Educational Technology in the Classroom
The technological revolution has well and truly reached the classroom, making the teacher the leader of innovation. Figuring out how to utilise technology in the classroom so that it delivers results, rather than a distraction, is the key to success for both the teacher and the students.
The argument has been made by some that technology in the classroom can be more of a distraction than anything else. Because of this, when advocating for new tech, teachers can come up against some resistance. Here are some helpful points to help you make your case.
Digital Literacy
According to Western Sydney University, Digital literacy is “having the skills you need to live, learn, and work in a society where communication and access to information is increasingly through digital technologies like internet platforms, social media, and mobile devices”. Basically, digital literacy is knowing how to conduct yourself in the digital world.
Your student’s future employers will expect them to have the skills needed to survive in today’s digital environment. So, when preparing students for the “real world”, digital literacy is crucial.
There are some simple ways to begin to include technology in the classroom through digital literacy learning in every day classroom activities. The use of applications like Google Classroom sets the students up with an introduction to social media, its capabilities, and most importantly, how to behave in a social online environment.
Encouraging online research for projects also teaches students effective ways to evaluate the quality and credibility of information and learn strategies that will bring them better results.
Entertainment and Education can Coexist
Technology in the classroom has included educational games and apps for a long while but today they’ve grown more sophisticated and easier to use. The lines between education and entertainment have been blurred, making them more appealing to kids and transforming the way they learn. Games have always been an excellent way to engage kid’s minds, and online games and apps can further help to support them in developing new skills, without it feeling like homework.
A great example of this is Reading Eggs, a spelling app developed by Australian Primary Educator Del Merrick. Reading Eggs features fun spelling games as well as games covering literacy skills, such as proofreading, vocabulary, encoding and plurals, all allowing kids to practice in an entertaining and interactive environment.
The use of these types of games and applications not only helps kids to learn and understand complex ideas, the fact that they’re fun and played at their own pace also takes away some of the pressure of learning and is another great tool when introducing digital literacy.
Online Learning as a Skill
The internet is one big library, allowing us the opportunity to learn about any subject at all, with just a few quick searches.
Teachers have a unique opportunity to act as “curators of the internet” by introducing these learning resources to students at a young age. Teaching kids how to properly use the internet for research and learning gives them the tools they need to teach themselves, and that is a skill they will use for life.
As students move forward in their schooling collaboration becomes more and more important. Online tools like Google Apps allow students to collaborate from anywhere in the world, bringing the classroom in to their homes and allowing easier sharing of information, making research for projects and exams that much easier, and broadening their horizons for future learning.
