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The 6 Pros & Cons of Using Technology in Your Classroom - Top Hat Blog

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The 6 Pros & Cons of Using Technology in Your Classroom - Top Hat Blog

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Education technology

By: Vawn Himmelsbach

For years, policy makers, teachers, parents and students alike have been weighing the potential benefits of technology in the classroom against its risks and consequences. But now the debate is more pressing than ever, as curricula increasingly incorporate technology and professors experiment with new teaching methods. On one hand, technology allows you to experiment in pedagogy, democratize the classroom and better engage students. On the other hand, some argue technology can be distracting in the classroom and even foster cheating.

Turn class technology distractions into opportunities to connect with your students.

Find out how in our free handbook, Reaching Today's Distracted Students: ❯ ❯ ❯

What does it mean to use technology in the classroom?

Students are digital natives. They've grown up with technology; it's woven into their lives. But technology in the classroom isn't just about using digital devices in class - it relates to anything that facilitates an interaction between teacher and student. Classroom engagement is at an all-time low and lecturers are competing against countless diversions from phones, tablets and laptops. Technology could be seen as the culprit, or it could be harnessed to improve engagement and effectiveness.

"Digital education is generating new learning opportunities as students engage in online, digital environments and as faculty change educational practices through the use of hybrid courses, personalized instruction, new collaboration models and a wide array of innovative, engaging learning strategies.

"Furthermore, a 21st century view of learner success requires students to not only be thoughtful consumers of digital content, but effective and collaborative creators of digital media, demonstrating competencies and communicating ideas through dynamic storytelling, data visualization and content curation."

- David Goodrum, director of academic technology and information services, Oregon State University, in Campus Technology

With that in mind, this article looks at the pros of technology in the classroom as well as the cons-and it addresses how to combat some of the pitfalls you might come across when adopting new technology-based teaching and assessment techniques.

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The pros:

1. Using technology in the classroom allows you to experiment more in pedagogy and get instant feedback.

Technology allows for more active learning; you can increase engagement through online polling or asking quiz questions during lectures (with instantaneous results). Subject matter is dynamic and timely with digital textbooks that embed links to relevant materials or student-maintained course wikis. Whether adding a single tool for a specific project or term, or making a more dramatic change such as a flipped classroom , being well-versed in technology can help build credibility with students, and even fellow colleagues.

2. Technology in the classroom helps ensure full participation.

Online polling and other tools help to engage all students, including shy students who wouldn't normally raise their hand in class. Online engagement systems allow you to regularly check in with students for feedback on course materials and assignments; data analytics could be used to help spot areas where students might be struggling, so you can adjust the coursework accordingly.

One active learning technique that technology can facilitate is offering students quizzes (not for credit). At the beginning of the class, you can gauge familiarity with a subject by taking a quick, anonymous quiz on the subject you're teaching-and this can also inform and direct what you need to focus on. At the end of the class, setting the same quiz again allows all students to gauge their learning.

3. There are countless resources for enhancing education and making learning more fun and effective.

From apps and e-textbooks to organizational platforms, there's no shortage of tools that can transform the classroom. Some instructors are turning toward classroom 'gamification,' the use of competitive scenarios, and the distribution of points and rewards to make the classroom more fun and engaging. The key to ensuring these methods are also effective is designing them to support the course learning objectives.

Some gamification tips include role play -where students are asked to pose arguments on behalf of historical figures or scientific concepts-and introducing healthy competition . Technology can greatly aid the implementation, and indeed the assessment, of classroom games.

4. Technology can automate a lot of your tedious tasks.

Automation can speed up tedious, time-consuming tasks, such as keeping track of student attendance and performance. Engagement tools can help streamline grading for writing assignments, discussions and participation, as well as answer common student questions, which otherwise could seem daunting due to their objective nature.

The canonical example of this? One professor at Georgia Tech actually coded an artificially intelligent teaching assistant. Jill Watson was able to answer a selection of student questions and pass any that 'she' couldn't handle to a real person.

5. With technology in the classroom, your students have instant access to fresh information that can supplement their learning experience.

There is value in having textbooks and course materials that are always up to date, which can even include additions suggested by students. This also fosters a more collaborative learning environment; students, networked together online, can share information, work together on group projects, and interact with the instructor.

