The Future of Technology in the Classroom
By Mike Agerbo
August 05, 2014
Teachers & Education
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As technology advances it creates a lot of new opportunities in many different arenas in our lives, and education is no exception. Technology, such as laptops and tablets, is becoming increasingly prevalent in classrooms but in order to ensure that they add value to students, schools need to adapt new teaching techniques. So what is the future of technology in the classrooms?
Tablets and laptops offer a world of flexibility that traditional school supplies don’t. For example, using technology as a learning tool gives teachers the opportunity to cover basic concepts and lessons through online video lectures and lessons. This frees up classroom time for questions, group projects, and more interactive discussions.
The use of online or digital course curricula also allows teachers to keep students moving through the curriculum at their own pace. With up to thirty students in a classroom and teachers having several classes to guide through the curriculum, it’s difficult to cater to each student’s abilities. Moving too quickly through the curriculum may leave some students unprepared and moving too slowly leaves others bored and unengaged. Having students go through some or even all of the curriculum at their own pace allows them to thoroughly understand the materials without spending too much time in areas they quickly understand. In the future, online student portals will become more common, allowing students to use their tablets and laptops to learn at their own pace.
As the use of tech in the classroom becomes more prevalent, teachers will also be able to assess where students are at in their understanding of course material through frequent tests and quizzes. Testing students frequently and without warning can help teachers determine what parts of their curriculum they need to focus more closely on and which students need a little extra help. In short, it allows teachers to customize instruction based on the level of student comprehension. Eliminating the need for teachers to manually mark thirty or more quizzes, having tablets or laptops in the classroom gives teachers the freedom to assess students on a regular basis and customize their teaching methods and pace accordingly.
Devices such as tablets and laptops allow students to quickly replace a backpack full of textbooks, notebooks, and other school supplies. Carrying these items around can be hard on students’ backs and can even cause injury. With tablets and laptops becoming increasingly smaller and lighter, students can get away with carrying nothing more than one or two pounds. Having all these items in one place can also make it easy to keep track of where everything is and gives students to the opportunity to work on assignments anywhere.
With tech devices providing flexibility, customization, and ease of use that aren’t available with traditional teaching methods, we can expect them to become increasingly ubiquitous in schools. In fact, I anticipate that these devices will become a requirement as they become more affordable.
Tablets and laptops offer a world of flexibility that traditional school supplies don’t. For example, using technology as a learning tool gives teachers the opportunity to cover basic concepts and lessons through online video lectures and lessons. This frees up classroom time for questions, group projects, and more interactive discussions.
The use of online or digital course curricula also allows teachers to keep students moving through the curriculum at their own pace. With up to thirty students in a classroom and teachers having several classes to guide through the curriculum, it’s difficult to cater to each student’s abilities. Moving too quickly through the curriculum may leave some students unprepared and moving too slowly leaves others bored and unengaged. Having students go through some or even all of the curriculum at their own pace allows them to thoroughly understand the materials without spending too much time in areas they quickly understand. In the future, online student portals will become more common, allowing students to use their tablets and laptops to learn at their own pace.
As the use of tech in the classroom becomes more prevalent, teachers will also be able to assess where students are at in their understanding of course material through frequent tests and quizzes. Testing students frequently and without warning can help teachers determine what parts of their curriculum they need to focus more closely on and which students need a little extra help. In short, it allows teachers to customize instruction based on the level of student comprehension. Eliminating the need for teachers to manually mark thirty or more quizzes, having tablets or laptops in the classroom gives teachers the freedom to assess students on a regular basis and customize their teaching methods and pace accordingly.
Devices such as tablets and laptops allow students to quickly replace a backpack full of textbooks, notebooks, and other school supplies. Carrying these items around can be hard on students’ backs and can even cause injury. With tablets and laptops becoming increasingly smaller and lighter, students can get away with carrying nothing more than one or two pounds. Having all these items in one place can also make it easy to keep track of where everything is and gives students to the opportunity to work on assignments anywhere.
With tech devices providing flexibility, customization, and ease of use that aren’t available with traditional teaching methods, we can expect them to become increasingly ubiquitous in schools. In fact, I anticipate that these devices will become a requirement as they become more affordable.