Technology permeates almost all of the day-to-day things we do as teachers. Today, I’ve invited Kiara Miller from The Speakingnerd to share her ideas on how educational technology can be used to improve student attainment.
The education industry is evolving at great speed, all thanks to technology. We now see things like online courses or remote learning conquer the education sphere. If we at one point had to gather all that we need in a physical classroom in order to teach, the present scenario proves to be different. Similarly, if it was once compulsory for us to travel miles away from our homelands to get into Harvard University or any other world top college, that’s not really the case today. In simple terms, it’s your choice!
Right in the comfort of your home or office, you can enroll in any university or college seven thousand miles away from your locality. You can learn virtually with some of the world’s smartest students and gain incredible insights or enroll in an online master’s program of your interest. By the way, that’s just a piece of the cake!
As technology evolves and continues to conquer every aspect of life, we believe it has illuminated the education sphere in several ways. If parents or guardians were once worried about the negative impact of screen time and social media apps, there is another side of the coin that is really interesting.
Nowadays, education is quite affordable because of remote learning. Students can access more learning material and interact with specialists for quality ideas, which is reflected in their performance. Therefore we believe learning technologies have a more substantial impact on student outcomes as explained below.
#1: Time Tracking Tools
Effective learning can’t occur without the proper management of time. Whether it’s on the teacher’s side or the students’ end time management is essential for efficiency. With the modern learning technologies, students’ time management skills are enhanced greatly as they are able to set SMART Goals and manage their time accordingly. Many students use the SMART approach when setting goals and it helps them prioritize time wisely.
Whether it’s research on a topic, group assignments, or during an examination, the time tracking tools help students complete tasks within a given amount of time. Managing time effectively lessens classroom stress levels, creates time for other tasks, and also helps students to realize greater goals. McGraw-Hill indicates that 35% of students reported reduced stress levels related to studying or exams when asked about the effect of technology on their learning and grades.
Besides the time tracking tools, students can also leverage productivity tools such as spreadsheets, databases, graphics, presentation software, and word processors among others for more efficiency. These productivity tools can be utilized depending on the student’s grade or area of interest.
#2: Collaboration Tools
Collaboration is crucial in learning as it helps students gain new insights and share perspectives about a topic or concept. Modern learning technologies today have taken learning to a better level by replacing teacher-centered and text-based education with collaborative learning tools. All of these create better and more meaningful experiences which make learning more adventurous.
Collaboration tools have also made it easier for students to share learning resources or work on group assignments while studying remotely. Tools like Zoom, Slack, and video conferencing allow timely collaboration between students. Similarly, collaboration tools do improve communication between the teacher and students as they allow both parties to share information, or add comments.
#3: Learning Applications
There is a wide range of educational and learning applications/software that students can leverage today to up their grades. A range of these top-notch learning applications come with a variety of features and capabilities that help students of all levels learn better remotely.
Generally, learning applications are designed to help students develop an interest in learning, understand new concepts easily, or get more creative. They also allow gamification which makes learning fun and engaging when compared to traditional learning approaches.
Similarly, they are fundamental to personalization. Personalized learning helps students with unique learning abilities and needs to learn better. With a perfect learning application, a student can get more acquainted with concepts that may seem complicated in the classroom. These applications also enable self-paced learning as they allow flexibility.
#4: AR & VR
Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) offer immersive experiences in any area of application. When it comes to the education sector, AR and VR are ice breakers, especially when it comes to higher education. AR and VR technologies use 3D imagery, simulation, and advanced audio-visual effects to optimize learning outcomes.
These technologies are highly reliable when it comes to practical or non-theoretical concepts, or we can say science, engineering, architecture etcetera. Augmented Reality alters the existing reality using sound, or images whereas virtual reality is a superior form of technology. It generally creates a new and simulated environment that provides a new dimension to a concept.
Although both engaging and interactive, virtual reality makes learning immersive since it helps students learn intricate concepts as though in the physical world. For example, a Biology student can utilize VR to understand the intricate parts of the human brain and the nervous system. This provides a deeper and more accurate understanding of what the student is learning about. More purely, VR and AR increase curiosity in learners which helps them to go for even the once-difficult subjects or areas.
#5: Better Retention
Learning and putting into practice what is learned is essential in modern life. There is no way learning is useful unless the concepts are practically displayed. When it comes to education, technology has helped students master concepts and perform better in class. Learning is even more interesting.
The application of AR and VR in the education sphere is the finest example of how technology has impacted learning positively. Findings prove that the human brain responds to and processes visual data better. Above all, 90% of the information passed on to the brain is visual. It means that students can learn better and deeper when concepts are presented via visualization.
It also makes memorization easier as some students find it difficult to remember what they learn in class. Additionally, students easily put what they learn into practice when learning technology (i.e. AR & VR), or gamification is utilized during the teaching process.
Conclusion
In summary, learning technologies are simplifying learning and they have made education more accessible to learners. More so, it is also helping students understand concepts better which helps them to perform better. However, the effective use of technology in learning requires thoughtful consideration not to complicate things for the students. Teachers must guide students when selecting the learning technology depending on the purpose, and where. It will increase engagement and make learning more exciting.
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