Technology is everywhere! It affects how we live, work, play and most importantly how today’s students learn. In my role as Milady’s Implementation and Training Specialist, I am often asked what are the benefits of technology in the classroom? Why do I need to change the way I’m teaching?
First of all, technology is certainly nothing new to the classroom setting. From pre-schools, elementary, high school, vo techs, and colleges. Students and instructors alike have been reaping the many benefits of technology in the educational setting for several years. Whether you’re just beginning to consider integrating technology or you have taken the leap off the high-dive board into the deep end, technology is here, it’s everywhere and it’s changing the educational arena.
Benefits of integrating technology into the classroom:
Personalized Teaching and Learning Experience
Digital tools such as the internet, apps, learning games, eBooks, and simulations help today’s student learn at their own pace. These digital materials can support classroom topics and introduce different teaching methods for each student’s unique learning style. As educators, we know within our classrooms we have different types of learners and it can be challenging to adjust lesson plans to fit every student. Technology allows instructors to vary the stimuli and reach all types of learners within the classroom delivering a personalized learning experience.
Speak Their Language
Today’s learners are digital natives, they have never known a time when technology wasn’t a part of their lives. After all, technology occupies an important place in their lives. When they are not in school, just about everything they do is connected in some way to technology. What better way to connect and communicate with someone than to speak their language. Using technology allows students to connect more with the content and take personal ownership of the material. As we know, when students are engaged in their learning they have greater retention and higher levels of success.
Automate Time-Consuming Tasks
Who doesn’t like to save time? Technology in our personal lives can be a time saver. Well, that can also be said for the classroom. Technology can certainly help speed up tedious, time-consuming tasks that instructors must complete daily. Such as streamline assignments, keep track of student’s performances, grade tests or assignments, record keeping, track attendance, tracking student’s engagement, automate student reminders, organize and share lesson plans and/or other school documents with school’s facility. I guess you can say integrating technology into our daily school life is a game changer and certainly can be a time saver.