Education and Technology… A combination that is truly a result of the technology revolution. It should be every parents dream come true, it’s finally the opportunity to not feel that ping of guilt when you allow your child to be babysat by technology while you take that much needed shower or get that 10 minutes of peace and quiet. Unfortunately most parents are believing that if the word “educational” is used it must be good for their child. As with anything, it can have a good influence on children but in moderation. Finding the right application is key. The term “there is an app for that” has never been more accurate, especially in the department of education and technology. There are thousands upon thousands of apps available to “increase” developmental skills for children, the only catch is that it is virtually impossible to regulate and test every app available. Resulting in the market offering countless unhelpful, untested and useless educational apps. One app I strongly encourage is “Bedtime Math” a convenient new way to help children find enjoyment in numbers, It can be worked on independently or collaborated with a parent. With that said, there are truly an abundance of helpful apps out there, but it is essential to be conscious of what you allow children to use or play, just because the word “education” is involved.
Educational technology in the home offers easy and accessible learning, but its hard not to wonder about the implementation of technology in todays classrooms. I distinctly remember the days of teachers writing notes on white boards and not on already made Powerpoints. Sometimes if we were lucky, the teacher would use a overhead projector but even then, it still involved manually written notes and not notes taken on a computer. Blending technology in the classroom has many benefits, it not only increases available resources but it also begins to teach children how to navigate through technologies latest trends. As long as the teachers are motivated for technology in the classroom, so are the students.
One of the latest trends of educational technology is the concept of a “flipped classroom”. In simple terms, its based around students learning at home and doing the work in school. I am not going to lie, I was not a supporter of this concept nor was many of my peers but that all changed when I enrolled in a class based on this concept. My teacher had pre made video recorded lectures that were accessible online where we watched and learned on our own, and then met once a week to complete homework, projects and take tests. My favorite part was the ability to learn at my own pace, I could re-watch lectures I didn’t understand or I skip concepts I already understood and if I had any questions, I would ask them during our meetings. Research also supports the “flipped classroom” concept, showing students who participated in this type of curriculum had an increase in motivation (even in longitudinal studies), improved academic achievement and helped lower achieving students. Of course, there are a few catches, almost all “flipped classrooms” take place either in High School or in College and research has yet to show whether grade levels below that would support this type of curricula. It is also imperative that the teacher is competent in the use of technology, for a system that is so heavily rooted in the use of technology.
Education and Technology are two concepts inevitably blending in today’s society, whether its taking a closer look into the educational apps that are readily available or re directing schools curriculum to be based in technology. Either way its two concepts I am certainly ready to embrace.
The Luck of the Irish 