When I was in high school, before the age of smartphones, technology in the classroom was largely considered a nuisance. Teachers would hand out punishments for things like checking your cellphone, texting, or ringing during class. But today, the situation has flipped almost 180 degrees. Today, technology can be both a learning tool, as well as a means for teachers to connect with a younger generation. But how will this work?
How Technology Can Transform Modern Education
Today we live in a world where almost everyone has a powerful, pocket-sized computer on them at all times. That’s right, we mean smartphones. Smartphones offer access to all sorts of content, whether entertainment, academic, or educational. The internet is far more accessible than it used to be in my day. Frontier bundle deals are just too hard to resist.
Together, smart devices and the internet offer unique new ways that can enhance our educational system. These seven exciting possibilities can help you get a better idea of what we mean:
- Assessing Students Formatively
- Coaching Students
- Debate and Discussion Forums
- 3D Modeling and Simulation
- Tangible Real-World Problems
- Active Engagement
- Working Groups
Let’s take a closer look at these exciting new concepts and see how they fit into our educational system.
Assessing Students Formatively
Technology offers teachers opportunities to formatively assess their student’s abilities. This means not just learning the concepts, but also how to use the technological resources at their disposal to solve problems. Activities like this hone problem-solving skills as well as critical-thinking ability. By working as facilitators, teachers can offer feedback and encouragement as their students deepen their understanding.
Coaching Students
Teachers are more than just teachers these days. They also play a coaching role in most of their students’ lives. Rather than just delivering a lecture, they guide and support student activities. They constantly coach their classes and offer feedback to their students. The idea is to give them the appropriate training and information they need to research, solve problems, and make decisions.
Debate and Discussion Forums
Many internet-based software and tools offer students space where they can engage in constructive debates and discussions. Moreover, teachers can moderate these forums and platforms, making sure the debate or discussion follows certain guidelines. Exposure to diverse experiences and opinions can help students broaden their horizons.
3D Modeling and Simulation
3D modeling and simulation take class activities to a whole other level. Teachers can bring real activities into the classroom that would otherwise be impossible. Students can have a look at planetary motion, dinosaurs, and even see how tornadoes form. Dynamic modeling software allows students to exercise their design and problem-solving abilities. In both cases, the learning depth is much greater than through simple books or slideshow presentations.
Tangible Real-World Problems
Technology allows teachers to present real-world problems in their classrooms and encourage their students to come up with solutions. Creative, real-world problem solving is one of the best ways to let students learn, adapt, and use their creative abilities. It also makes for an excellent way to help students learn about pressing issues like world hunger, climate change, etc. When students can connect their lessons to real people in the real world, they engage better with such lessons.
Active Engagement
Teachers will agree that one of the most difficult things about the job is to get students to engage with the learning process. But technology offers a way around this, thanks to it being interactive. Students learn from their actions, learn to research, and learn from feedback. Technology can offer all of these and help students develop a passion for their interests. Students appreciate teaching methods that are out of the box. They engage better with visuals, simulations, models, and other things that pique their interest.
Working Groups
Technology has changed the classroom significantly. In the modern classroom, a student does not need to learn by reading a book or text on his/her own. Students can perform and learn better in working groups. Working groups are an interesting new way to learn. They can stay active even after school thanks to Frontier internet packages. They help facilitate things like debates, discussion, and other groups activities. They also help students learn how teamwork and synergy work, as well as teaching them about democratic social dynamics.