#1. It Saves Time.
Good teachers want to dedicate the majority of their professional time to teaching, as opposed to managing. Technology makes it possible to alleviate the pains of administration by providing the resources you need in an instant, allowing you to build a lesson in minutes, and keep track of every student’s progress in real-time. With all that taken care of, more time can be spent engaging students, instead of maintaining them.
#2. It Works Around Them.
As George Evans states: “Every student can learn, just not on the same day, or in the same way.” Despite the accepted norms of our school system, it’s close to impossible to ensure every student learns what we teach during class time. Technology has provided a way to cater to student needs with adaptive systems easily facilitating flipped, mobile and blended learning models. By incorporating these methods into their teaching, students are encouraged to take learning outside the school walls and tailor it in a way that suits them.
#3. It Makes Learning Fun.
‘School is boring.’ We’ve all heard this phrase, most likely a lot more often than ‘learning is fun!’ Good teachers attempt to infuse a love of learning in their students, despite the obstacles put in place by a dull curriculum. Technology makes this a lot easier, bringing fun into learning through gamification, mobile learning, flipped learning, and much more. With the help of flexible learning platforms, students are given a more collaborative and vibrant learning environment in which ‘fun’ plays a key role.
#4. It Speaks Their Language.
Communication has evolved for the youth of today, far beyond the few apps that we familiarize ourselves with, making it close to impossible to engage them through a powerpoint and a projector. In order to get to know every student, drive better relationships and better learning, we need to communicate through the tools they’re familiar with. Once we have immersed ourselves in the realm of the digital native, we can begin teaching the values of digital citizenship, and taking learning to the next level.
#5. It Keeps You Informed.
It’s a sad fact that many struggling students fall under the radar only to crop up when it’s too late to offer the best support. Keeping track of every student in every class on a continuous basis is something all good teachers has trouble with, despite its necessity in diagnosing student needs. Learning analytics provide a solution for educators to keep on top of progress and performance without constant management. With the added bonus of instant feedback facilities and social media-based features that platforms like Fishtree have to offer, it’s easier than ever to offer the best support, at the best time.
#6. It Changes Their View of Learning.
Most young people view learning as compulsory – a boring and unstimulating by-product of school. Incorporating new teaching methods facilitated by technology, students begin to see learning in a whole new light. Moving away from the rigid and structured learning paths they’re so used to, technology enables students to embark on personalized paths, adapted to their pace, interests, and abilities. Through the use of interactive resources tailored to each student, learning is re-evaluated as something fun, spontaneous, and stimulating.
#7. It Makes Learning Collaborative.
The days of sitting quietly and listening are long gone. It’s now widely accepted that the person doing the most talking is the one doing the most learning. For this reason, classrooms are changing, transforming into bustling hubs of creativity and collaboration. Technology helps good teachers who understand the need for effective collaboration to monitor and manage these new classrooms. With the likes of PBL, inquiry-based learning, flipped learning and social media playing their part, learning platforms are making collaborative learning as productive as possible, with a real-time view of progress, and more interactive resources than you can imagine.
#8. It Facilitates Better Feedback.
Every good teacher knows the importance of effective feedback can never be stressed enough. Yet, remaining on top of the feedback process at all times is a struggle for most. Technology can help make a good teacher’s feedback better and faster with the ability to reach out to any student at the click of a button. Using direct messaging to offer instant support, this more direct approach not only speeds up the feedback process, but keeps the teacher involved in student learning at all times. This also encourages the quieter students to ask for help, challenging the communication barriers that often exist between student and teacher.
#9. It Builds New Relationships.
Lifting communication barriers means paving the way for new relationships. Every good teacher knows the importance of getting to know their students, as challenging as this may prove. Bringing new technology into the classroom that facilitates and promotes collaboration, creativity, and openness makes it a lot easier to build better relationships with every student. With students now working with, instead of against them, there’s no telling what great teachers can achieve.
#10. It Personalizes Learning for Every Student.
One-to-one has long been the most favourable form of instruction among good teachers. This way, students are guaranteed a teacher’s full attention, and a personalized learning experience tailored to them. Luckily, adaptive platforms now exist that allow teachers to scale one-to-one instruction, ensuring every student in a classroom receives a personalized experience. With personalized paths and resources at hand, platforms like Fishtree are making a huge difference to the traditional classroom, guaranteeing a one-to-one experience for every student.
Like what you’ve read? Find out how technology can make a difference to your teaching with the 21st century learning platform, scaling 1:1 instruction for every classroom.
About the author:
Lorna Keane specializes in language teaching and has taught in second and third-level institutions in several countries. She holds a B.A in languages and cultural studies and an M.A in French literature, theory and visual culture. Follow her on Twitter or connect on LinkedIn.
Image credits: Brad Flickinger / CC BY 2.0