6. We live in a digital world, and technology is a life skill.

Being digitally literate is more than obtaining "isolated technological skills," according to the NMC Horizon Report: 2017 Higher Education Edition . Rather, it's about "generating a deeper understanding of the digital environment, enabling intuitive adaptation to new contexts and co-creation of content with others." Creating presentations, learning to differentiate reliable from unreliable sources on the Internet and maintaining proper online etiquette are all vital skills that students can learn in the classroom. It can also help universities deliver better ROI on student education (and remain relevant).

The cons

1. Technology in the classroom can be a distraction.

College students learn less when they use computers or tablets during lectures, writes Susan Dynarski, a professor of education, public policy and economics at the University of Michigan, in the New York Times . "They also tend to earn worse grades. The research is unequivocal: Laptops distract from learning, both for users and for those around them."

But Matthew Numer, an assistant professor in the School of Health and Human Performance at Dalhousie University, says in an article for Th e Chronicle of Higher Education that banning laptops is an "insult" to students: " Our students are capable of making their own choices, and if they choose to check Snapchat instead of listening to your lecture, then that's their loss. Besides, it's my responsibility as an educator to ensure that my lecture is compelling. If my students aren't paying attention, if they're distracted, that's on me."

This makes the notion of creating a structure and culture of respect all the more important from day one. Identify specific projects, times during class, and your intentions for allowing the use of technology in the classroom. Creating expectations and guidelines for students, and sticking to them, will be important for them in respecting your boundaries.

2. Technology can disconnect students from social interactions.

Many people are skeptical of technology and what it does to students' (and everyone else's) ability to verbally communicate.

By creating assignments in class that use both technological tools as well as oral presentations and group collaboration, students will learn to be dynamic in how they learn and interact with others.

Sara Eskridge, history professor at Randolph College in Virginia, believes that technology is a tool to be used in the classroom, rather than an end in itself. The teacher is in control-and knows how to bring the best out in the student.

3. Technology can foster cheating in class and on assignments.

While students have always found ways to cheat, the digital age makes it even easier - from copying-and-pasting someone else's work to hiring an essay-writer from an online essay mill.

While technology could be seen as yet another avenue for cheating, it's possible to structure assignments and exams in a way that makes cheating difficult, or make exams open-book and focus on problem-solving and mastery rather than retention. Some classroom software allows you set questions that are subtly different for every student, making them focus on the technique rather than the answer; and software such as Turnitin is already well-established in most higher education settings.

4. Students don't have equal access to technological resources.

Some students can't afford iPads or even the textbooks required for class. For these students, point them in the direction of library or community resources, or create assignments that allow them to work in groups and share resources.

Don't make technology the focus of your class, and don't make it a barrier. Incorporate it in a holistic and inclusive manner.

5. The quality of research and sources they find may not be top-notch.

The Internet is a blessing and a curse. Your students may need guidance on identifying proper sources and unreliable sources. Many campuses have writing centers that can help with this. You can also use OERs, which are open educational resources in the public domain that anyone can freely use, copy and adapt; they range from textbooks to lecture notes, examinations and assignments.

How can you tell if content is written by a competent authority? Here are some tips on finding OERs , and Top Hat's Marketplace is also a reliable source of OER you can use.

6. Lesson planning might become more labor-intensive with technology.

The task of adapting technology into your classroom can seem daunting or overwhelming. In many ways though, using technology can become as natural to you as any daily activity.

When you're choosing classroom technology, it's important to engage with the software vendor and make sure you have the support in place. Some questions you should ask include whether they supply training or onboarding, and what their reliability statistics and support functions are-after all, you don't need to be the person all the students come to if the technology goes offline.

But the most important thing is to allow yourself time to learn how to use something, and make sure you ask for, and receive the support that you need.

Technology in the classroom: The final verdict

It's clear that the benefits outweigh the cons. But the key to technology in the classroom is always going to be the teacher-student relationship, because that's where the education happens. Technology can be a highly effective tool, but that's all it is - a tool. In today's hyper-connected world, sensible use of technology can enhance education.

Technology is not meant to replace the teacher. Rather, the idea is to create a flexible learning environment that breeds innovation. It shifts the classroom experience from the 'sage-on-a-stage' approach to a more collaborative learning environment. The success of such endeavors will ultimately depend upon how technology is applied to keep students engaged.

