How is technology impacting the classroom? Technology is no longer a bonus in the classroom – it is a fundamental part of the teacher’s toolbox. When embraced by the teacher, technology serves to increase engagement, personalise learning and adapt the lesson to suit different learning styles with the ultimate objective of boosting learning outcomes. That said, it should not be seen as the magic answer to improving learning. This very much depends on how the teacher is trained in the use of the technology as well as the fact that one can never replace the personable connection between teacher and student. This article explores the question, how is technology impacting the classroom and looks at why classroom technology makes an important difference to the outcome of the student attainment by supporting the teacher, giving clear takeaways for school leaders and teachers.
Once upon a time, learning relied heavily on the memory of the student. In the time of Socrates and Plato, the only way of storing knowledge was to memorise it. This was even before the invention of books and it was done by creating stories and rhymes to pass on to others. So if technology was not needed then, why do we place so much emphasis on it in the 21st century classroom?
Technology enables teachers to adapt the lesson content to suit various leaning styles. It does this through multiple formats including video, interactive quizzes, the use of AI etc. It opens up resources beyond the school walls.
For example, in the case of interactive classroom screens, teachers can display videos, animations, diagrams and other forms of visual media to explain a concept or a topic, which suddenly opens up the understanding and comprehension of visual and kinaesthetic learners who may not necessarily relate to spoken auditory content alone.
With inbuilt internet and access to Google Drive and other apps, teachers can quickly pull up educational content, online tasks or other engaging materials further enhancing the quality of their lessons.
So what’s the benefit of the interactivity of the screen? Well, with most screen manufacturers, the screen allows 10-point touch as a minimum so multiple students can interact with the screen as they write, draw or move objects at once. This could also be done through the casting of their tablets or chromebooks while sitting at their desks. As well as feeling more involved in the lesson, this encourages teamwork and group problem-solving. So overall, students are focusing more as they are more engaged and more interested in the lesson. Engaging all the senses including seeing, hearing and touching, it gives students an increased understanding of the topic they are learning.
According to the UK’s Technology in Schools Survey 2022-23, laptops remain the most commonly used device for teachers and schools vary widely in how many pupil devices are available per student. A Gov.UK report suggests that amongst primary schools, 15% had access to one mobile device for every two pupils and 21% for every three pupils. Three-fifths of primary schools (61%) had access to one mobile device for every four pupils or less (ratio of 1:4 or lower). Device ratios for desktop computers were higher amongst secondary schools, with two-fifths having a device ratio of 1:5 or more (compared to 2% for primary schools).
In terms of the adoption of interactive classroom screens, Gov.uk suggests that the vast majority of schools had interactive boards or blackboards (primary 97%, secondary 91%) but it is unsure how many of those have the more modern interactive classroom screens.
According to some research reviews, “technology can improve outcomes, but effects are context-dependent and typically modest”. Obviously, the effects vary by the type of technology and how it is used and the subject area. Improvements in learning have been noted in areas of adaptive tutoring, targeting practice and technologies that support formative assessment. Teacher professional development, curriculum fit and use of data are critical to success.
A solid example of improvement can be seen in the use of maths platforms such as Matheletics or Sparx maths, whereby the software adjusts the difficulty and sequence to a student’s individual performance, shows measurable improvements in maths attainment.
However, what is clear from the research is that the how is more important that the what when it comes to the application of classroom technology. Teachers must be trained in it’s usage so that they can fully optimise it’s use in their lesson plans. In addition, it must align with curricular goals.
Technology definitely has it’s part to play in improving education delivery. It has transformed the possibilities for teaching and learning. That said, it is not a magic wand. Nothing replaces human knowledge and personal connection between student and teacher to gain understanding of the student’s potential and their challenges. However, in answer to the question of how is technology impacting the classroom, I think it is important to note that for a postive impact, a collaborative approach between human delivery and support from technology to deliver the lessons effectively is needed. Technology in the classroom then becomes a powerful lever for better learning, not because it is a novelty but because it helps teachers do the high quality things they already aim to do but are able to do them faster and more effectively.
