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The Classroom of the Future is Here. Is Your School Ready?
How technology and new classrooms change the way teachers teach and become better educators
When you hear the word classroom, what comes to mind? Most likely you think of lined up desks facing a chalkboard. That’s the classroom we know from our childhood.
But classrooms today are changing. Educators teach in new and exciting ways because of technology. What kind of classroom then does that give us?
GOODBYE OLD SCHOOL, HELLO NEW COOL!
Don’t be surprised if standing desks or bicycle chairs have replaced standard tables and desks. These help students, who have trouble focusing, keep still.
You won’t see teachers using chalkboards that much, too. Projector screens are so much more flexible for interactive teaching. Students also use tablets instead of notebooks and books. With Wi-Fi, kids can do their research anywhere and at any time. Remember “finished or not finished, pass your papers?” These days, quizzes can be submitted electronically.
Welcome to the classroom of the future, indeed.
Image via The Way International School
THE TECH-READY CLASSROOM MAKES WORK FOR STUDENTS AND TEACHERS EASIER
Vlogs, audio recordings, computer animations, and online presentations are more interesting and fun to do than the usual homework. Teachers can now easily review and grade works online. They can also release scores as soon as they mark assignments.
Sounds unreal? Not quite. This kind of setup is possible with features available in Globe myBusiness’ Learning Management System (LMS).
These changes are already impressive but we’re not nearly done reinventing the classroom. With changes in technology, you need to adapt quickly. The challenge you now face is to make old facilities match up to new technological innovations.
Build new classrooms with flexibility in mind. It won’t be long before we start seeing teaching spaces transform from lecture halls to labs in a matter of minutes, based on the need.
DIGITAL TOOLS HELP KIDS LEARN BETTER
Not every student absorbs information in text form well. Some learn by action and movement. Others rely on visuals or music. Digital tools can make lessons personalized and effective for all students.
We used to all sit in a classroom listening to one teacher. Lesson plans were made for the average student. But nobody really fits inside the “average” box. Each child’s level of knowledge, attention span, and learning style is different.
With tailor-fit solutions, students in the same class can study different things on the same subject. Educators can base each student’s lesson on where they are academically and how they learn.
Before, this personalization comes with a cost. Teachers need to prepare a lot more material to serve different needs.
Image via Japan Times
With Globe LMS’ Brightspace and Edmodo, teachers can adjust their lessons quickly for different groups. You can also create individual learning plans.
These solutions can tell you how each student is doing. Kids can learn at their own pace using their tablets or computers.
Personalized learning will only get better as education technology continues to develop. This is a good thing for everyone involved in education. Students can learn better and teachers can have more time to do what they really want to do—teach.
TECHNOLOGY BRINGS BACK THE LOVE FOR TEACHING AND LEARNING
It’s not just classroom setups and lesson plans that change. Teaching methods have changed, too.
Technology takes on tiring administrative tasks for teachers. They can work better on innovating their methods. In the flipped classroom setup, children explore and research a topic and become their classmates' teachers. Using technology to find information and present them in creative ways, students are more engaged in their subjects.
Educators don’t provide material in this set up, but they guide the students with research. They train the children to think critically—an important skill. If you wonder if it’s effective, the answer is yes. Students remember what they learn better this way.
Technology will continue to play a bigger role in teaching. Digital tools make sure that nobody gets left behind in this tech-driven world. Today's generation of digital natives is constantly exposed to innovation and change. This makes it even more important to invest in your schools' digital future.
Interested in Globe myBusiness' Learning Management System in your school? Learn more at Globe myBusiness website.