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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Those with hearing impairments and difficulties with auditory processing have technology available to them to help them process sounds, such as;
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;
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:
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:
There is a veritable wealth of tools available to aid students who are significantly affected by vision impairments, including;
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.
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.
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.
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.
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:
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:
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.