There’s been a great deal of discussion about technology’s place in learning. Some are worried that students are too dependent on smartphones and the internet, but others note that these same technologies are changing the way that students learn and grow. Below are three ways that technology can help augment your child’s education.
Providing New Education Ideas
The internet is, at its heart, a place where people share things with one another. When you’re looking at the world of education, you’ll find a wealth of ideas that are hard to communicate elsewhere. Technology has played a huge role in helping families find new ways to teach their children, often culled from experts in the field. A few minutes on a web browser will help you find thousands of ways to teach any given subject, one of which is very likely to connect with your child. Simply put, the internet helps to bring new ideas into the home.
Other forms of technology are just as helpful. Virtual reality, for example, has allowed students to explore environments in a way that just wasn’t possible a few years ago. Even smartphones with augmented reality applications have allowed parents and teachers alike to find new ways to help engage students.
Bringing Professionals Home
Technology has also provided numerous ways to bring professional help into the home. On a very basic level, tutoring websites have helped to connect parents with qualified tutors in a way that just wasn’t possible in the past. Parents can now look up the tutor’s qualifications and even run a background check before he or she meets the student for the first time—a major step forward in ensuring the health and safety of the child.
For those looking for a bit more help, there are numerous online resources. In some cases, parents can schedule sessions with experts across the country thanks to video conferencing software. Parents of home schooled children now have access to amazing curricula and professional resources thanks to online homeschool programs. There are even amazing hybrid programs that allow advanced students a chance to pursue subjects that aren’t taught in typical schools.
Using Mobile Apps
Finally, technology has brought with it a wealth of resources that can help students to truly embrace a love of learning. There are also many educational apps that can be used to aid a child’s education. Some of these include My Molecularium, which is an entertaining way to practice chemistry concepts. The internet can be used to aid in children’s educational resources as it provides easy access to many different kinds. This is a great way for parents to get involved in their children’s education and help them add to their education. Technology is very prevalent in today’s world which makes it easy for children to access these apps to practice hard mathematical concepts, see science concepts in a different way, and practice reading.
A great example of these resources in action is the growing prevalence of 3D printers. A student can now search for a pattern online, have the printer assemble that pattern, and allow the student to use it in a project. This amazing technology helps a student bring his or her ideas to life in just a few steps. It might seem like a minor breakthrough, but it can change the way a student looks at his or her learning process.
Technology has continually changed the way that students learn. In today’s world, students use that technology to get ideas, to learn with professionals, and to make use of a wide world of resources. From VR and tablets to internet archives and video games, students have a better chance to become amazing learners. All it takes is a little bit of imagination to find those tools that will really help a student to push forward in his or her studies.