What technologies are available to enhance teaching and learning?

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by TeachThought Staff

Using technology to enhance learning is an incredibly exciting idea, and as an area of education is growing fast.

Blended learning, mobile learning, connectivism, and other increasingly popular ideas all owe their existence to technology. But the reality is that the majority of public schools in the United States are less than cutting edge. While there is little data available to pinpoint exactly what is being done where, five of the more common applications of technology in the classroom appear below.

The unfortunate reality here is that in lieu of significant progress in how technology is used in the learning process, significant work remains to do a better job understanding how these tools can function to increase depth of knowledge, learning curiosity, and critical thinking skills.

Below we look at five of the most common uses of technology in the classroom: websites/social media, computer-based reading programs, computer-based assessment, and the hybrid Google Classroom/laptops/iPads setup. Then we take a look at some of the most common challenges of each one.

5 Common Uses Of Technology In The Classroom And One Challenge For Each

Websites and social media allow students to research and teachers to share–not only lesson plans, but digital resources, assessment data, and even whole-group, away-from-school communication (see The Flipped Classroom). Podcasts, multimedia such as music and YouTube videos, and other digital tools can be accessed here as well. (See 10 Social Media Sites For Education for further reading.)

The Challenge: The internet holds within it the biggest bulk of facts, data, and information a student needs to consistently access. While this isn’t knowledge or wisdom, it’s a start. The problem is access is so often tethered by district filters or well-intentioned restrictive curriculum maps that a set of encyclopedias might’ve functioned just as well. Student safety and privacy are also challenges.

A key is combining progressive teaching practices and learning models with safe social media and digital learning tool use that actually results in improved student understanding.

2. Reading Programs

Reading levels (e.g., Lexile) are monitored via computer-based reading programs.

The Challenge: Readers, especially struggling readers, can often make significant gains in reading levels throughout a year. The bad news is that many of these gains come not from wholesale improvements in literacy, but becoming better at the reading test itself–or a more concerted effort to ‘score higher.’

Worse, using a $1500 computer to take a reading test is a special kind of irony. It’s not innovative, not learner-centered, and probably not what the local bank had in mind when they donated $50,000 for the lab three years ago. For students to improve as readers, they need to read. A lot. On their own–often books they choose. And they need to do so outside of the classroom.

If we want to improve reading levels, spending some of our money to create technology to help there could be useful.

3. Computer-Based Testing

Computer-based standardized tests from third-party vendors help are given during the year to predict performance on the end-of-the-year state test.

The Challenge: While offering piles of data and a rough picture of a student’s academic deficiencies, standardized tests carry huge clout in most public school districts, and success (and failure) here can mean everything. But if the data that is produced is overwhelming to skillfully analyze and revise planned learning as a result, student learning progress can suffer.

See also 25 Tips To Reduce Digital Distractions And Improve Focus

4. Calculators, Smartboards, And Clickers

In the classroom, teachers are using calculators and smartboards and clickers to not simply engage students, but to offer more diverse platforms for students to work with new ideas and demonstrate understanding. Many of these tools also allow the teacher to garner data in real-time, which not only saves time (less grading) but more critically offers the student immediate feedback that is often easier for them to interpret than sometimes nebulous teacher feedback.

The Challenge: While these were forward-thinking 10+ years ago, today (in most classrooms) the bulk of their functions could be replicated with smartphones and tablets.

5. Learning Management Systems

The definition of a learning management system has changed over the years as the function and elegance of these systems have changed. Today, the most common learning management system in K-12 classrooms is probably Google Classroom (even though it’s arguable whether or not it’s technically an ‘LMS’).

Google Classroom and even iPads and even student smartphones have the potential to make information and resources immediately accessible to learners, and while that was always the case with textbooks, technology makes this information more easily searchable, richer with multimedia, and potentially social beyond the classroom.

The Challenge: Teachers often lack the time or the resources to use these tools to create compelling learning experiences for students. Instead, it’s often a more efficient way to teach and learn the way teachers have always taught and students have always learned.

