As the autumn term marks the start of a new academic year, students are set to return to
classrooms and lecture halls. Educational technology, or EdTech, has become a mainstay in recent months, mainly due to the rise in virtual learning due to the COVID-19 outbreak.
However, the reopening of schools doesn’t mean that the use of EdTech is coming to an end.
While schools are preparing to reopen, the benefits of EdTech have cemented its place in the educational sector.
If you want to enhance your students’ learning experience or enable learners to make the most of every lesson, take a look at the five EdTech features you need to be using this term:
1. Screen Locks
All teachers know how difficult it can be to get your students’ attention. When you’ve got a class of 25-30 students, it’s essential to be able to get everyone engaged to get every lesson off to a good start.
Being able to lock your students’ screens minimises disruptions and enables teachers to get
everyone’s attention quickly and efficiently.
If you need to explain a concept, set learning goals or simply convey important information, having the ability to lock screens in an instant is invaluable.
2. Multi-Platform Functionality
When you’re choosing which EdTech to use, be sure to consider the wide range of platforms that students will be using.
If pupils are learning from home, for example, they might be trying to access the platform on desktops, laptops, tablets or even phones. With so many manufacturers and operating systems, it’s vital that your EdTech functions optimally across a wide range of platforms.
Fortunately, this isn’t hard to do. If you’re looking for EdTech that facilitates teaching remotely and, in the classroom, this online service can help.
Classroom.cloud operates on multiple platforms and can be integrated with EdTech tools from Google and Microsoft.
With a wide range of features, you’ll find everything you need to manage your classroom, no matter where your students are learning from.
3. Monitoring
Getting students’ attention can be tricky, but ensuring they stay on task can be an uphill battle!
When pupils are using technology, it isn’t generally possible for teachers to get a glimpse of
everyone’s screen. Of course, this means that students can distract themselves and lose focus.
By selecting EdTech platforms that allow easy monitoring, you’ll find it easier than ever to ensure your students remain on task throughout lessons.
With real-time monitoring tools, you can check what a student is doing, watching or listening to at any time. This gives teachers the tools and authority they need to keep pupils on track and manage their lessons with ease.
4. Student Interaction
Interaction is at the heart of learning, so it should be a top priority when it comes to EdTech.
Without effective interaction functionality, lessons delivered by EdTech become a passive
experience for students. When your EdTech platforms facilitates interaction, however, students can play an active role in the learning experience and gain more from your lessons.
Help requests enable students to resolve queries, for example, while group chats ensure that students can work collaboratively, even if they’re physically distanced.
Additionally, student surveys and feedback forms give you the opportunity to determine which areas students may be struggling with and what virtual learning techniques they’re gaining the most from.
5. Increased Permissions
No matter what age your students are, it’s essential to have control over their internet usage. Being able to set permissions ensures that you can restrict the websites and applications that are available to your students via the school network.
As well as shielding pupils from inappropriate content, this feature helps to keep students focused and minimises class disruptions. By restricting access to social media, for example, you can remove the temptation to log on to recreational websites.
The internet is a fantastic and vital tool for learning, but it must be used with caution. When you’re choosing EdTech platforms, software or tools, be sure to factor this into your decision-making process.
EdTech: A New Era of Education
Educational technology has grown in popularity in recent years and many schools have gradually increased the amount of EdTech they use. In 2020, however, the use of EdTech rose dramatically.
As students were forced to learn from home due to the coronavirus outbreak, EdTech facilitated online learning and created virtual classrooms in an instant.
Although students will be returning to school as soon as it’s safe to do so, the increased use of EdTech looks set to stay.
The myriad of benefits it offers, along with the low-cost options available to educational institutions, means that EdTech is undoubtedly the future of learning.
Whether your students are just starting out or nearing the end of their academic journey, you can enhance their experience by using the best EdTech tools and techniques.
