Following on from our recent post ‘What Is Educational Technology And Why Is It Important’ we will be looking at the core benefits of using technology in teaching and learning. As we previously discussed, education technology (EdTech) is very important in today’s landscape and that importance will only increase. With that in mind what are the benefits of technology on child development?
Personalisation
Customisation of education for students is one of the main benefits to introducing technology into the classroom. Not all students learn at the same pace and not all students have the same educational needs, so by using technology you can customise the students learning and development objectives to fit their needs. This will help to showcase a student’s true strengths as opposed to highlighting the areas in which they struggle, thus resulting in more confident students.
Attention
We have all suffered through classes that were a little on the boring side – even now as adults we oftentimes find ourselves yawning our way through meetings. With EdTech you can introduce fun ways to learn that will keep students, and teachers, engaged and interacting with the content being studied. Gamification of lessons, virtual tours and connecting with classrooms across the world are just some of the ways in which technology can enhance the learning experience for students, and keep their full attention.
Collaboration
The ability to work collaboratively is great for teaching students teamwork and enabling group learning, not to mention the ease in which homework, group tasks and presentations can be uploaded to cloud storage and accessed by other students and teaching staff. Not only can EdTech improve collaboration between students, but it can also increase and improve socialisation – especially for students who may find real life social situations difficult or challenging.
Accurate Information
Older textbooks that litter classrooms up and down the country can sometimes give a slightly biased view on topics, or showcase information that is no longer fully accurate or relevant. Giving students access to up to date and accurate information that showcases different points of view can encourage students to explore all avenues of information and form opinions on the world around them.
Management
With teachers able to access new EdTech tools such as skills assessment, grading and management it can free up time that can be used to plan lessons and really focus on their students’ progress. Oftentimes a student’s needs can be overlooked or missed due to the workload of teachers, but by using technology this workload can be managed more effectively and in a timely manner.
Problem Solving
Many games centre around solving a problem or survival and without immediately realising it children are picking up and honing vital skills for later in life. For example, The Sims might seem like a fun way to pass some time, but it’s a great way for children to learn skills such as money management and career progression. They’ll have to get their character a job if they want to afford the top of the range television, and they will have to let their Sim study if they want it to progress in its career and become happier. Playing The Sims for 6 hours a day isn’t a recommended curriculum of course, but it shows that many games are subtly teaching children vital skills and that they can be harnessed in the classroom too.
What other benefits do you see from the use of technology in the classroom?
