Benefits of Using Technology in the Classroom

The evolution of technology is evident in classrooms. Before, teachers used paper and pen to demonstrate lessons, then moved to the blackboard and whiteboard. Nowadays, schools have been reaping the amazing benefits of technological advancements. Computers, laptops, tablets, and smartphones have paved a way to a different kind of teaching and learning.

Integrating technology in the classroom creates many opportunities for both teachers and students. Learning is no longer confined to what are written in textbooks and syllabus. Information is more accessible and instantaneous. In fact, many studies backed the importance of technology in aiding students’ performance in school.

Personalized Learning Experience

The avenues for learning when it comes to technology are infinite. As a teacher, you can now say goodbye to traditional tools of teaching that are outdated and easily lose the student’s interest. Since the attention span of many young people can be bit short with too many distractions around them, you can take advantage of this fact by tailoring your teaching method to their capacity and interests.

Tools like apps, learning games, e-books, and virtual tutoring allow students to set the pace of their own learning. You can also incorporate different teaching methods to cater for their different needs and use digital materials to support your classroom lectures. If you teach writing, you can even introduce and encourage the use of a portable typewriter to help them focus more on their task at hand, as it allows them to tune out of the virtual world and let their minds work without distractions.

Easier Classroom Management

As a teacher, you can easily manage your lessons, create ways to improve your methods while considering the uniqueness of each student’s learning capacity, and measure their progress through advanced tools and tracking apps. Submission of papers and assignments can be more convenient as well since they can simply send them online.

Encourages Student Engagement

Classroom lectures can allow interactions, but sometimes the students fail to get engaged with the lessons. This is mostly the case when it comes to traditional teaching methods. But with technology, you can make your lessons more interactive. Blending the traditional with the modern tools will rouse the students’ interest and make them more excited to learn and take part with the discussions. Visuals and virtual tours can be incorporated to make students have fun while learning.

Improves Retention of Knowledge

Many young people can be effortlessly distracted by the constant bombardment of information. It is easy for them to forget what they read or heard after five minutes. But when they are enthusiastic to learn with the introduction of different teaching styles and the use of technology, they can digest the lessons more fully. Technology supplements what students learn from the teachers and increase their chance of retaining knowledge.

Easy Access to a Wide Range of Knowledge

With a single click, students can open a whole new world of learning materials beyond what their textbooks offer. They can simply type in their query in the search engines, and then presto, they can find answers in hundreds of page results. Your role as a teacher is to guide them to use this convenience responsibly. They should be taught to examine their sources and judge the quality of information at their disposal. This way, they will learn to be discerning and practice their critical thinking.

Promotes Collaborative Learning

Class participation has always been encouraged, even in traditional classroom settings. But technology takes this one step further with the opportunity to collaborate with different people from different parts of the world. Online activities like participating in forums and free sharing sites expand students’ awareness about the larger world and help them understand diverse cultures while knowing different perspectives.

Some teachers might find technology challenging or believe that they can detract from the learning process. They key here is better understanding of their benefits and finding a way to make them work with the classroom setup. Integrating technology in the classroom gives a lot of opportunities to both teachers and students.

By using technology in the classroom, you can prepare the young people into the challenges of the real world. A lot of jobs are now transitioning into technology so it is only logical that the new generation learn their ins and outs and give them an edge when it is finally their time to venture out of the classroom into actual work.