Use of technology in the classroom to enhance teaching and learning

We use technology to improve and enhance our daily lives, so why not use technology to maximise the effectiveness of our classrooms too? As constant technological developments provide new ways to learn and expand students' horizons, their experiences can be maximized to the fullest extent through technology.

Technology is used in schools in a variety of ways, which has made it relevant in the rapidly changing educational landscape. Since technology has become an integral part of modern life, it cannot be overstated how important it is to let students use it.

Technology in the classroom enhances inclusivity.

Teachers have an obligation to conduct an inclusive classroom in which everyone is given equal opportunity to learn. It is extremely difficult to teach the same material to several people who all learn differently. The use of technology in schools can address the disparity of students' experiences by offering a variety of ways to accommodate their needs.

It is possible to use technology to assist with a variety of disabilities, including communication impairments, hearing impairments, physical impairments, and visual impairments. Taking this approach ensures that everyone can actively participate in their classroom no matter what.

Technology in the classroom emboldens students.

Through the integration of technology, we are able to learn about various important life skills, such as designing, implementing, evaluating, and monitoring various strategies that can be used to ensure they are successful.

Regular interaction with technology allows students to learn the logic behind many IT standard operating procedures. The technology also encourages people to collaborate with each other to solve problems, whether in the same room or remotely via the internet.

Technology in the classroom promotes learning outside the classroom.

Nowadays, online learning is becoming increasingly important as unprecedented events (such as the COVID-19 pandemic, which forced teachers to teach from their homes) continue to occur.

To ensure that students don't miss out on important information when they are unable to attend class, it is necessary to provide them with access to education resources. There are both hardware (such as laptops and tablets) and software (such as online video conferencing apps, an intranet portal, etc.) that schools can use.

What kinds of technology can be used in the classroom to enhance teaching and learning?

Portable devices, e.g. laptops, tablets

Students have been given a wealth of teaching opportunities since computers first entered the classroom. Although some people believe that computers can only be used in IT fields, they can actually assist in many different fields, including literacy, numeracy, science, history, geography, etc.

To personalize student learning, they can use devices that are tailored to their curriculum, and teachers can limit which applications and websites they access to ensure that technology in the school is used appropriately.

Smartboards

A smart board replaces the traditional whiteboard. In general, smart boards function as whiteboards that project a computer's interface onto their surface, allowing teachers to interact with the computer using the board and a stylus that resembles a pen.

The method allows teachers to present material in a fun and engaging manner. Computer applications can be used to engage students instead of simply writing or drawing on a whiteboard. Furthermore, smart boards do not require any cleaning, which is an added benefit.

Assistive peripherals

Many factors can affect a student's ability to learn, including communication difficulties, hearing impairments, learning disabilities, physical disabilities, sensory processing issues, and vision problems, or a combination of these factors. With technology, the same curriculum will be accessible to everyone. These conditions can be accommodated in many ways using technology.

Technology for Communication Impediments

• For those who have difficulties with communication, for reasons such as speech impediments or a language barrier, there are augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) devices available, such as;
• Communication boards that people can use by pointing to or selecting pictures, letters and/or words to convey their messages. Boards and books can be arranged and customized in terms of accessibility, layout, literacy, and language to meet individual needs.
• Eye control communication systems that enable all mouse movement functions to be made using head movements by tracking the movement of a reflective sticker dot usually placed on the user's forehead or glasses and translates this into mouse cursor movement on the screen.
• Text-to-speech (TTS) software that converts text into speech sounds imitative of the human voice, allowing for those that cannot speak to express themselves and communicate.

Technology for Hearing Impairments

Those with hearing impairments and difficulties with auditory processing have technology available to them to help them process sounds, such as;

• Frequency modulation (FM) systems which operate like a tiny radio station with their own frequency. An FM system has two parts, a microphone and receiver. The student wears the receiver on their ear or in their hearing aids. This makes it easier for the student to hear the teacher’s words.
• Voice amplification systems that operate similarly to FM systems, however the amplification of the teacher’s voice is heard by everyone as opposed to a single student.
• Closed captions should be used on movies or videos that are played for students.

