Using technology in your teaching can give your students a boost. Consider the following benefits:
1. Increased Student Engagement
Students who use technology in the classroom may be more engaged.2 Many teachers use interactive software and programs as learning technologies so that students can respond to questions and lectures digitally. Interactive e-books and other digital resources provide students with greater access to multimedia. In addition, gamified learning makes education fun and engaging as students earn badges and move through competencies.
2. Collaboration
Technology makes it easier for students to collaborate and work on solving problems in teams.2 Traditionally, when students collaborated, they may have created posters or notes of their work together.
However, technology allows students to create digital collections of research and ideas. They can draw and write together in the same program, creating documents and projects that are fully collaborative.
3. Inclusion
Technology in the classroom is becoming crucial for supporting equity in learning. Tech tools allow for a more personalized learning experience,2 which means all students — including those with diverse and special needs — can receive access to the education they deserve.
For example, adaptive readers highlight text or read aloud to students so they can research and use websites like their peers using technology. Tech in the classroom also provides access to students from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds who might not have access to tech at home.
4. Differentiation
Technology gives students access to a variety of programs and information sources at the simple click of a button. Teachers can find leveled readers or allow students to choose research topics that fit their interests much more easily than by going to the library, where resources may be limited.
In addition, teachers can assign programs to help students remediate or expand their knowledge so that students can process or investigate topics further. This work can be done during centers or group work, freeing the teacher to attend to individual students or other small groups. Using technology in this way can help ensure that all the students get what they need.
5. Productivity
Analog tools need to be tended to, cared for and replaced. Using technology allows students to access what they need when they need it. They can keep calendars online, and teachers can push due date reminders in a learning management system (LMS).
Similarly, word processors do not need to be sharpened, and online books do not get lost. Technology allows students instant access to all the materials they need, saving time, space and mental effort.
6. Creativity
The content available online is endless. Students who are interested in learning about arts, music, videos — and virtually anything else — can find plenty of resources. Any creative endeavor that calls to a student can be supported by technology.
For example, tablets have the capabilities to capture students' sketches. Editing software lets students bring photos to life and manipulate them in creative ways. Technology can enhance creativity rather than inhibit it if students are given choice about what they create.
7. Automation
Among the benefits of technology in the classroom for teachers is automation. You can upload lessons into an LMS for students to access on their own time. Online assessments make grading easy and parents can automatically be messaged when students receive a failing grade. Teachers are always looking for ways to find more time in the day, and technology can assist by automating certain tasks.
8. Future Focus
It’s likely that tomorrow’s graduates will choose from some career options that don’t currently exist, and it’s entirely possible that technology skills will be important for those careers. Students can benefit from strong technology skills to pursue success in whichever career may interest them. Simply having an adaptive mindset that embraces the process of learning and using new technology can make a difference in a student's future.
