Why Educators Should Embrace New Technology

We’ve come a long way since the days of the slide rule and changing technologies are having a profound effect on the way that children learn. Unprecedented connectivity and convenience means that exposure to digital devices is occurring earlier and earlier in a child’s life. This early exposure has led to a level of comfort with digital learning that educators can use to communicate all manner of information in a way that feels fun and intuitive.

If you don’t believe me, check out these reasons that educators should embrace new technology.

1. New Technology Improves Test Scores – A study conducted in Auburn, Maine found that kindergartners who used iPads to study scored higher on literacy tests than their peers without tablets.

2. Early Exposure to Technology Improves School Readiness – Researchers at Wayne State University found that young children who utilized educational software every day scored significantly higher on school readiness than a control group that used standard school prep materials.

3. Other Teachers Believe in It – A 2012 study by PBS found that 77% of teachers believe that technology increases student motivation to learn.

 

4. Classroom Tech is Here to Stay – Schools continue to spend more and more on mobile computing hardware. In 2013, it made up approximately 59% of K-12 hardware budgets, and tablet sales jumped 29% from the previous year.

5. Things Will Only Get Better – The combination of digitally literate students and teachers, the proliferation of new devices, and advances in digital education means that we’ve just begun to scratch the surface of what tech can do. As augmented reality is embraced by zoos and museums and virtual reality sees big investments from major tech firms, it’s not hard to imagine a world where children interact with their curriculum in entirely new ways. Educators that adopt these new tools early on will be at the forefront of education innovation.

The ways in which emerging technologies can improve education have yet to be fully discovered. Keep up with the possibilities by following Geomedia, and learn more about educational applications of virtual reality, augmented reality, and mobile apps.