The benefits of using technology in education

The benefits of technology in education weren’t always taken advantage of. When technology first entered the classroom, it was treated as an unwelcome distraction. Phones were banned from the classroom and technology was exiled to the teacher’s desk drawer.

Today, the narrative has shifted dramatically. Education providers have embraced technology and are constantly finding new ways to use it to accelerate student learning and improve student outcomes. Digital tools like online planners, virtual reality (VR), and tablets play a big role in the classroom, supporting personalised learning and creating a more dynamic and inclusive learning environment.

But how can these benefits of technology in education be realised? In this blog, we dive into the importance of technology in education, taking a closer look at the strategies students and teachers can use to improve learning outcomes.

6 benefits of technology in education

1. Improves organisation

An organised and uncluttered learning environment, helps teachers and students to spend less time trying to find academic resources and more time concentrating on the important stuff.

As the year progresses, students will naturally find it a challenge to keep up with all the different deadlines and exams they have coming up. To ensure they have easy access to these important dates, educational technology can be used to set up an online classroom calendar that students can access from their smart phone or device. Google Calendar, iCal and Samsung Calendar are frequently used (and free) calendar apps you could try.

Backing up or storing all important documents in a shared cloud storage facility means there is less likelihood for important documents to go missing or get damaged, and keeps paperwork clutter to a minimum.

2. Personalised learning

The critical difference between introverts and extroverts is that extroverts gain energy from interacting with people, whereas introverts are left drained.

In a learning environment, this can present a problem. If teaching methods are skewed towards group learning, where lots of social interaction is required introverts may feel excluded. Yet if teaching methods emphasise individual research extroverted students could become disruptive as they seek interaction.

Providing students with a balance of group learning and individual learning is the key to creating a fair learning environment. Where possible, teachers should allow students to choose which approach would suit them best.

Technology can be used by education providers to create a sense of personalised learning. With the help of tablet computers, students can submit questions anonymously, allowing shyer pupils to be heard without having to speak in front of others, thus avoiding a group learning environment dominated by more confident students.

3. Increased engagement with VR and 3D printing

In addition to differences in personality, it is important to note that not all students learn in the same way. Traditionally, the emphasis has been on book learning and teachers writing and drawing on a whiteboard. But for some more complex topics, this is rather limiting and excludes those students who learn best in other ways.

Thankfully, there is a solution: technology. 3D printers, once prohibitively expensive, can now be purchased for under £100. Students and teachers can use this piece of equipment: students can use it to create models or prototypes, whereas, teachers can use it to develop models to assist students with their learning.

Likewise, virtual reality (VR) can be used to increase engagement within the classroom. Imagine, instead of reading about the Colosseum, or a NASA spacecraft, or a blue whale in a book, students were able to walk around inside it using VR headsets. All without even leaving the school grounds.

4. Learning becomes accessible and results improve

Not only are Chromebooks and tablets fast, lightweight, and easy to use, but a key benefit of these technologies is that they make learning more engaging and can improve student outcomes.

For instance, at Fairfield County School District in South Carolina, introducing Chromebooks increased engagement and yielded double-digit improvements in test scores. Similarly, research by the charity Tablets for Schools found that 72% of students reported their work improved when they used tablets, and 87% said they made learning easier.

By connecting these devices to cloud storage, students can easily submit work for marking, access resources, collaborate with others, and provide the opportunity for hybrid learning. These factors not only create a more accessible learning environment but can save money.

Instead of spending money on hundreds of copies of the same physical books, institutions can save money by having just one PDF that is accessible to all in the cloud.

5. Improve attendance 

As a teacher you can introduce technology in the classroom to try and improve learning outcomes, but if the students are not showing up, they cannot learn.

Technology solutions like apps that can allow students to self-report their absences are becoming increasingly popular. By monitoring the data collected by these apps, schools can provide more support to their students and intervene before short-term absenteeism becomes long-term underachievement. A benefit of using this technology in education for students is that it allows them to report an illness, trauma, or bereavement more comfortably and with less stress, without having to share these personal issues directly with others.

6. Lower stress levels

Advances in technology have made it easier to track aspects of health and offer support to both students and teachers during stressful times.

The more stressed pupils are, the harder it becomes for them to retain information. For this reason, apps for meditation, tracking exercise and healthy eating, and sleep apps can be used to ensure that, come exam season, stress doesn’t get in the way of learning.  

By encouraging these apps to be used on school devices and smartphones, a culture of self-care can be developed and the overall wellbeing of students and teachers can be improved.

Realise the importance of technology in education with The Barcode Warehouse

At The Barcode Warehouse, we offer a range of education technology and software solutions designed to improve academic outcomes. Our expert team can provide personalised recommendations, to ensure you choose the perfect education technology that matches your needs and budget.

Unsure about what education technology is right for your organisation? View our education technology and software solutions page for an overview of what we offer.