Lightning-fast computers, teeny tiny cell phones, and energy efficient cars that can go on for miles on a single gallon of gasoline – all of these are products of the relentless forward momentum of technological development. These technologies, as well as many others, have infiltrated every aspect of our lives. Every aspect, that is, except for education. In many cases, classroom education is one of the last places to adapt to modern technology. Dried out Expo markers and dusty chalkboards still reign supreme in the classrooms, which is ironic considering that many students nowadays carry touch-screen mobile phones. But now, several promising tools have been taking formerly outdated classrooms by storm, finally pushing education into the Digital Age.
An interactive whiteboard, dubbed the SMART Board, is already a common sight in more than 900,000 classrooms worldwide, The Katy Times reported. It works as a touch-sensitive whiteboard, much like a giant version of a touch-screen computer. Instructors project their computer screen onto a large surface which responds to the touch of a specialized stylus. Using this technology, instructors can drag word problems around on the screen to teach different methods of constructing sentences, drag the shapes of states onto a blank map, and a myriad of other teaching possibilities. The best thing about the SMART Board is that it makes learning more akin to a game than to a chore. If every school invests in just one of those devices, all of the instructors can use it whenever their lesson plans can benefit from something extra.
Game show-inspired clickers have also become common fixtures in many classrooms across the country. These are the most prevalent in large laboratory or lecture classes at universities. Schools like the University of Texas in Austin and Boston University use the clickers to ensure that every student is learning the material. Most instructors will pose a question and the students will click in their answers without having to speak out loud. Instructors can then read the results on a computer and gauge by how many students answer correctly or incorrectly whether the topic needs more clarification. It is a novel way to deal with students who may be uncomfortable with speaking up in class and can be of great use even in middle and high schools. Making learning more fun and inclusive will encourage students everywhere to take more joy in learning.
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