In today's fast-paced world, incorporating technology in classrooms for learners at all levels — from K-12 to graduate school — is essential. According to a National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) survey, 33% of public schools agree that technology helps students learn at their own pace and become more independent and self-directed.
Exposing kids to tech devices early sets them up for future success because they learn to operate these devices inside and outside the classroom. When kids interact with technology in school, they also pickup research, presentation and networking skills that may help them form a solid foundation for their careers.
Digital whiteboards, interactive flat panels and smart boards have replaced traditional chalkboards, making learning more student-centered, engaging and collaborative. Many private and public schools also adopt tablets, laptops and other tech gadgets to boost inclusivity in the classrooms and allow active learning.
Here are the top three benefits of technology in the classroom.
1. Helps Students Become Active Learners
Technology helps deliver information to learners efficiently and effectively. It shifts the focus from text-based and teacher-centered learning to interactive and personalized learning that students enjoy. Instead of treating learners as passive knowledge recipients, technology ensures they can participate in active learning through the gadgets they have.
Devices such as tablets and laptops provide students with fun opportunities to practice what they learn during lessons. Interactive displays allow teachers to display complex information in easy-to-understand formats such as infographics, charts and graphs that excite learners and motivate them to be more active in the classrooms.
Technology makes it easier to personalize learning through software such as learning management systems. These systems enable teachers to assess students' progress quickly and efficiently. With these insights, instructors can more easily customize a learner's experience because they can identify their strengths and weaknesses.
Education technology accommodates the three main learning styles, encouraging learners to be more active in the classroom because their needs are met. Here's how:
Auditory learners: Using recorded lessons, audiobooks and podcasts helps learners who respond best to hearing and listening grasp content fast without being too distracted.
Visual learners: Creating interactive presentations, videos, images and 3D simulations is beneficial for students who learn better when they see information. It ensures they grasp information faster and retain it for longer.
Tactile learners: Students who learn best through multi-sensory learning benefit from swiping screens, clicking with mice, typing on keyboards and holding tech devices. Actively interacting with the devices prevents them from getting bored and distracted during lessons.
2. Improves Collaboration
Integrating technology in classrooms facilitates one-on-one interactions between students and teachers as well as with other students.
Smart boards and tablets in the classroom allow teachers and students to interact effortlessly as they can open files, watch videos, view images and browse the internet together. The interactivity of smart boards excites students and encourages them to create impressive group projects they can showcase to the rest of the class.
Online lessons allow students to work together to solve problems even when they're not nearby. Remote learning eliminates geographical obstacles and expands educational possibilities. It also boosts inclusivity and diversity in the classroom by breaking social barriers that may prevent students from collaborating with others.
Tech devices such as laptops and tablets allow learners to interact outside the classroom. Software programs make it possible to work together in real time, even when in different locations during after-school hours. This tech lets students share, edit, suggest changes and comment on documents they're working on together. Internet connectivity makes it easier for teachers to track who's doing what and how much.
Collaboration in classrooms helps learners develop social-emotional learning (SEL) skills and improve their communication. These skills enable them to build positive personal and professional relationships, making them better team players in the future.
3. Makes Lessons More Engaging
Technology empowers teachers to create an engaging and immersive learning experience and provides tools to improve their strategies and lesson plans. It also gives them access to the most recent news and interesting stories, which can make lessons more fun.
Various tech devices in the classroom can make lessons more engaging for students despite different learning styles. Here are some top options:
Interactive flat panels (IPFs): These digital screens install over whiteboards and chalkboards. Teachers use smart boards or IFPs to project slides, open web pages and play videos during lessons to create a more interactive and engaging learning experience for students.
Virtual or augmented reality (VR and AR): VR headsets can simulate certain experiences for students in a cost-effective and fun way. A popular use for VR and AR in the classroom is to take students on captivating virtual field trips to historical landmarks anywhere in the world without having to fly there.
3D printers: Students nowadays can create 3D prototypes using software and use 3D printers to bring these to life. It's fun and can help them develop their digital and creative skills.
Tablets and laptops: These devices allow students easy and controlled access to the internet, where they can access learning materials, ranging from PDFs, videos, podcasts and educational games.
Gamification is another way tech makes learning more engaging. It involves transforming everyday classroom activities, such as lesson plans, into animations or interactive applications that boost classroom engagement.
Get Custom Mounting for Merlyn Mind and Smart Boards
Smart boards are a cost-effective way to integrate technology into your classrooms. They are time-saving tools for teachers to develop creative lesson plans, boost engagement and encourage students to be more active and collaborative in the classroom. They also offer more personalized learning that caters to different learning styles.
You can install your smart boards over existing chalkboards or whiteboards with over-the-board mounts. AVMountsUSA is a reliable supplier of mounting solutions for Merlyn Mind and other smart boards that meet your classroom's unique needs. Our over-the-board mounts are compatible with popular interactive display brands and are easy and fast to install.
Our Pennsylvania-based manufacturing facility ensures your order is processed fast and within budget. Contact us today to order mounting brackets for your interactive display panels. You can also reach out to us if you have any questions about our mount solutions or need guidance when installing your purchased units.
