wide-reaching uses beyond entertainment and communication.

1. Many Jobs of the Future Don’t Yet Exist

Some suggest that 85% of regular jobs in 2030 do not yet exist. Of course, that might be an overestimation, but the coming years could mark the most significant shift in attitudes to work since the industrial revolution.

Just because young people have access to technology, that doesn’t mean they’ll stay on top of the job market, especially the rapid shifts. So while educators cannot predict what all of these new jobs will be, it’s imperative to ensure that young people are prepared for whatever comes next.

The workplace is already seeing the benefits of artificial intelligence and machine learning. Everything from work order management to computer-aided design involves significant tech influence. But, crucially, those rapid developments won’t be positioned front and center for young people that spend most of their time online on games and social media.

What is education if not to prepare someone for a career, even if it doesn’t yet exist? Formal technology training can ensure that these new opportunities don’t pass young people by.

2. There’s a Risk of Complacency Replacing Education

Some teachers of an older persuasion rightly assume that many young people broadly understand technology better than they do. However, a knowledgeable audience is a reason for further discussion and a structured approach, not a lack of additional effort.

In the pre-internet days, there were young people in education with a better grasp of algebra than their math teachers. Some students could write more compelling prose than their English teachers. This was never previously a reason to avoid honing and directing their skills towards a career, and it shouldn’t creep into modern technology learning.

3. There’s a Need for Skills to Complement Unprecedented Information Access

Even for young people that do not know a world before the internet, education remains the …….

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