It can be frustrating and time-consuming, but in the end, technology in the classroom can open doors to new experiences, new discoveries, and new ways of learning and collaborating.

Students' cellphones and digital devices aren't bad for education. Learn how to exploit them to improve engagement and keep your class focused.

Get the tactics in our free handbook, Reaching Today's Distracted Students: ❯ ❯ ❯

Vawn Himmelsbach

Vawn Himmelsbach is a journalist based in Toronto.

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6 Pros & Cons of Technology in the Classroom in 2018 - Top Hat

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For years, policy makers, teachers, parents and students alike have been weighing the potential benefits of technology in the classroom against its risks and consequences. But now the debate is more pressing than ever, as curricula increasingly incorporate technology and professors experiment with new teaching methods.

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Technology in the Classroom: The School of the Future

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Technology in the Classroom: The School of the Future

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Education is changing. Teachers no longer primarily lecture from the front of the class. Students don't fervently copy the instructor's words down, read text, and memorize material for a test.

And the classroom itself has changed.

If these reforms have your head spinning, hold on to your sensibilities because lots more are coming in terms of technology in the classroom. You thought Smartscreens at the front of the class linked to a computer, students storing schoolwork in the cloud rather than a personal file folder, homework submitted electronically, parents signing up to volunteer on something called "Sign up Genius" and other technology in the classroom was cutting edge?

By the time your newborn baby enters kindergarten, here's what they'll find at their schoolhouse

· Students will each have a digital device. It may be a tablet PC, laptop, Chromebook or Surface -- that won't matter. What's important is that it is portable, sturdy, fits in a backpack, and is digitally secure. All student work will be done on these. Losing one would be worse than losing a backpack -- much worse

· Students will actively participate via a backchannel device (i.e., Today's Meet, , , , a Apps adaptation). The stream of student comments, thoughts, questions and ideas will appear on the class Smartscreen for the benefit of all. Students will access it on their digital devices, while class goes on. The teacher will address comments so she can address concerns.

· Homework and projects will be submitted online, via Dropbox, GAFE, or a school-specific program like Schoology. No printing, no depositing to the class inbox, no lost in the dark recesses of the student backpack. Work will be completed and immediately shared with stakeholders.

· Grades will be posted online immediately. They will always be up to date, enabling students to transparently know where they stand in the class. There will be no more "I had no idea I was doing so poorly in this class."

· Classes will be available online via YouTube or Google Hangouts both in real time and archived. If students miss a class, they go to the online class to catch up. It will be their responsibility to watch the class and contact the teacher for help if needed.

· Snow days will be a vacation of the past. If students and/or teachers can't get to school, they participate through the real-time interactive GHO-type environment. Teachers will teach from their home while students watch from home. No fuss.

· Keyboarding will be taught and reinforced in all classes. The struggle over whether keyboarding is a real subject will be settled pedagogy. It will be akin to grammar--every teacher reinforces grammar -- or school dress. Keyboarding will be accepted as one of those cross-class academic tools that is important everywhere. Parents will also understand this and reinforce lessons when students use computers at home.

· Each class will have a website, a wiki, a Google Classroom -- or some sort of digital version of the classroom which will closely replicate what happens in the class on a daily basis. It will include the videos of class, schedules, assignments, links to online materials, embeddable class calendar, and be accessible from school or home. It will blend the best of today's options -- protopage.com, I, , , , Portaportal, or LiveBinders -- into a supremely effective, scalable portal that not only shares static information but provides methods of differentiating for various student needs. The future may have arrived in the form of Google Classroom. We'll know when that's released.

· Class will be fully connected to social media, including a Twitter stream (to be used for backchannel communications, announcements, collaboration among students), a Google Plus account (to facilitate student group get-togethers, collaboration on projects, sharing of notes and knowledge, and files), and a Facebook account (to encourage bonding within the class).

· All students will be able to share their screens with others. This can be via Skype, Google Hangouts, or another option not yet invented. This encourages students to help each other, tutor classmates on subjects where needed.

· Students will complete their classwork knowing it will be shared with classmates and other interested teachers. Ways to make this publishing and sharing possible include blogs, wikis, Google Apps for Education. Through these accounts, students will reflect on their work and the work of others, share perspectives, provide feedback, assist classmates in the write-edit-rewrite process.

