7 Ways Technology Is Making School Smarter
When you were in school, “Computers” was a course unto itself — and it was really just an evolution of the typing classes your mother and father took a generation before. But things have certainly changed. Today’s classrooms are so inundated with learning technology, like laptops and tablets, that students are plugged in regardless of the topic being taught.
"Outfitting a school with laptops or desktops used to be a pricey proposition, but now there are sub-$200 tablets like the Amazon Kindle Fire and products like Google Chromebooks,” says Daniel B. Kline, a contributing editor with Education World, an online resource for teachers. "Schools haven’t fully embraced going purely digital, but more will, especially as buying physical books makes less and less sense.”
As parents and children go shopping for back to school supplies, they should think ahead to how technology will play in the classroom. These seven school subjects are already being made smarter thanks to apps and devices.
The Arts
"There are apps to aid learning in every academic subject and help meet every conceivable classroom need,” says Education World’s editor Celine Provini. For example, when it comes to music, children can learn guitar, piano and percussion instruments on Apple iPads with the Garage Band app, or they can explore classical music theory with the Orchestra app. For art, young painters can master their skills with Disney’s popular Mickey’s Paint and Play, an app for Android tablets that takes children beyond conventional coloring books to learn about other kinds of drawing tools and textures.
Foreign Languages
From apps to desktop software, foreign language learning has long been popular on computers. And Skype, one of best programs for practicing a new tongue, comes preloaded for free on Windows 8 computers. "Platforms such as Skype make it easy to converse with native speakers from around the world,” says Provini. By using it on laptops and tablets with front-facing webcams, students can put their language skills to the test by speaking with faraway pen pals.
History
Though the Internet has only been accessible to the public for about 25 years, students can use it to access all sorts of historical documents, artifacts and photos that help bring traditional textbook-based lessons to life. Your local library’s Web site and sites like ancestry.com can help students dig up historical information from primary sources so they can understand their past using firsthand accounts. Younger students, meanwhile, can go hands-on with Barefoot World Atlas, an interactive 3-D globe app available for iOS that invites children to explore regions and countries around the world.
Reading & Writing
Microsoft Office, available on PCs and some tablets, may be popular in the workplace, but it’s also a great tool for students to write term papers, produce in-class presentations and develop digital literacy skills. Grade school children, meanwhile, benefit more from fun experiences, like the iPad storybook app Mibblio. Motivating young readers by turning stories into engaging, multi-sensory experiences, the app is a great combination of music and reading comprehension. And the littlest learners are also able to work on their letters using touch-based apps like ABC Circus. Available on both Android and iOS devices, this title guides preschoolers and toddlers through alphabet learning activities.
Math
There are a number of touch- and Web-based apps that keep track of student progress, minimizing the time teachers have to spend grading, and allowing for customizable instruction for individual student needs, Provini says. These allow students challenged by one kind of math problem to get more practice, while others can move on at their own pace. “The MyAlgebra app (for iOS) explores quadratic equations through worked examples, video demonstrations and practice problems with specific feedback.”
Science
From the elements to the stars, computers have completely changed the way that science is taught. For example, technology has enabled virtual dissections on everything from frogs to eyeballs, reducing expenses and avoiding potential ethical concerns. The Elements, an award-winning app for iOS and Macs, helps students learn the periodic table through exciting videos and engaging content. And GPS-enabled tablets can run astronomy apps like Android and iOS-compatible Star Walk and Distant Suns, giving in-depth information about the heavens to skyward-looking future astronauts.
Social Sciences
Parents may know Google Maps as a tool that helps them get from one place to another, but students can use it to get a better understanding of the world. Likewise, Google Earth covers the globe, giving students great insight, especially with its Historical Imagery mode that can show students satellite images as far back as the 1940s. And the New York Public Library also has great maps online — 20,000 of them, dating back to the 1600s — and all are available for free.
Almost all of these educational innovations have popped up in the past 10 years, making today the most exciting time yet to be a student. "This really traces back to the iPad and iPhone, which changed the way people interact with computers,” says Kline. "Having touch interfaces as well as traditional ones opens up learning opportunities for kids that learn in different ways. Touch makes things accessible, and that has been good for education.”
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