Technology has always been at the forefront of human education. From the days of carving figures on rock walls to today, when most students access several portable technological devices at any given time, technology continues to push educational capabilities to new levels. By evaluating the significance of educational methods and tools today and in the future, technology’s importance in the classroom is evident now more than ever.
Undoubtedly, technology has transformed life as we know it, and the classroom looks much different than it did 30 or even 10 years ago. Digital whiteboards have now replaced traditional chalkboards. But is this advancement to the detriment of students, or does it benefit the learning process? According to the Pew Research Center, 92% of educators say that the Internet significantly impacts their ability to access content, materials, and resources. Technology can make aspects of education more accessible and equitable in many ways. Let’s find out the application, benefits, and examples of technology in education.
The Use of Technology in Schools
Educational technology offers instant access to information, which is why its presence in the classroom is vital. Computers, smartphones, and tablets are an omnipresent element of everyday life for students and teachers alike. It is only natural to expand knowledge using technological devices in the classroom to create meaningful learning experiences for students of all ages. Using technology in schools, including virtual classrooms, creates actively engaged learners. It also creates pathways for differentiated instruction to meet the unique needs of students as individual learners within a broader learning climate.
There is a common misconception that using technology in schools can financially burden some school districts. However, students do not necessarily need their tablets or laptops to succeed with technology. Integrating simple technologies, such as Internet homework assignments, PowerPoints, games, or online grading systems, can make a difference in students’ growth and knowledge acquisition. Here are a few ways of integrating technology into education.
Online Grading Systems
Communication is an indispensable element in education that helps administrators, teachers, parents, and students recognize learners’ strengths and areas of improvement. Online grading systems open and facilitate communication lines where students can post grades, analyze student attendance patterns, and manage transcript data.
Internet Homework Assignments
Posting assignments online via learning platforms like Blackboard, Moodle, and Brightspace has become common in high schools, colleges, and universities. It is one way that many educators integrate technology into education. It makes assignments easily accessible, increasing student engagement and helping learners become more organized.
Virtual Learning
Virtual learning is an environment where students study a digital-based curriculum taught by instructors that lecture online via audio or video. This mode of instruction can take place either in a self-paced (asynchronous) environment or in a real-time (synchronous) environment. Virtual learning teaches students how to manage their time better since they bear the onus of engaging with the course instead of simply showing up to class on an assigned day and time.
Online Writing Service
Technology has made it possible for learners to access additional help online. Today, essay writing services e.g. CustomWritings are ready 24/7 to help students with their assignments, whether essays or research papers. It is an American essay writing service with more than 15 years of experience. Their professional academic writers can fulfill your ‘write my essay request’ with a plagiarism-free, quality, personalized, and timely delivered paper. The company is a trusted essay service that connects learners seeking assistance with top-ranking experts.
Six Benefits of Technology in Schools
With the adoption of technology, many educational institutions are substituting traditional resources with conventional technologies to keep up with their digital learning population. Below, we have listed the benefits of technology in schools in a quest to improve engagement and increase student success rates.
Provides Personalized Learning Opportunities
Technology allows 24/7 access to educational resources. Classes can take place entirely online via a laptop or a mobile device. Hybrid versions of learning combine the use of technology from anywhere with regular in-person classroom sessions. In both scenarios, technology helps tailor learning plans for students.
Prepares Students for the Future
To thrive in the 21st-century workplace, students need more than a working knowledge of specific technological tools, such as teleconferencing and electronic whiteboards. According to a CompTIA study, nine out of ten students say using technology would help them prepare for the digital future. Teaching students skills like PowerPoint sets them up for success and future digital demands.
Improves Collaboration
Educators have observed an increased frequency of students helping each other when using technology in schools. Many technology-based tasks entail varied aspects, leading to situations where students need to seek help from their peers or teachers.
Enables Easy Access to Information
Technology makes it easier for learners to find information quickly and accurately. Search engines and e-books are partially replacing traditional textbooks. Instead of personal tutors, students can get one-on-one help through educational videos and seek help from professional academic writing service anytime and anywhere.
Supports Different Types of Learners
No two students learn the same way, but with the proper insight, assistive technology, and adaptive tools, educators can address diversity in learning styles and experiences. Some technologies provide a detailed overview essential in identifying student needs based on real-time feedback. Assistive educational technology helps students with special needs to learn more effectively.
Adds a Fun Factor to Learning
Students use technology in all aspects of their lives. Within the classroom, technology makes learning more fun and exciting. Teaching methods like game-based learning (GBL) allow instructors to deliver lessons via interactive games and leaderboards.
Examples of Technology in Education
Learning technologies have become more available, affordable, and accessible in recent years. Educators’ comfort level with technology sets the tone for successfully integrating more advanced tech in the learning process. Here are several examples of technology in education that have made their way into learning environments.
Interactive Whiteboards
An interactive whiteboard is a common technology used in schools. Academic institutions use interactive whiteboards to increase student participation, productivity, and grades.
Virtual Reality Headsets
Students can use virtual headsets with specific apps to enhance learning. This technology evokes emotional reactions in students, which helps to enhance learning and increase empathy.
Digital Readers and Tablets
Schools are increasingly looking to replace the bulkier hardcopy textbooks with digital ones accessible via handheld devices. Among the many pros of digital readers and tablets is that they provide a centralized, accessible place for all reading materials.
3D Printing
3D printing creates hand-on models that students can investigate and interact with. For example, students can learn about the geography of an area by observing a 3D map.
Virtual Reality
Technology for virtual, augmented, and mixed reality is rapidly developing. Today, students can use these technologies to experience virtual field trips to inaccessible places.
Gamification
Students learn better when they’re having fun. Gaming in learning environments applies this concept by tying together the fun part of the play with the content and concepts that students must learn.
Wrapping Up!
Technological advancements are awe-inspiring. From slide projectors and classroom film trips to virtual reality and next-generation e-learning, from the ancient abacus to handheld calculators, educational technology continues to evolve excitingly, inspiring students and teachers alike. We must acknowledge that this is the world students are growing up in and provide opportunities to expose them to these wonderful developments. However, educational stakeholders should carefully assess the pros and cons of every educational technology tool to enhance the personal element in the teaching process.
With technology playing a prominent role in our day-to-day lives, it’s only natural for learning institutions to incorporate high-tech learning in classrooms, from elementary schools to universities. Many of the best private schools in Houston are not only incorporating technology in their classrooms but also offering additional resources such as tutoring and extracurricular activities to ensure their students receive a well-rounded education.
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