· Class calendars will be open for additions to all students as equal partners in their education journey, not just a passive offering from the teacher for class management. Students will enter academic-oriented activities like group get-togethers, study sessions, even other assessments that might conflict with the class schedule (this can include field trips and band/orchestra/cheerleading performances that will require students to be away from class). Students will be encouraged to edit the calendar responsibly and, for the most part, they will because it is a responsibility to their own education. Most students will embed the class calendar in their personal profiles on blogs, wikis and websites.

· Students will each have a digital portfolio where they store all of their projects, assessments, notes.

· Students will differentiate assignments to fit their personal learning style. They will no longer be assigned a project like "write a book report using MS Word" or "create a slideshow in PowerPoint/Slideshare." In the future, students will receive the "book report" assignment and make their own determination how best to communicate their thoughts, be it audio, visual, written, musical, video, artistically. As long as they fulfill the requirements of the project, the delivery format will be up to them.

· Students will take digital notes on a tablet or an iPad. The note-taking device will allow for typing, handwriting, drawing, video and audio recording. This will include the best of today's digital note-taking offerings such as Notability, Evernote or OneNote.

· All students will have a web-based email account.

· Schools will have digital bulletin boards that display a scrolling collection of student work. Teachers access it easily, have a scanning app to import artwork where required, can upload student projects and even music to the digital bulletin board so all student work is shared. These can be paused, searched, even printed to a student digital portfolio or a parent cloud account (printing is rarely paper).

· Conferences will be virtual real-time meetings for parents that cannot make it in, so all parents participate in the understanding of and furtherance of their child's education. These can be done via GHO, Skype or another option that allows for face-to-face meeting and screen sharing (of student work and assessments).

· Students will use technology to execute tasks at every opportunity -- schedule presentations, take a poll, read, time an activity, get directions, check data. Teachers will challenge students to come up with tech solutions to common activities. This will be assessed also
What's your vision of the future?
_________________________

Jacqui Murray has been teaching K-8 technology for 15 years. She is the editor of a K-8 technology curriculum, K-8 keyboard curriculum, K-8 Digital Citizenship curriculum, and creator of technology training books for how to integrate technology in education. She is webmaster for six blogs, CSG Master Teacher, an Amazon Vine Voice book reviewer, Editorial Review Board member for Journal for Computing Teachers, a columnist for Examiner.com, tech expert, and a weekly contributor to TeachHUB. Currently, she's editing a techno-thriller that should be out to publishers next summer.

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Technology in the Classroom: The School of the Future

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Education is changing. Teachers no longer primarily lecture from the front of the class. Students don't fervently copy the instructor's words down, read text, and memorize material for a test. And the classroom itself has changed. If these reforms have your head spinning, hold on to your sensibilities because lots more are coming in terms of technology in the classroom .

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8 Technologies That Will Shape Future Classrooms - Hongkiat

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8 Technologies That Will Shape Future Classrooms - Hongkiat

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What does the future of learning hold? What will classrooms of the future be like? Emerging technologies such as cloud computing, augmented reality (AR) and 3D printing are paving the way for the future of education in ways we may have yet to see. At the very least though, we can extrapolate from what these promising technologies and predict how schools will adopt them in time to come.

However, just as the original intentions for new technology often give way to innovative and unpredictable usage, we can never be sure if a twist is waiting for these rising stars. As for now, let us observe their progress and speculate on how these 8 up-and-coming technologies could potentially change education for the better.

Recommended Reading: Major Tech In Education Trends In 2013 [Infographic]

1. Augmented Reality (AR)

We're still waiting for Augmented Reality to take the world by storm by way of Google Glass, gaming and awesome apps for astronomy.

It's expected to wow audiences with its AR capabilities, which allow users to see additional information layered over what they see through the lens. Currently, however, access to AR technology for educational purposes is mostly limited to smartphone apps.
Read Also: 5 Top Augmented Reality Apps For Education
Apps like Sky Map lets you scout the night sky for constellations, but they are not fully integrated as a component of education as they have yet to reach the stage of seamlessness. The AR experience must be immersive enough to blend information readily with the reality.
Read Also: How Augmented Reality Is The Next Big Social Experience
With Google Glass and the other AR-enabled wearable devices that will soon follow, students explore the world without having to hold up a device which could distract from the experience. Created by Will Powell, an AR developer for Oxford, a simpler version of the Google Glass showcases how effortless this can be. Check out this video to enter a world with seamlessly integrated augmented reality.

