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Technology allows for students to have more personalized learning opportunities!

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Technology allows for students to have more personalized learning opportunities!

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"Technology provides students with easy-to-access information, accelerated learning, and fun opportunities to practice what they learn. It enables students to explore new subjects and deepen their understanding of difficult concepts, particularly in STEM"

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Many of today's high-demand jobs were created in the last decade, according to the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE). As advances in technology drive globalization and digital transformation, teachers can help students acquire the necessary skills to succeed in the careers of the future.

How important is technology in education? The COVID-19 pandemic is quickly demonstrating why online education should be a vital part of teaching and learning. By integrating technology into existing curricula, as opposed to using it solely as a crisis-management tool, teachers can harness online learning as a powerful educational tool.

The effective use of digital learning tools in classrooms can increase student engagement, help teachers improve their lesson plans, and facilitate personalized learning. It also helps students build essential 21st-century skills.

Virtual classrooms, video, augmented reality (AR), robots, and other technology tools can not only make class more lively, they can also create more inclusive learning environments that foster collaboration and inquisitiveness and enable teachers to collect data on student performance.

Still, it's important to note that technology is a tool used in education and not an end in itself. The promise of educational technology lies in what educators do with it and how it is used to best support their students' needs.

Educational Technology Challenges

BuiltIn reports that 92 percent of teachers understand the impact of technology in education. According to Project Tomorrow, 59 percent of middle school students say digital educational tools have helped them with their grades and test scores. These tools have become so popular that the educational technology market is projected to expand to $342 billion by 2025, according to the World Economic Forum.

However, educational technology has its challenges, particularly when it comes to implementation and use. For example, despite growing interest in the use of AR, artificial intelligence, and other emerging technology, less than 10 percent of schools report having these tools in their classrooms, according to Project Tomorrow. Additional concerns include excessive screen time, the effectiveness of teachers using the technology, and worries about technology equity.

Prominently rising from the COVID-19 crisis is the issue of content. Educators need to be able to develop and weigh in on online educational content, especially to encourage students to consider a topic from different perspectives. The urgent actions taken during this crisis did not provide sufficient time for this. Access is an added concern - for example, not every school district has resources to provide students with a laptop, and internet connectivity can be unreliable in homes.

Additionally, while some students thrive in online education settings, others lag for various factors, including support resources. For example, a student who already struggled in face-to-face environments may struggle even more in the current situation. These students may have relied on resources that they no longer have in their homes.

Still, most students typically demonstrate confidence in using online education when they have the resources, as studies have suggested. However, online education may pose challenges for teachers, especially in places where it has not been the norm.

Despite the challenges and concerns, it's important to note the benefits of technology in education, including increased collaboration and communication, improved quality of education, and engaging lessons that help spark imagination and a search for knowledge in students.

The Benefits of Technology in Education

Teachers want to improve student performance, and technology can help them accomplish this aim. To mitigate the challenges, administrators should help teachers gain the competencies needed to enhance learning for students through technology. Additionally, technology in the classroom should make teachers' jobs easier without adding extra time to their day.

Technology provides students with easy-to-access information, accelerated learning, and fun opportunities to practice what they learn. It enables students to explore new subjects and deepen their understanding of difficult concepts, particularly in STEM. Through the use of technology inside and outside the classroom, students can gain 21st-century technical skills necessary for future occupations.

Still, children learn more effectively with direction. The World Economic Forum reports that while technology can help young students learn and acquire knowledge through play, for example, evidence suggests that learning is more effective through guidance from an adult, such as a teacher.

Leaders and administrators should take stock of where their faculty are in terms of their understanding of online spaces. From lessons learned during this disruptive time, they can implement solutions now for the future. For example, administrators could give teachers a week or two to think carefully about how to teach courses not previously online. In addition to an exploration of solutions, flexibility during these trying times is of paramount importance.

Below are examples of how important technology is in education and the benefits it offers to students and teachers.

Increased Collaboration and Communication

Educational technology can foster collaboration. Not only can teachers engage with students during lessons, but students can also communicate with each other. Through online lessons and learning games, students get to work together to solve problems. In collaborative activities, students can share their thoughts and ideas and support each other. At the same time, technology enables one-on-one interaction with teachers. Students can ask classroom-related questions and seek additional help on difficult-to-understand subject matter. At home, students can upload their homework, and teachers can access and view completed assignments using their laptops.

Personalized Learning Opportunities

Technology allows 24/7 access to educational resources. Classes can take place entirely online via the use of a laptop or mobile device. Hybrid versions of learning combine the use of technology from anywhere with regular in-person classroom sessions. In both scenarios, the use of technology to tailor learning plans for each student is possible. Teachers can create lessons based on student interests and strengths. An added benefit is that students can learn at their own pace. When they need to review class material to get a better understanding of essential concepts, students can review videos in the lesson plan. The data generated through these online activities enable teachers to see which students struggled with certain subjects and offer additional assistance and support.

Curiosity Driven by Engaging Content

Through engaging and educational content, teachers can spark inquisitiveness in children and boost their curiosity, which research says has ties to academic success. Curiosity helps students get a better understanding of math and reading concepts. Creating engaging content can involve the use of AR, videos, or podcasts. For example, when submitting assignments, students can include videos or interact with students from across the globe.

