Technology and Educational Apps: Giving Students and Educators an Impressive Advantage

Regardless to what your opinions may be on screen time for your kids, one thing is undeniable: technology is an immense part of our daily lives today. It also isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. Integrating technology into our children’s lives is so widespread, in fact, that it’s practically unavoidable.
Let’s face it, technology and electronic devices are the future, so ask yourself this question: do you want your child to be prepared for the future? We’re guessing that answer is a no-brainer, so it goes without saying that to embrace technology is to embrace the future.
If you’re like most parents, you’re probably still worried about the amount of screen time your child is subjected to and the effects of digital learning on the mind versus traditional learning. Rest assured, you don’t have to choose one extreme or the other. Research has shown there are fantastic benefits to meeting in the middle by combining the world of technology with traditional learning.
No, we aren’t telling you to run out and let your kid play every video game under the sun until the wee hours of the morning. What we are telling you, is that research has shown there are several applications and programs out there in the digital world that will combine your child’s natural attraction to all things technology with the all-important aspect of learning from them. Some apps even have the added bonus of helping us organize our lives and streamline processes – bonus!

According to NPR.org, “…mobile devices don’t have to be a distraction. When they are used for project-based learning, research has shown they can improve classroom engagement and student learning across grade levels.”
Integrating our homes and classrooms with technology devices and educational applications not only enhances your child’s learning experiences, but it is also an imperative part of preparing them for their futures. Why? It’s difficult to deny the fact that pretty much every aspect of our lives is inundated with technology of some kind – smart phones, tablets, laptops, smart watches, fitness devices, and more – all of which are an essential part of operating at peak personal levels. Teaching kids to use these devices that surround them for optimum learning and growth experiences is the key to future success.
All of this sounds great, but you might be asking, “just how does it help?” According to the US Department of Education, one of the key benefits of embracing technology – both in the classroom and at home – is its ability to drastically improve productivity and degree of learning capability.
“Used to support both teaching and learning, technology infuses classrooms with digital learning tools, such as computers and hand-held devices; expands course offerings, experiences, and learning materials; supports learning 24 hours a day, 7 days a week; builds 21st century skills; increases student engagement and motivation; and accelerates learning,” - the US Department of Education.
Aside from being visually stimulating in terms of grasping the attention of students, online educational applications have a long list of benefits for teachers, students, and parents as well. In fact, there are three main areas that benefit the most from integrating technology into schools and homelife: learning rates, cost-effectiveness, and productivity.

1. Learning Rates

It’s not breaking news to state that children learn best when their interests are at peak levels. Half the battle with teaching new concepts is finding a platform which engages children enough to fully capture their attention so the information makes sense and sinks in. Incorporating the colorful graphics, animation and interactive activities of online learning applications takes the guessing game out of grabbing their attention. It not only grabs their attention, but it fully immerses them in a learning program disguised as games and challenges. The result? An accelerated learning rate as kids fully grasp new concepts faster through supplemental technology. The blended education (using the online apps in combination with traditional classroom teachings) keeps children engaged in their education while reinforcing what they learned through traditional teaching methods.

2. Cost-Effectiveness

When comparing the cost of technology to traditional learning tools, the devices come in at a much higher rate initially. However, when you consider the massive amount of educational tools that are opened up by integrating the technology hardware, the costs don’t even compare. Adding technology into the classroom or the home opens up a never-ending stream of educational aids like how-to videos on You Tube, connection to educators and resources after-hours for extended help, and a plethora of other tools. When you combine the tools gained by the single hardware purchase and compare them to the cost of purchasing traditional books, tutors, and other supplies, the technology soon begins to win-out.

3. Productivity

Perhaps the greatest advantage to integrating technology lies in the productivity improvements. It not only helps students to stay focused (taking less time to grasp lessons), but it also helps improve productivity for educators (and parents). Technology allows us to fully assess the educational understanding of students, allowing teachers and parents to easily pin-point areas of struggle to streamline learning. It also allows a simpler communication process; keeping assignments, programs, and projects at the fingertips for all parties involved. Gone are the days of handwritten reminder notes and checking your calendar for due dates and filing paperwork – technology does it all for you with lightning speed.

“Intelligent adaptive learning platforms make it possible to collect evidence of student thinking and learning in ways that are impossible with paper and pencil. By arming educators with rich, timely information about student growth and performance, future developments in intelligent adaptive learning platforms will likely encourage educators to reimagine their instructional practices, resulting in increased classroom innovation and improved student outcomes” – Forbes.com.

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