It is important to know that students are already interested in and engaged in the use of technology, this creates many excellent opportunities for schools and teachers to benefit from integrating several forms of technology in the classroom and to make teaching and learning more effective. Here are some of the main benefits of using technology in the classroom.
1. Increase engagement
When technology is integrated into lessons, students are expected to be more interested in the subjects they are studying. Technology provides different opportunities to make learning more fun and enjoyable by teaching the same things in new ways. For example, delivering teaching through gamification, inviting students to do virtual field trips, and using other online learning resources. What’s more, technology can encourage more active participation in the learning process that is difficult to achieve through traditional lecture environments.
2. Improve knowledge retention
Students who are involved and interested in the things learned are expected to have better knowledge retention. As mentioned earlier, technology can help encourage active participation in the classroom which is also a very important factor for increasing knowledge retention. Various forms of technology can be used to experiment and decide what is best for students in terms of retaining their knowledge.
3. Encourage individual learning
No one learns the same way because of different learning styles and different abilities. Technology provides great opportunities to make learning more effective for people with different needs. For example, students can learn at their own pace, review difficult concepts, or jump ahead if necessary. What’s more, technology can provide more opportunities for students with difficulties or with disabilities. Access to the Internet provides students with access to a variety of resources for conducting research in a variety of ways, which in turn can increase engagement.
4. Encourage collaboration
Students can practice collaboration skills by engaging in various online activities. For example, working on different projects by collaborating with others on forums or by sharing documents in their virtual learning environment. Technology can encourage collaboration with students in the same class, the same school, and even with other classrooms around the world.
5. Students can learn useful life skills through technology
By using technology in the classroom, both teachers and students can develop skills essential for the 21st century. Students can acquire the skills they need to succeed in the future. Modern learning is about collaborating with others, solving complex problems, thinking critically, developing various forms of communication and leadership skills, and increasing motivation and productivity. What’s more, technology can help develop many practical skills, including making presentations, learning to distinguish reliable sources from unreliable sources on the Internet, maintaining proper online etiquette, and writing email. This is a very important skill that can be developed in the classroom.
6. Benefits for teachers
With countless online resources, technology can help improve teaching. Teachers can use different apps or trusted online resources to enhance traditional teaching and make students more engaged. Virtual lesson plans, assessment software, and online assessments can help teachers save a lot of time. This precious time can be spent working with struggling students. What’s more, having a virtual learning environment in the school enhances collaboration and knowledge sharing between teachers.