Improved Teacher Productivity and Efficiency

Teachers can leverage technology to achieve new levels of productivity, implement useful digital tools to expand learning opportunities for students, and increase student support and engagement. It also enables teachers to improve their instruction methods and personalize learning. Schools can benefit from technology by reducing the costs of physical instructional materials, enhancing educational program efficiency, and making the best use of teacher time.

Become a Leader in Enriching Classrooms through Technology

Educators unfamiliar with some of the technology used in education may not have been exposed to the tools as they prepared for their careers or as part of their professional development. Teachers looking to make the transition and acquire the skills to incorporate technology in education can take advantage of learning opportunities to advance their competencies. For individuals looking to help transform the education system through technology, American University's School of Education Online offers a Master of Arts in Teaching and a Master of Arts in Education Policy and Leadership to prepare educators with essential tools to become leaders. Courses such as Education Program and Policy Implementation and Teaching Science in Elementary School equip graduate students with critical competencies to incorporate technology into educational settings effectively.

Learn more about American University's School of Education Online and its master's degree programs.

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How Important Is Technology in Education? | American University

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How important is technology in education? Learn how American University's School of Education can prepare you to serve as a leader in educational technology.

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Come to our session to learn more about all these useful tools! 

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Come to our session to learn more about all these useful tools! 

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_quizlet
-kahoot
-blooket
-read theory
-raz kids
-prodigy
-seesaw
-storyboard
-Phet
-remind

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-google read and write
-google dictionary
-mercury reader
-Grammarly
-google translate
-Vocabla: A dictionary and translator that keeps a vocabulary list.
-ReadLang: Translator that creates flashcards with new vocabulary.
-Speakit: Select any text and hear it read aloud in 50 different languages.

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-google classroom
-khan academy
-duo-lingual
-photo math
-epic
-read along
-spell wizards
-News-O-Matic EDU
-explain everything

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Educational Technology and Mobile Learning

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March , 2014
Over the last couple of weeks I received some requests for featuring a list of iPad apps for ESL learners and I never had time to compile it till tonight. Below are some of the titles I would suggest you try out with your students. Again, I included only the ones I believe are worth the mention here. Enjoy

The Kidioms iPad app makes learning idioms fun for children, ELL students, or anyone wishing to improve their understanding of English. The app uses an interactive notebook to present an idiom, it's meaning and an example showing the idiom used in context. Each page of the notebook also has a graphic to help illustrate the idiom's meaning.
2- Phrasalstein

Doctor Phrasalstein who, with the help of his friends, will teach us 100 phrasal verbs using animations inspired by the classic "horror movie" genre, with a touch of humour and irony.
3-

WordBook is a comprehensive, quick and intuitive dictionary and thesaurus of the English language. It's a great combination of comprehensive contents and fast intuitive interface. It includes 150,000 entries with more than 220,000 definitions, 70,000 usage samples
4-Preposition Builder

PrepositionBuilder™ is designed to help elementary aged children learn the correct use of prepositions and learn how prepositions can change the meaning of a sentence.
5-Basic Pronunciation

Learning by listening with four fun games that improve your pre-intermediate English pronunciation. A new way for learners of English to practise speech, mixing audio and visuals across 400 challenging questions.
6- Intro to Letters

Intro to Letters will help your child learn to trace, read, write, and record letter sounds, names, and phonograms, based on the proven methodology of Montessori.
7-Rainbow Sentences

Rainbow Sentences is designed to help students improve their ability to construct grammatically correct sentences by using color coded visual cues. The who, what, where, and why parts of sentences are color coded to help students recognize and understand how combinations of these parts create basic sentence structure.
8-Conversation English

Conversation English is an excellent app for anyone learning English as a second or foreign language. Practice and improve your English conversation skills with 20 complete Conversation English Lessons. You will learn over 200 common English Idioms and Expressions, improve your Listening Skills, and develop your Speaking Skills.
9-Adventures for kids

Give them a head start hearing and speaking the English vocabulary at a time when their growing brains are literally "language learning machines". "Adventures for Kids" uses the power of the computer and attraction of a video game to open your child's mind to basic English words - all while having fun!
10-English is Easy

This set of flashcards was drawn for language learners of all ages and nationalities. Whether you are a beginner or someone who needs to refresh the basics, these pictures will help to lock in vocabulary by building stronger associations.

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March , 2014 Over the last couple of weeks I received some requests for featuring a list of iPad apps for ESL learners and I never had time to compile it till tonight. Below are some of the titles I would suggest you try out with your students.

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To prepare students for the future they need to be technology wise!
They need to learn how to use technology properly to assist with problem-solving, critical thinking, communication, and collaboration!

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 “more than ¾ of top educational officials around the world believe technology can play a major role in how students learn and how teachers educate." 

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 “more than ¾ of top educational officials around the world believe technology can play a major role in how students learn and how teachers educate." 

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http://www.ontariodirectors.ca/CODE_Advisories/Downloads/CODE%20Advisory%20No%203%20WEB.pdf