Technology in Today’s Classrooms: A Brief Analysis

Kids today, they love their technology, don’t they? Love it or hate it, technology is here, and unless we move with the times, we’re likely to get left behind as the education system moves on. As technology is everywhere, it means it’s our job as educators to ensure that our students are prepared for the wider world. If we restrict their use of technology, we risk making them fall behind their peers, unable to use the basic tools that will become more entwined into their lives as they grow. The Benefits of Technology We’ve all heard the horror stories of the kids that bypass the school’s security system to bring up unwanted websites on school time — and we all know this is unacceptable. The stories that don’t usually make the media though are the dyslexic students who can finally read books with ease due to a simple background color change, or the kids with ADHD who need a prompt for what’s in their diary, or an easily viewable countdown timer to help them stay on task. The world of assistive technology is really gaining power within the education sector. Companies like Microsoft are working with charities like Made By Dyslexia to make assistive technology that is integrated into their systems, easy to use, and, most importantly, non-intrusive. Teachers vs Technology? Of course, there’s always going to be an argument against screen time for kids, but if teachers understand how technology can be a benefit in the classroom, and how it can enhance the learning for so many students, that argument would have less power. One of the best ways for teachers to both understand the power of technology and learn how to integrate it into their classrooms is by taking a Digital Innovator Certificate as part of their professional development credit requirements. Courses such as these will equip teachers with the knowledge to make technology an integral part of the classroom, reaping all the rewards and mitigating against the downsides. Implementing technology in the right way, especially with new technology such as VR, AR, and cloud-based learning, can have a huge impact on kids’ education. Here are four ways technology can be used as a benefit in classrooms Field trips in Virtual Reality In poorer areas where the likelihood of anyone being able to afford a field trip overseas, technology can transport kids to the Great Wall of China or to the Battle of the Somme in VR in a matter of seconds. Engaging Educational Videos Have you ever seen Thug Notes’ take on Romeo and Juliet on YouTube? This is a hilarious way to engage students in Shakespeare; and, let’s not forget the UK’s PE Teacher, Joe Wicks doing a daily physical education session during the coronavirus lockdown. Collaborative Cloud Apps Using tools such as Google Classroom, students can work on their assignments in the cloud, doing away with that hard drive failure, the ‘I forgot to save it’ excuse, or the famous, ‘the dog ate my homework’. Computer Modeling Using software to model cause and effect can be a fantastic way for kids to learn in real-time. It’s great for physics lessons as well as chemistry where some experiments may be dangerous in ‘real-life’.

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