A New Way To Teach
Read Also: A Geek's Wishlist - 10 Things We Want To Do With Google Glass
Virtual field trips are also possible with AR. Physics teacher, Andrew Vanden Heuvel, taught from inside the Large Hadron Collider in Switzerland, streaming what he sees through a beta Google Glass to his students thousands of miles away. They see him, and he sees them; it's as if they are in the same classroom! The " Hangout" feature in use here is particularly promising for team collaborations in projects and assignments.

In other cases, students may be able to see supplementary and interactive information appearing on historical artifacts for them to get to know more about its history, just like how this AR advertising app can recognize images in the real world and interact with them.

2. 3D Printing

What's a better present for your 10-year-old than a LEGO set? How about a 3D printer, one specifically for children? The 3D printer should really be a must-have in classrooms. Instead of being restricted to what they can play with, pupils in the classroom of the future can print out 3D models for various purposes, including show-and-tell.

Engineering students and teachers are prime examples of who could directly benefit from 3D printing technology. In Benilde-St. Margaret's School in Minneapolis, the school's Dimension BST 3D printer lets students create design prototypes.
Read Also: 20 Amazing Creations You Can Make With 3D Printing
The 3D printer produces working mini-models to test out engineering design principles, so students can perfect their design before making an actual prototype. Together with CAD (computer-aided design) modeling software, 3D printing allows these students to experiment freely with their designs without expending considerable costs and time.
Read Also: 9 High-Tech Toys & Gadgets Designed For Kids
Abstract Thought, Real-Life Models

As it will be for many other subjects that require some form of visualization, the decreasing cost of 3D printers means that more teachers will be able to reconstruct complex concept models to teach theoretical concepts. For instance, the concept of molecular structures and configurations may be hard to grasp, but by printing out physical versions of these structures, this can help students put a form on abstract thought, and aid in better understanding.

3. Cloud Computing

"My dog ate my homework" just won't cut it with teachers in the near future. Cloud computing is buzzing these days and will most likely continue to change many aspects of our society, particularly education. In a bid to modernize education in China, the city of Zhuji in Zhejiang has installed more than 6,000 cloud computing terminal devices in 118 schools.

In the future classroom, students may just need an electronic device to access all their homework and all other learning resources in the Cloud. This means no more lugging heavy textbooks to school, and having constant access to your reading materials as long as you have an Internet connection.

Such convenience will provide students the freedom to work on their projects or homework anytime and anywhere. The digital library is accessible even when the campus library is not. In fact you can skip hitching a ride there, or to the bookstore or even to class (but being sick may no longer be an acceptable excuse to skip "attending" class from your bedroom).

An Online Learning Opportunity

Cloud computing seeks to virtualize the classroom. Schools can now leverage on cloud technology and set up online learning platforms for students to log on and attend classes in a virtual environment.

Take for example, the concept of cloud-based virtual learning environment (VLE), which allows students to access learning content and participate in discussions in forums. Assignments or even tests can also be easily disseminated to the class, minimizing the need for students to be physically present, but to encourage interaction and discussion, educators require another channel.

4. Online Social Networking

Numerous universities have already registered themselves with the online virtual world, Second Life to provide students with an online platform to socialize with each other. As a big part of the cloud platform, such social networks allows students to share their ideas freely, while teachers moderate.

This is a very empowering notion because it will imbue learners with a new perception - that learning is a personal responsibility and not that of the teacher's.

For Homework... Discuss

Furthermore, this many-to-many interactive learning where ideas are allowed to flow freely will be more aligned with real-world scenarios where collaboration is usually the norm. Social networking tools can be incorporated to enhance collaboration and team-building initiatives.

Still, if there is a need, teachers, lecturers and professors can lend some guidance in the form of responses to forum queries or by uploading useful information to the cloud community instantaneously. Another benefit is that It also serves as a great feedback tool, to help improve the courseware. A social-based approach to education will seem more than relevant to students of the future.

