It wasn’t too long ago that instructors relied on chalkboards and bulletin boards for teaching, and students only had flashcards and index cards for studying! Luckily for teachers, students, and the students’ parents, technology in the education sector is evolving as quickly as it is in any other industry. Following are the top 3 recent technological advances:
- Apps
Students use their phones for more than texting or playing games during lectures! Advancements in mobile technology and the increasingly widespread use of smart phones has helped students study effectively, transport their homework and interact with their teachers.StudyBlue, for example, is an app that creates digital flashcards to replace those flimsy index cards students use to study for tests. Both students and teachers can create or customize sets of flashcards and the topics can be supplemented with audio or video files.
- Smart Boards
Smart Boards (sometimes stylized SMART Boards) are also known as interactive whiteboards (IWB). In the 90’s, teachers used overhead projectors to show printed content on a blank screen. Similarly, interactive whiteboards display a computer’s desktop. Students then use a finger or stylus on the touch-sensitive whiteboard to manipulate the display. Young students learning about shapes can move those squares, circles and triangles across the board. Older students can draw graphs and play Sudoku puzzles! More programs are available every year.
- Software
20 years ago the average school system had a very limited number of computers. Students used them to type up their papers, kill time with programs like Minesweeper and Microsoft Paint, and learn how to type with rudimentary games. Now there are entire software systems devoted to student education. Big names like Adobe and Microsoft have lines created specifically for student use. In addition to word processing and graphic design, among other resources, educational software helps students find information in dictionaries and encyclopedias and teachers track students and organize their lesson plans.Technology in the classroom has come a long way from generic whiteboards and overhead projectors! Check out Codigo Del Sur’s education apps to see what advancements are coming next!