The time and money and sheer flexibility to fully integrate Google Classroom or iPads and other devices meaningfully, with one doing the work of the other, and little gains made over what was possible with desktops ten years ago. It is this approach that arms the naysayers in your department with justified criticism of the expense and complexity of proper technology integration.

To continue to take advantage of this technology in the classroom, curriculum, assessment, and instruction should all be designed to work closely with a constantly evolving learning management system–something that takes constant iteration, training, and funding to do.

Image attribution flickr user sanjoselibrary; Does Your School Need Better Technology Or Better Thinking?

8 Ways Technology Improves Education

Apart from the argument that technology has negatively affected students' learning schedules, edTech has been proved to be a helpful tool. Nowadays, the time that students invest in learning can be utilized in the best way possible since their growth is under their control thoroughly: either they can make efforts to stand out or let the opportunities go vain. Here are some ways in which technology has made the academic industry better.

1. Digital Simulations And Models

In traditional learning it is sometimes difficult for students to get a concept. Digital simulations and models can help students not only better understand various disciplines, but also get acquainted with the wonders of the modern world.

Plus, technology has also proved to be a helping hand for teachers who sometimes find it hard to explain certain things within the boundaries of a physical classroom. Tech-savvy teachers are able to prepare their lessons in a more strategical manner by including different types of text, activity models, and interactive controls for students.

2. Improved Communication

Communication is an essential part of any activity. And when it comes to education, ineffective communication is just not acceptable. Since technology has emerged, communication gaps have been bridged up and the flow of knowledge has been smoothened. Whether in a traditional or a virtual classroom, with online collaboration tools everyone can just form a community where teachers assign projects to their students in real-time and students may ask for clarifications, if any.

As a bonus, peers may easily interact with each other for their subject-relevant concerns too.

3. Advanced Research

Cloud storage has made research a lot easier for the students these days. Gone are the days when they had to go through piles of books to find a specific reference to improve their assignments and projects. With technology, research has been quite an effective tool.

Since a lot of time is saved during research, students are able to incorporate a lot of information and knowledge in their projects. Also, the acquisition of different solutions and results all over the world is now possible, which is likely the most obvious benefit a student gets in his life. All thanks to the giant search engine Google.

With the help of digital simulations and models, teachers are not only able to prepare lessons in an efficient manner, but also know the progress of their students.

There is software available with which teachers can give or receive assessments of their students in real-time. Such software is made to help teachers stay updated with all records, for instance, the number of learning assignments given, how much time students need to solve a problem, etc. It is a way of helping teachers know how much time a particular question requires from some students, and if they're getting better; if not, what further efforts should be made for their improvement.

5. Learning At One’s Own Pace

Needless to say, self-paced learning is another big advantage that students enjoy with the emergence of technology in the education industry. When they opt to learn a specific concept and confronting any difficulty, there is no need to just skip it off. Although there are some quick learners who are capable of adapting quickly, there are some others who take considerable time to absorb an idea. Such students are blessed with the idea of technology being part of their learning; now they can easily pace up with their peers with the complete understanding of developed lessons and online curriculum that is exclusively designed for them.

6. Fun Learning

It is a fact that a student learns more when he practices. The use of technology has made things a lot more fun than ever. Students are getting engaged in so many learning tasks that improve their retention of new concepts.

Since the introduction of computers, tablets, and mobile phones, there has been a great scope of education applications that allow learners to learn various concepts in a playful manner. Moreover, they can access to live streaming videos online to better understand an idea, subject, or concept.

7. Online Groups Collaboration

The idea of group study has been improvised in the cyber world. Now, the students don’t need to get together physically; online collaboration platforms make things done. There, not only students can discuss and chat, but also share documents and notes. This practice turns out to be a great option if you are assigned a group project.

8. Open Education

In this technologically revolutionized world, there are numerous free options available from different prestigious universities. No matter where you are, you can simply access the internet through your device and look for your options. Since the world of internet is bound to provide you with the best of your search results and help your education needs, your grades don’t need to suffer anymore.

As far as we know, technology is here to stay and develop. There are more revolutions that are expected in the industry, so you need to be ready for every new update. The idea that “Education is for everyone” seems to be verified with technology's involvement.