New Technology Trends in Education for the New Year

Mr. Samir Al Baghdadi

As the years have passed, technology has evolved, and children’s interest and involvement within the classroom has decreased. There have been many different studies conducted that prove that children retain what they learn better when they are involved and have access to hands-on activities.

In previous years, technology was there, but it was not incorporated within lesson plans. The next year of 2014 promises many different changes for the learning techniques that are used. What does this mean for your child?

Many parents are concerned about new technology and how it will be implemented in classrooms. The new year holds a new future for children who are kindergarten and as students in high school. The rate of individuals dropping out of school is at an all-time high and children who are in grade school are not meeting the requirements for passing their current grade. Several studies have been conducted to determine how these issues can be handled. The answer: technology.

Killing Personal Computers

Desktop computer could be a thing of the past. The number of students that a teacher is assigned is increasing each year. Desktop computers are big and occupy a lot of space. A classroom with more than 20 students and at least 7 or more desktop computers would be a cramped disaster. So what is replacing these desktop dinosaurs? How about a tablet! The consideration of using tablets blows many parent’s minds, but it just may be crazy enough to work. With a tablet, students have access to thousands of apps that are able to help with homework and help students complete their homework quicker. Aside from that, having a tablet allows teachers to stay connected with their students at all times. Questions regarding assignments and projects can answer and resolved in a timely manner and group projects flow a lot smoother.

Are They Really Using Social Networks?

Parents are outrages about the idea of using social networks for school. It may be a little far-fetched, but there is a technology known as blackboard that colleges around the globe are using, so why not incorporate it in elementary and high school? With the technology of blackboard, students are able to view assignments that they will have for an entire week. This means vacation and sick days are no excuse. Students are provided with the instructions for the assignment and expected to complete it. Even if you are on vacation or sick, the parents do not have to rush to school to pick up missed assignments and the student does not get behind on the lessons. Blackboard technology allows classroom discussions, has a progress tracker, and allows students to turn in their homework.

The Evolution of Online Learning

Online learning, which is also referred to as long distant learning is also being considered for the new year. With online learning, teachers have an online platform that they use. Instead of standing in front of the class lecturing their students to sleep, most of the work is completed at home via the internet. Class time is used for discussion time. This technology will be used to increase parent interaction with their children regarding homework and projects that are assigned. With this technology, teachers are notified when a student completes an assignment and they can check the work immediately. This saves ample time in the classroom and provides more time to cover more topics.

Gaming within the Classroom

Do not be appalled about gaming within the classroom. This is an option that is being focused on for the second year. When people hear the word gaming, they envision game consoles, such as the PlayStation 4 and the Xbox 1. This is neither! Surveys were taken around the globe to get an estimate of how many students have game consoles and how much they use them on a daily basis. As you could have guessed, the game console receives more attention than homework. So what happens with gaming in the classroom? Several apps are being created that allows a teacher to upload a lesson plan to the app and decide whether certain activities, such as crossword puzzles, and fill in the blank will be good to use for a particular lesson. This is thought to be one of the best ways for a student to remain interested and engaged within the lesson plan and enjoy school.

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