5. Flexible Displays

Note-taking on memo pads is still very much alive during lectures although there may be a shift from paper to laptops, netbooks or tablets. As educational settings become more digitalized, how will the future classroom reconcile the differences between pen and paper versus keyboard and screen?

The answer might just be flexible OLED-based displays. Just like regular paper, these displays will be lightweight, flexible and extremely thin. This means we can roll them up into tubes or fold them like newspapers.

Read Also: Are Flexible Display Smartphones Here To Stay?
Read Also: A Look Into: Biometric Technology
Paper-Thin Smartphones

Unlike regular paper however, these plastic e-papers are not only durable ("unbreakable" is the correct term), but also provides interactivity. With swipes, taps and pinching (maybe), these flexible paper-thin displays can take over paper-centric industries.
Read Also: 9 Minority-Report-Inspired Touchless Technology
Feast your eyes on this paper-thin, A4-sized digital paper prototype by Sony which weighs only a mere 63g. Laptops and even smartphones can't hold a candle to that kind of portability.

6. Biometrics: Eye Tracking

One technology that's been gaining recognition is biometrics. Conventionally biometrics are associated with the security industry, as it uses what is unique to each one of us to authenticate our identity: fingerprints, facial recognition, iris patterns, voice. In terms of education, some schools are only using fingerprinting to prevent truancy and for borrowing books from their school library.

However, eye-tracking can be helpful for instance, in providing invaluable feedback for teachers to understand how students absorb and understand the learning content. As a matter of fact, advertising research have been using eye-tracking technology to see how consumers respond to their ads and to determine what captures their attention.

Similarly, the same form of analysis can be conducted to ascertain course effectiveness or individual learning styles. Mirametrix is using its S2 Eye Tracker to assess how students learn by getting details of where they look during online learning sessions.

Cheaper alternatives are turning up in the form of Eye Tribe for Windows and Android, so it's only a matter of time before this data is attainable by educators.

The data may then be integrated with interactive adaptive learning systems in a manner that adjusts the content to best suit each student's learning style. Alternatively, the eye movement patterns may also guide the delivery of the content, taking into account concepts students might have trouble understanding evident in the longer time they spend gazing at that particular section.

7. Multi-Touch LCD Screens

Over the past few decades, we've seen the transition from blackboard to whiteboard, to overhead projector and to video projector for computers in schools. If you're guessing that the next in line will be something that is akin to our smartphones and tablets, you may be right. Specifically speaking, the next "board" is likely to be a giant touchscreen LCD screen which allows a greater amount of interactivity.

After all, we're talking about a screen that will be attached to a computer capable of generating infinite combinations of images, sounds and videos, just like our smartphones. The major difference with this new "board" and our smart devices is that it will be capable of detecting multiple touch inputs from many students simultaneously.

LCD Touch boards

Instead of the traditional big board in front of the classroom, it will probably be just like the Samsung SUR40 for Microsoft Surface, a giant tablet with its LCD screen lying flat atop a table-like structure. Students will sit around the table tablet, swipe on the board to manipulate and drag images around the screen, or type notes with their onscreen keyboards.

Think of the possibilities if every pupil gets one of these desks. Along with the social networking feature, these multi-touch surfaces will also allow students to collaborate live with peers around the world by manipulating virtual objects in real-time. The Multi-touch project by SynergyNet in Durham University is a great existing example of how such technology can be used by school children.

8. Game-Based Learning

Growing up at a time when the world is connected by the internet, kids today seems to have very short attention spans. This is unsurprising, since their childhood revolves around YouTube, Facebook and smartphones that provide them with on-the-go 24-hours updates and the answers to all their queries through Google and Wikipedia.

To cater to such a fast-paced generation, schools will eventually abandon traditional teaching methods of rote learning to align themselves with the times. One great way to achieve that is to use what had always been considered as a major distraction to learning - video games.

Gaming For Grades

KinectEDucation provides a one-stop online community for interested educators and students who want to use Microsoft Kinect for learning purposes. As can be seen from their video, some of the best suggestions on how educators and students can benefit from the motion-sensing technology include enabling students to learn sign language and how to play the guitar by detecting their hand movements.

In another example, a professor from the University of Washington Bothell teaches mathematics to her class by giving them the first-hand experience of learning through their motions which are captured by Kinect. Along with successful devices like Wii Remote and PlayStation Move, the motion-sensing technology is believed to be able to provide the necessary level of interactivity for students to feel more engaged with learning.

