Jim Cooper, CEO, Maplesoft and DigitalEd

As education continues to evolve to meet the needs of a fast-paced world, digital education and the associated assets are transitioning from luxury to necessity. Modern digital tools are able to deliver education that rivals classroom education in quality, while improving accessibility and efficiency. Science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) courses present more of a challenge due to the complexity of materials, but tools are evolving and the technology has improved in leaps and bounds. With current technological achievements, and in response to growing demand, DigitalEd was recently announced as a new company devoted to meeting the growing needs of digital STEM education. A Maplesoft spinoff company, DigitalEd was created to bring enhanced focus to online education for STEM subjects.

Today’s students are digital natives. They have grown up with technology and there is an expectation that education will move at the same pace and offer the same convenience they’re used to in their everyday lives. Institutions must adopt learning solutions that meet the students at this point, with tools that are easy to use and access, and that allow for immediate communication and feedback. Companies like DigitalEd are dedicated to facilitating this process, allowing institutions to meet expectations and enhance the quality of online education.

Online learning brings together students from a range of ethnic, economic and educational backgrounds. As a result, it can be a challenge for institutions to address the specific needs and competencies of each individual student. Digital courseware environments, such as Möbius Courseware, alleviate this burden by providing instructors with the tools and data to evaluate each student and immediately identify areas of weakness. Additionally, students can work through materials at their own pace, with the capability to identify their mistakes and make use of unlimited opportunities to work through problems until they are confident in their grasp of the concept. Instructors can provide students with additional problems to strengthen their weaknesses, and provide stronger students with more challenging problems to enhance their knowledge and competency. When it comes to testing and assessment, digital assets like Möbius Assessment, the comprehensive testing platform from DigitalEd, provide instructors with a variety of resources, including a toolbox of various testing methods, to best assess their class.

Modern digital learning tools also make education more affordable. Digital learning tools reduce the costs associated with content development, sharing and publishing. Developing customized content can be costly up front, but is easier and faster to update and maintain. Materials that become outdated or are proving to be ineffective can be immediately updated or replaced. Modern software tools also allow for the sharing of content between authors and institutions for even greater time and cost efficiency. It’s becoming more and more difficult for institutions to justify not acquiring digital learning assets and having a detailed online learning plan in place to address the growing demand for more accessible education. Read this whitepaper to determine if you are failing your students without realizing it.

It is increasingly clear that digital education is no longer the exception. It is the new normal as we move forward in a world of exciting possibilities. Digital learning tools have capabilities that seemed almost unfathomable a decade ago. And they will only continue to improve, enhancing the quality and accessibility of education around the world. The future of education has never looked brighter!