7 Ways Educational Technology Improves Classroom Experiences

In today’s classrooms, educational technology integration is an expected standard rather than a fortunate luxury. Students in the Net Generation (loosely defined as those who have consistently grown up around computer-based technology) view technology as something more than just computers or the Internet.  Research by Gregory Roberts from the University of Pittsburgh-Johnstown expresses this expectation clearly. He writes: “Technology is something that adapts to their needs, not something that requires them to change.”

Meeting educational standards and student expectations is important, but can educators and administrators truly justify the cost? Adding technology is an expense, but it can also be a cost-saver when implemented correctly. Furthermore, the use of properly integrated educational technology can lead to:

• Higher student outcomes
• More well-adjusted students
• Decreased administrative burdens on educators
• Improved student retention

In short, integrating technology is good for education.

Reasons to Integrate Educational Technology in Your Classroom

Even with research that demonstrates the positive outcomes of technology integration, some teachers and administrators may still be hesitant. Teachers may already feel overworked and underpaid, and the recent complications of the pandemic only add to their responsibilities. If you are on the fence about the time investment required to learn new programs or devices, consider the following list of reasons for investing in educational technology within the classroom.

1. Access to additional resources

In classrooms without technology, students can learn from books, printed worksheets, or their teacher. Once you incorporate educational technology, students can access computerized simulations, video lessons, games, and adaptive learning modules. For classrooms with Internet access, students have a limitless supply of new information and resources available to aid in their learning.

2. Increased student engagement

Today’s students have never lived in a world without technology. Social media, smartphones, and videos are deeply ingrained in youth culture. Embracing this technology (instead of shaming it) can lead to increased engagement among students. Building gamification into lesson strategies can keep students interested and motivated toward learning objectives. You can employ makerspaces, augmented reality, and virtual simulations to help the material come alive in the classroom.

3. Improved accuracy in skill assessments

With paper-based testing, teachers must spend hours crafting tests and quizzes or use prefabricated tests. These tests may or may not adequately reflect student performance. Grading tests manually can detract from lesson planning and other student engagement activities. With technology, computerized testing can include intricate simulation assessments, offer adaptive testing, and provide students with immediate feedback. Teachers can also save considerable time on grading tests. Computerized grading improves accuracy and provides more granular detail in individual student performance.

4. Self-paced education

Not all students learn at the same pace. Students also have different strengths and weaknesses. In a traditional classroom environment, a teacher must cater his or her lessons to the average of all learning styles and abilities in a classroom. This leaves some students falling behind while leaving others unchallenged. With educational technology, however, more advanced students can move ahead quickly. Meanwhile, students who are struggling can work through the material at their own pace. You can easily adapt lessons to different learning schedules. Students who must complete a class in summer school, for example, can receive a customized schedule guiding them through the material at a faster pace.

5. Remote learning opportunities

The recent COVID-19 pandemic has brought heightened awareness of the need for remote learning opportunities. Students need flexibility in education for a variety of reasons, including health concerns, inclement weather, and adaptive learning environments. Without the technological infrastructure, many school districts are left scrambling to provide public education to students when a hybrid or remote learning scenario becomes environmentally necessary. Implementing educational technology is necessary for remote learning. The upfront initial investment can help students and faculty bridge the learning gap when schedule interruptions occur.

6. Connects resource access through the cloud

Cloud-based storage keeps information organized, readily available, and easy to access for teachers and students. Accessing shared resources via the cloud also helps to lower resource costs for education systems. This way, multiple academic partners can access a single resource remotely. Sharing cloud-based resources also promotes real-time collaboration. It also minimizes storage capacity needs and simplifies program updates and maintenance for your IT team.

7. Promotes student innovation

Technology is embraced in nearly every aspect of our current environment. Therefore, teaching students how to use technology responsibly helps to promote technological literacy and student innovation. In the classic classroom setup, a teacher asks a question and expects a student to produce the answer. But with technology, students are encouraged to seek out information and become self-sufficient, contributing members of society.

Solution for Integrating Educational Technology in the Classroom

Taking a piecemeal approach to technology integration can be frustrating for both students and teachers. It might also cost your organization considerably more to implement in the long run. Choosing a fully developed platform that combines classroom management with video conferencing tools will create the most seamless and cost-effective user experience.

When your teachers are facing technology challenges solo, it creates frustration and resistance to additional use of technology. You can support your educators with Radix device management tools that allow IT leaders to monitor devices and troubleshoot issues remotely. Teachers can get the immediate help they need from any work location, at home or in the office. This minimizes device downtime and saves on administrative costs.

Once your teachers are comfortable and well-supported, you can extend the same to your students by integrating Radix TeacherView. The cloud-based platform allows teachers to remotely support students without installing clunky or resource-intensive software. The virtual classroom environment mirrors a traditional classroom with integrated tools that will enable teachers to see students’ faces, monitor classroom work, and encourage collaborative exercises all in real-time. TeacherView has built-in whiteboard tools, quizzes, and educational apps that allow individual teachers to personalize their classrooms. Teachers canCa implement the same kinds of learning activities online as they would in an in-person environment.

Get started today with a free trial of Radix MDM, our proprietary device management tool, or a free demo of Radix TeacherView.