Learning To Design Games

Another concept adopted by educators does not focus on the gameplay or interactivity; rather, it emphasizes on how learning the game design process can educate students. In Gamestar Mechanic, the idea is to impart students with basic game designing skills (without the complexity of programming) to create their own games and consequently help them develop broad skill sets such as language, systematic thinking, problem-solving (through simulation, trial-and-errors, etc), storytelling, art and many more.

School children from fourth to ninth grade learn how to design one by playing a game itself where they assume the role of a young aspiring game designer who'll go through quests, missions, etc to be awarded with various Sprites to use in their Toolbox (an area for them to design their own games). This is not unlike the role-playing video games we see in today's market.

This illustrates how educators are moving away from traditional classroom teaching to that of letting students have fun and learn while they play interactive games. It's inevitable that students in the future who grow up with such technology will require much higher levels of fun and excitement before they see education as appealing and captivating.

Education Beyond the Classroom

In the future, education will no longer be restricted to formalized institutes like schools and classes. Using AR, cloud computing, online social networking and adaptive learning systems utilizing eye tracking technology, learning can take place outside the tradtional classroom.

Experimentations and mistakes will also be encouraged as simulations are made possible through 3D printing and game-based learning without actually incurring real-world consequences or costs. Chief among all, students will soon be imparted with the wisdom of seeing learning as not a chore, but as a critical and gratifying part of their life which requires their proactive involvement.

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8 Technologies That Will Shape Future Classrooms - Hongkiat

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What does the future of learning hold? What will classrooms of the future be like? Emerging technologies such as cloud computing, augmented reality (AR) and 3D printing are paving the way for the future of education in ways we may have yet to see.

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Past, present, future of education… | What Ed Said

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Past, present, future of education… | What Ed Said

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The Evolution of Technology in Schools - YouTube

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The Evolution of Technology in Schools - YouTube

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IAP || Series || International Advances in Education: Global Initiatives for Equity and Social Justice

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IAP || Series || International Advances in Education: Global Initiatives for Equity and Social Justice

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IAP BOOK SERIES

International Advances in Education: Global Initiatives for Equity and Social Justice

To facilitate the global sharing of productive, practical and effective strategies that foster equitable access to educational opportunity in the 21st century.

It is the responsibility of today's educators to prepare tomorrow's workforce to be productive, socially conscientious, and well adjusted citizens in a global environment. However, by 2020, two-thirds of the world's population and three-quarters of the global workforce will be comprised of disenfranchised and underprivileged populations.

Internationally there is an increasing emphasis on effectively educating all children to address the social justice and equity issues of our time.

Research has an important role in addressing the educational disadvantage that many children suffer by identifying strategies that seed success and the development of new solutions for interventions aimed at enhancing educational outcomes. There is also a substantial international benefit to empowering children via education to reach their fill potential as education predicates life opportunities, enriches the global intellectual climate, strengthens the socio-economic fabric of nations, and cultivates talents in all facets of society. International Advances in Education, Equity, and Social Justice Research series publishes scholarly works that primarily focus on empowering students (children, adolescents, and young adults) from diverse education, socio-cultural, linguistic, and socio-economic settings to reach their full potential via education.

The multidisciplinary themed research monograph aims to contribute to the evidence base for developing sound educational policies, practices and programs to optimize all students' potential. Readers of this series (I.e., teacher educators, classroom teachers, researchers, community organizers, administrators, and philanthropist) will have access to a variety of proven methods and tools employed to provide educational equity and social justice throughout the globe, insight into how various strategies are perceived and used by providers and recipients and potential resources to assist in replicating or incorporating selected methods into individual curriculums, policies, practices and funding decisions.

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IAP || Series || International Advances in Education: Global Initiatives for Equity and Social Justice

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IAP BOOK SERIES To facilitate the global sharing of productive, practical and effective strategies that foster equitable access to educational opportunity in the 21st century. It is the responsibility of today's educators to prepare tomorrow's workforce to be productive, socially conscientious, and well adjusted citizens in a global environment.

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Top Technology Trends in Education in 2015 | Articles | Noodle

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Top Technology Trends in Education in 2015 | Articles | Noodle

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Education technology is making significant strides forward. Learn which tools and trends will have the greatest impact this year.

