Is ‘the use of technology in the classroom’ a help or a hindrance?
If we are to equip our students for the future, we need to develop their knowledge of the world around them. Technology in classrooms can facilitate this by supporting teachers and enhancing learning in the classroom. There is a wide range of technology solutions available. For example, interactive displays, tablets, computer aided design and manufacture, as well as green screens and Virtual Reality (VR).
Using technology in the classroom should be helpful tool to assist teachers, not replace them. Samsung’s Captivating Classrooms is a solution that will support teaching methods and enhance and improve learning.
Supporting Learning:
The use of technology should:
*support learning and help students make progress
*support the teacher and offer alternative and more interesting opportunities for students
*where needed, be used to engage children in the classroom.
*give students a new perspective on what they are studying (for example, VR could transport them to another period in time).
BETT asked members of the education community, ‘what motivated them about teaching?’ and ‘where they saw the future direction of technology?’ This short film highlights their responses:
I fell in love with education when I saw one of my students have that ‘lightbulb’ moment. It’s a physical reaction; their eyes widen, their eyebrows raise and they lean forward and grin.”
Future of Education:
We know there are a thousand-and-one skills we can hope to teach students, and technology will not offer a single solution, but it can play a part.
How can our curriculum of the future support these skills in a culture of testing and educational reform? There are a range of skills we would like to be able to teach our students so that they can grow up to become tech-savvy, computer-literate individuals, able to face the technological challenges of tomorrow. But what is paramount, is that a student’s ability to problem solve would supersede everything else.
Therefore, equipping students with the skills for the future is essential. It is a love of learning in the formative years of childhood that we all need to encourage, which is possible through technology; using devices that will be commonplace when they grow up. To develop their ability to problem solve; to utilise the foundations of knowledge and skills they have mastered throughout school to help contribute to their community and the world around them.
Technology Solutions:
Virtual Reality is one of the most progressive and innovative technology experiences at the moment. And, if you’ve ever tried it, it is easy to understand why. The content experiences are captivating, and the potential of ‘how VR could facilitate learning experiences’ is … well, it’s very real! And yet, it’s also not out of reach for every teacher or school. It’s affordable, easy to use and accessible (for children 13 and over).
Research:
Samsung has conducted research to establish, that 85% of teachers agree that virtual reality would have a positive impact on their students. For example, 84% believe that their students would be more motivated. VR could also allow access to inaccessible locations and showcase historical content. Classes and lectures could become more immersive and bring lessons to life with VR content. Teachers also ranked the subjects they felt VR would work best for (see below image).
We know that technology can be a solution, but teaching is the ‘real talent in the classroom’. So, bringing technology and great teaching together maximises engagement and can only support student progress. Surely that’s something worth taking seriously?
Take a look at the research data below and to find out more, visit the Samsung website.
