Fifteen years ago, it was impossible to predict that a glass sandwich with microchips and a battery in the middle would take over lives in such a way that we could practically carry out most of our day’s tasks with its help. Be it shopping, gaming, watching movies or even attending class!
That is the power of technology! As time progresses, it keeps evolving too. Constantly leading to innovation that sometimes wows, sometimes disappoints, sometimes elicits a chuckle and sometimes plain confuses you.
Well, if technology can touch almost every aspect of our lives (think: smart homes), how can preschool education be far behind?
The effects of technology on education cannot be denied. Technology has opened up new avenues of learning with teachers using them as aids to increase and retain student’s attention while helping them learn the basics in an interactive manner.
In this blog, we will take an in-depth look at the effects of technology in education when it comes to kids of preschool age.
- Exposes kids to experiential learning
- Improves their understanding of different subjects
- Provides them access to more resources
- Helps improve their communication skills
- Helps improve their fine motor skills
Preschool is the time when students learn the basics. What they learn now can last with them a lifetime and help shape the course of their future. Hence, it is no wonder that teachers are shifting from the usual blackboard and coloured charts approach to technology-based lessons. Especially now when shorter attention spans seem to be on the rise.
Incorporating audio visual aids into learning has helped teachers grasp student’s attention, which has resulted in increased interest as well as comprehension of the subject at hand. Learning this way can inspire students to exercise their imaginations as well as think critically, which are essential for growth.
The impact of technology on education has been such that it has led to increased understanding of what has been taught in the classroom. Technology has helped make education more fun and engaging by making use of tools such as web or mobile applications. It has led to individualised learning.
The combined effect of this has improved children’s understanding of what they learn as well as their retention of it. Children of preschool age are very receptive to new information. By using technology to innovatively deliver the lessons of the day, teachers have been able to tap into their receptivity and solidify learning. This, in turn, has led to both cognitive as well emotional development. An overall positive impact of technology on education.
Even though teachers may teach the same lesson to all their kids, learning at the end of the day can be a highly individual experience. Students might need additional resources to register, which previously were not as easily accessible as they are now under the influence of technology on education.
Now with the help of modern-day technology, students can access a wide variety of educational resources at their fingertips. Whether they use gamified apps to learn the alphabet or watch animated videos to pick up nursery rhymes.
This easy access to online learning materials have paved the way for entertaining learning formats, which further add to a child’s curiosity and keep them wanting to learn more. Naturally, this promotes autonomous learning among kids too.
A lot of interactive learning apps, especially those focused on teaching preschoolers the alphabets, words and rhymes, encourage kids to talk back and recite what they have been taught. This simple act of just repeating what has been said can help improve your kid’s communication skills, thus counting as a productive influence of technology on education.
Besides this, teachers and parents can also benefit with the use of technology in education. Teachers can use official school apps to communicate with parents and discuss with them the progress of their child. This enhanced real-time communication can help parents focus their efforts on improving their kids’ performance in subjects they are lacking in.
Well, if you still have the question ‘what is the impact of technology on education’, you must know that technology can even help improve the motor skills of kids.
Preschoolers are in their formative years and as such are still developing motor skills, which come in handy for various school based activities, from sports to arts and crafts and beyond.
Using technology such as gamified apps, iPads for sketching, interactive whiteboards etc. can help improve the fine motor skills of kids while helping them stay glued to learning.
How to introduce technology into the classroom
Now that we have discussed the impact technology can have on preschool education, it is important to know how technology can be brought into the classroom. Integrating technology into the learning process can help teachers create an engaging learning atmosphere.
You can start by adding interactive whiteboards to your class. You can also add a projector and white screen to your classroom and use them for audio-video lessons. Other things that can help you incorporate technology into the learning process include powerpoints and gamified learning apps.
Internet-based homework assignments and a period dedicated to tablet-use each day or once a week can also help you make the most of technology in the classroom. In fact, introducing tablets into the classroom can be a great way to encourage individual learning so students can develop the discipline needed for self-studying.
You can also make use of augmented reality as well as virtual reality to open up new avenues of interactive and experiential learning for kids.
To conclude, technology serves as the pillar for modern day education, even for preschoolers. Its role in furthering a child’s development has been immense. That said, make sure you use technology wisely. Kids can also easily get addicted to technology, which can have a negative impact on their creativity and attention spans. We hope this post answers your question of ‘what is the impact of technology on education.’ Parents need to be aware of the potential negative consequences of excessive technology use in children and take steps to establish healthy limits and promote a balanced lifestyle.
At EuroKids, we try our best to make use of the latest technology in the classroom to bring your child the best of education. Our teachers have been trained to use technology aids to their advantage, thus helping your kids learn better. If you want to know how we do this, pay a visit to your nearest EuroKids centre.
