
Classrooms have slowly shifted towards the digital age, chalkboards were replaced with smartboards, parents can check their children’s grades from their home computer, they can look through google classroom for missing assignments, and teachers are just an email away.
I've been sitting with my little cousins during her classes since September, it’s done on a google meet on a school provided iPad. She is able to do math class online, her teacher can place them in breakout rooms so they can collaborate on a math problem, and the teacher hosts small reading groups where everyone gets to participate.
People were tentative to shift into digital learning but there are multiple benefits to online learning. First off, online learning incorporates different learning styles. Everyone learns differently, and it is difficult for a teacher to tailor their lesson to fit their lesson plans for 20-25 students. Now, a teacher can make learning more fun, there are websites like Kahoot that work in a quiz style format and jeopardy board creating websites to test their knowledge. I’ve had college professors use those tools to review materials before the exam, this format engaged students and sparked collaboration within the class since he split us in groups. So, I can personally say that this helped.
A child that is a visual learner benefits from a video or an infographic, while a child that is a kinesthetic learning--those who need to engage in the activity to understand it--may benefit from working alone or collaborative work where they get to talk through the activity.
Collaboration is another benefit from digital learning. People can learn to work alone, but working with others is a learned skill. Collaboration can mean more than breakout rooms, if a student is having technical difficulties it is likely that another student will help them out. Plus, groups projects can be out of the classroom as well, with the availability of school provided google accounts, students can collaborate on a group project from their homes.
The digital age will continue evolving and it is important that students keep up with it. 9 out 10 students that were introduced to technology early on in their lives benefit from it in their future. School teaches you how to access information through the internet, so when you get home you can continue this lesson and apply it to your life.
So, what happens to the students that aren’t able to access the internet at home? Those who don't have the access to the technology?
Image courtesy of Wix
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