Technology for Learning Difficulties

There are various conditions that affect a student’s capacity to learn, such as dyslexia and dysgraphia. These conditions can be accommodated by technologies such as;

• Highlighters, which can be used by teachers to segment large chunks of text to help students identify key points in order to aid their comprehension and memory.
• Writing peripheries for those that struggle to write with a pencil or pen such as:
  • Bold-line writing paper with well defined dark lines.
  • Pen/pencil grips to make it easier to hold writing implements.
  • Writing guides made of flexible plastic which is placed over a blank piece of paper.
• Multiple software solutions including:
  • Word prediction software
  • Speech-to-text software
  • Text-to-speech software

Technology for Physical Impairments

Sometimes, people are presented with physical conditions that make it difficult for them to participate fully in activities, such as impaired fine motor skills or chronic pain. These people can be provided with the autonomy to conduct their schoolwork, thanks to various kinds of technology such as:

• Arm and wrist supports
• Ergonomic and adaptive keyboards
• Ergonomic seating
• Footrests
• Height adjustable desks
• Pen/pencil grips
• Sloped desks
• Voice recognition and speech-to-text software

Technology for Sensory Processing and Regulation

The use of healthy, non-destructive sensory regulation behaviours should be available to those with sensory processing issues, as these behaviours may help them control their emotions so that they feel calmer and better able to concentrate.

Students can have their focus improved using tools such as:

• Fidget toys that allow them to keep their hands occupied, which are available in multiple forms such as fidget spinners, cubes or chewable jewellery.
• Wobble chairs are a durable, scratch-proof seat made from polypropylene that promotes movement with its lightweight and soft-padded build.
• Noise cancelling headphones that can phase out background noise in order to aid student concentration.
• Elastic that can be wrapped around desk legs for students to bounce their legs on without distracting the others.

Technology for Vision Problems

There is a veritable wealth of tools available to aid students who are significantly affected by vision impairments, including;

• Braille and large print books
• Large print, high contrast and braille keyboards
• Magnification software
• Text-to-speech software for reading
• Speech-to-text for writing
• Physical magnifiers
• Reading gadgets that convert text to sounds
• Talking calculators

Gamification software

Students enjoy playing video games. In addition to giving users a sense of accomplishment for overcoming obstacles and increasing their stats, video games also engage their creativity and tendency towards escapism.

By using software, many aspects of gaming, such as experience points, level progress, player customisation, etc., are applied to educational settings. Students who use these kinds of software get the same sense of accomplishment as they learn.

Multimedia creation applications

Today, creating content is easier than ever. Incorporating that into the classroom is a great way to engage students by teaching concepts in a more visual and creative manner. Students are able to create a variety of media, including videos, podcasts, photo collages, presentations, and zines, using a range of software. When engaged in creative activities, they can make use of their lateral thinking to effectively take in information. This results in greater retention of information.

Learning management systems

In learning management systems (LMS) educational courses, training programs and teaching development programs are processed, archived, tracked, reported, and automated. As online learning becomes more mainstream, LMS' are more commonly used. There are many benefits to LMS’, including letting students decide how to approach learning, and providing them with access to online resources at any time.

Online conferencing applications and Social Media Platforms

In addition to connecting with teachers, students can interact with peers across different schools and countries via these applications. These programs encourage people to interact with one another and develop social skills, which is crucial to a student's growth.

What software does Intellischool provide?

Intellischool provides educators and learners with data analytics software that uses intuitive interfaces, automated configuration, providing educational institutions with real-time, relevant data for every member of the community.

Intellischool Analytics sis an online analytics platform that can be utilised by teachers, students, school leaders, wellbeing teams, parents/guardians, data analysts, IT admins and school systems in order to provide valuable insights into behaviour, business operations, and more.

Its features include:

• A holistic view of academic growth, thanks to its ability to consolidate data sources including NAPLAN, ACER, AAS / Allwell, and teacher judgements to visualise student aptitude, achievement and progress.
• Pulse, an automated early warning system that monitors and notifies important parties regarding areas of concern, whether it's student truancy, behavioural issues or overall academic performance.
• The ability to gain an understanding of the conditions that students flourish best in; based on factors such as; different types of assessment, tools, and even teachers.
• A simple yet powerful interface that anybody can use, regardless of their previous experience with analytics.

Intellischool Analytics is hosted on the Intellischool Data Platform which provides comprehensive data management tools. These tools simplify and automate data processes such as cleansing errors, warehousing data on the cloud for querying and analysing, distributing data between apps and services and auditing what apps access and interact with data.

The data platform provides:

• Easy data unification so institutions can collate data from a student information system (SIS), learning management system (LMS), Google Office 365, etc.
• Security protocols that allow your data to be accessed and protected based on parameters that you set.
• Workflow automation, integrating tools such as Microsoft Flow or Zapier to allow actions to be automatically triggered.
• Cloud data synchronisation, which synchronises cloud apps with up-to-date data with programs such as Google Workspace or Microsoft Office 365.

If you have any questions, contact us so we can provide you with the best education software possible.

Cover photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash.