Even though it will take time until our children go back to a “normal life” at school, there are several questions all parents are asking. We constantly ask each other if our children’s schools are nurturing them with enough tools, giving them confidence in themselves, and enabling them to become critical thinkers.
If there is something we know for sure it is that, with a world that is going through an active and unpredictable transformation, the use of technology in education is a must. Classrooms and technology is a subject all schools discuss, and all parents talk about this when it comes to making decisions about computers in classrooms, or allowing smartphones in class.
But is technology in the classroom good for your kids? Is it okay to have computers in the classrooms for our kids to learn subjects that are not even related to coding, programming, or STEM?
In this article, we will go over the best practices for integrating technology in the classroom, and we will explain why technology in education is an important matter all parents should take into consideration.
The learning environment in which our children spend most of their time is fundamental when it comes to truly comprehending the content delivered by either the instructor, guide or teacher. The space in which our kids learn, plays a transcendental role in their training processes; if they have a safe space to learn in, where they can guess answers, and try different ways to solve the same problem, they have a greater chance of being successful in the near future.
Can computers in the classroom help teachers and instructors deliver a holistic learning experience to their students? Can we, as parents, demand a wider integration of technology in the classroom for our kids to be more productive and prepared for tomorrow’s world? These and some other questions are the ones we will try to answer in this interesting article.
Are you ready for this? Let’s the debate begin!
How are computers used in classrooms?
As you might have experienced yourself during the recent pandemic period the entire world has been experiencing, computers are used in classrooms with one big goal: serving as educational tools to deliver a specific part of the curricula to our kids.
In other words, computers are used in the classroom to enable teachers to give their students a more complete, relevant, and holistic lesson. Each day, technology in education is becoming a bit more important than the day before for many reasons: living in a hyper-connected world, living in the middle of the 4th industrial revolution, and the need to find new, encouraging ways to motivate students to learn better and faster.
The old days when there were 5 or 10 computers per school are now over. Nowadays, some schools even have one computer per kid, as part of nation-wide programs that make sure to give this extremely useful tool to every single child.
In some cases, computers are used in the classroom to teach subjects related to the STEM fields of study, but in some others, computers can be even used to teach history, English, art, and music. The issue here is making sure the teacher is creative enough to use these devices to give something extra and relevant to their students when the time to learn arrives.
But, how are computers used in the classroom? Ask your kids! Participate in parents’ meetings and get to know how teachers and guides use this technology to deliver 21st-century skills to your children. What you need to double-check with your local school is the objectives and goals of using technology to teach. If technology is being used “just because”, there is something wrong going on…
That being said, we truly believe that technology should be used in the classroom because children use it outside of school as well, and for them to learn what they need to learn “in their own language”, technology should be applied, and integrated in a smart, inclusive, interactive and engaging way, to their everyday lives at school.
Should students use computers at school?
We’d like to answer this somehow obvious question, by asking our readers another few questions: Should students read books at school? Should our kids use test tubes in their chemistry classes?… The answer is straight and simple: Yes. Students should use computers at school.
When we think about how much our world has changed and how much space technology and computers have in our everyday lives, the importance of incorporating these kinds of elements into the classroom appears to be important and necessary.
As we said before, we live in a society that is hyper-connected, and in which computers play a very important role both in the way we communicate with each other and in the way jobs are designed.
Therefore, the sooner our kids start experimenting with computers and better understand both the meaning of algorithms and the importance of coding, the better they are going to perform in whatever job they are going to hold in the future, regardless of the industry or field of this job.
Another question we should ask ourselves is if our kids can learn (or not) by using their cellphones and smartphones in the classroom. This matter has caused several debates all around the globe, but we truly believe that teachers, instructors, and even parents can find an educational usage and purpose to these tiny devices our kids love so much.
There are several apps your kids can download to their smartphones and use within the classroom to learn better or to participate in a more interactive and engaging classroom. If this is the way in which our kids interact with each other and receive information about whatever they’d like to research, why should schools cut their wings instead of using these same devices to do something productive and educational? We’ll just leave this question out there…
Actually, there are many kids all over the world building their very own apps in either a scholastic environment or at home, and strengthening numerous skills for the future while doing so. These young coders understand pretty fast that any idea they might have in mind can be turned into an extraordinary reality… and at the end of the day, that’s the main goal of schools: to empower kids, giving them the right tools, and making sure they believe in themselves in order for them to overtake any challenge they face in their lives. Don’t you agree?
Do computers help students learn?
Do computers help students learn? Well, it depends on the subject of study, on the teacher who is delivering the content, and especially on the kid who is learning. What we can say without a doubt is that computers – used well in the classroom – can help students learn a number of different subjects and strengthen numerous abilities and skills.
That being said, there are also a number of offline and unplugged activities your kids can do to strengthen even their coding skills! Not everything must be around technology in education, but instead, about the final goal of delivering useful skills to achieve any challenge in the future.
If computers, smartphones, tablets, or any other technology in the classroom are beneficial for the students’ learning processes, then it is welcomed. If, instead, the instructor finds another way to deliver the same curriculum by engaging students and allowing them to explore the knowledge in first person, then that should be the right way to do it.
Now… if your kids want to learn how to program their very own virtual robot, or if they would like to create their very own app, or if maybe they want to design a game for their pals to play during break time, then a computer is necessary. But with programs like “One Laptop per Child”, allowing these learning processes is becoming a real and actual option.
So, once again… do computers help students learn? It depends. If the teacher finds a cool, fresh, interesting, and innovative way to incorporate it into the classroom, then computers can definitely help. But, there are still some old-school ways to teach that will nevertheless deliver highly important knowledge and information to your children.
You want your children to learn coding? Then, they’ll need a computer. Are you worried about their screen time? Take a look at what we are about to share with you and know that there’s a way to both manage it, and to look at it from a more optimistic and positive perspective.
What about my kids’ screen time?
We totally understand you are worried about how much time your children spend in front of a screen. First at school, then when doing homework, and after that, while either playing Fortnite, doing some Minecraft Modding, or simply chatting with friends over TikTok or Instagram.
If your kids are part of the histrionic group of people, they might be creating some exciting and fun content for their own YouTube channels, and that means even more screen time that most parents want to avoid.
Don’t you worry! If you want to manage your children’s screen time there are numerous things you can do. A few weeks ago we published this guide to help parents manage their kids’ screen time, especially during quarantine periods, and we’ve received a number of worthwhile comments. Take a look at it, and apply some of these tips at home to see the surprising results you will get.
Another thing that you can take into consideration is the positive side of screen time. While increasing their screen time, your kids can also increase and strengthen their abilities and skills for the future. We said it a few paragraphs ago, but we repeat it now: We live in a hyper-connected world that requires us to interact with each other in a different way… and computers can help kids achieve that.
Even video games can teach our children a number of things, such as critical thinking, teamwork, leadership, and mathematical thinking. Yes, while playing Minecraft, your kids could become smarter and better prepared for tomorrow’s world. Gamified learning is the key!
Your kids have to code. The time is now!
It is time for your kids to learn some coding. It is time for your children to start thinking in a different way. It is time for your kids to use all of this new technology in education to their advantage. It is time for them to turn all of their ideas into amazing and breathtaking realities.
Enroll your children in one of the online, live coding courses offered by Tekkie Uni and witness how many amazing goals they achieve while learning from a computer. See how they learn in a safe environment, how they start strongly believing in themselves, and how they realize how capable they are of doing anything.
Because, thanks to coding and computers in education, your kids will finally comprehend that everything is possible. Now, it is totally up to you…