Technology has long been disrupting and modifying the education space. But what kinds of tools are most likely to make an impact on us this year?

The technological advances that change the way we learn do so through a variety of methods. They may improve our understanding of the learning process, facilitate our access to content, increase the retention of learners by improving the educational experience, or address systemic inequalities by making learning affordable.

Here are some technological trends that will do this, and more, in 2015:

Big Data

The advent of big data enables us to track student behavior and gather other relevant information that will enhance our understanding of how people learn, what keeps them engaged, what helps them retain information, and how we can improve outcomes.

In the best case scenario, these tools will be applied to improving the teaching and learning experience. There are, of course, privacy and security concerns relating to the capture, aggregation, and potential misuse of data. The industry will need to address the "Big Brother" aspect of Big Data head-on, and act transparently with respect to the use of the information and judiciously with respect to its security.
Since its start, Noodle has been a leader in evaluating the role big data can play in education, attending the White House's Education Datapalooza 2012.
Cloud Computing

Cloud-based learning platforms represent a significant advance in technology's potential to improve access to content, instruction, and collaboration. They provide users with the ability to access material easily and foster connections between and among students, teachers, and institutions. These platforms also have the power to create truly global education communities and facilitate groundbreaking research.
Many new learning management systems (LMS) used by teachers now use cloud computing. Follow this link for the full list of the top 25 LMS of 2014.
Mobile Learning

Mobile learning provides "anytime, anywhere" access to content and community,as well as allows for contextual and supplemental learning at given locations (e.g., downloading a museum's app). It literally meets students wherever their phones go. Students of all generations will be able to fit their education to their lifestyle, and the convenience and affordability of mobile devices will facilitate access for all. Ironically, a person's physical location may become a significant part of the enhanced mobile learning experience. For example, a student could participate in an art history class on her phone while visiting The Metropolitan Museum of Art.
See Noodle's collection of reviews of educational apps for effective mobile learning on variety of subjects.
Gamification

The emergence of gamified learning and the application of gaming technologies, such as virtual reality for educational content, will have a significant impact on how people learn. Studies have shown that education is most effective, with respect to understanding and retention, when the learner is engaged in doing, applying what she has learned, and having fun, as is the case with simulations.

Universities are increasingly adopting virtual reality technologies in a variety of ways, from creating school tours for international students to offering difficult-to-deliver lab instruction, like human dissections, in medical schools. Who knew that a generation of young gamers could become the guardians of our future?
Check out our infographic about educational video games to understand better their use and effectivness.
Personalization

This is the holy grail of online education, in which technology and design (information architecture, user interface, and so on) combine to create a learning experience tailored to the individual needs of a student. It promises to make education more engaging, improve outcomes, and create efficiencies in educational ecosystems.

Personalized learning that allows for differentiated instruction will have a significant impact in learning environments where there are students with varying degrees of knowledge or skills, such as public school classrooms. Personalized learning can serve as a powerful tool for teachers and students faced with overcrowding, and in so doing, begin to address inequalities between poorer and more affluent school districts.
Learn more about how flipped classrooms incorporate personalized learning into everyday education.
Deconstruction or Unbundling of Content

The delivery of nano-degrees based on specific work skills or the chunking of master's programs are examples of this technological advance. Deconstruction will change the economics of education and the way we think about learning by allowing students to access the information they need to progress or to find employment without having to consume content that is not immediately relevant to them. It presupposes a more practical approach to higher education, in response to the needs of the largest population of students saddled with debt.

This deconstructive approach, however, raises concerns for many who believe in the value of a well-rounded, traditional liberal arts education, with its exposure to a broad range of subjects and grounding in the development of "higher level" skills, such as critical thinking and independent analyses. That said, unbundling of content has the potential to challenge the culture of established educational institutions as the sole providers of valuable and legitimate education and as the gatekeepers to rewarding employment.
Wondering if your school is adopting these trends in a smart way? Read about effective ways to incorporate technology in the classroom.

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The Most Significant Technological Advances in Education for 2015

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Education technology is making significant strides forward. Learn which tools and trends will have the greatest impact this year. Technology has long been disrupting and modifying the education space. But what kinds of tools are most likely to make an impact on us this year?