The Role of Technology in Modern Primary School Classrooms

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Gone are those old days of blackboards and chalk. Walk into a primary school classroom today and you will be surprised to see smartboards with illustrations. Students will be busy with tablet-based activities.  As per stats, 83% of teachers believe that tablets and other mobile devices make the learning process more interactive. But what does this shift really mean for primary education teachers and students? Let’s check it out. 

Advantages of Technology in Primary School Classrooms

Nowadays, modern schools all around the world are adopting more technological features to improve the classroom experience. Have a look at how these efforts benefit young learners:

Enriched Learning Opportunities

Learning is no longer read out of a book. Instead, it is upgraded to an experience through technology in education. Interactive whiteboards can make learning way more engaging. Take the case of a Geography class itself. It is pretty tough for primary education teachers to set the base of the solar system through mere teachings. That’s where the scope of technology comes into the picture. Students can now explore the solar system through simulations. That makes it easier for them to digest complex concepts like orbit. Visually learnt information may be grasped more deeply and have better retention as compared to textbook reading. 

Tailored Educational Experiences

Each student learns differently. Luckily, technology in education can be adapted to the different learning styles. Certain learning software tools can adjust the difficulty of tasks based on the performance of each student. Some can even provide additional guidance material to weaker students. Thus, no child will be left behind, feeling challenged.  Such a level of personalisation was unimaginable in earlier decades but is now a reality in many international schools in Borivali. It builds a supportive classroom environment where every student gets the care he or she deserves. As a result, students become confident and motivated while pursuing their studies.

Better Collaboration and Interaction

Silent classrooms are a history now. Technology in education encourages collaboration where students can work on projects even if they are in different locations. Many project management and video conferencing apps have made this easier over the past few years. Gradually, the social skills of cooperation and communication will be developed within them. Some advanced tools even have the ability to give real-time feedback. Hence, learning is two-way rather than one-way lectures. In fact, the most technologically updated schools in Mumbai India are creating digital classrooms where students can brainstorm ideas on a shared platform and see their efforts in real time. All these initiatives prepare students for collaborative job environments in the future.

Development of Key Skills

Learning through technology in education can develop futuristic skills among students. As students engage with technology, they tend to become more familiar with the digital environment. In this way, students will get up-to-date with the latest technological developments.  In fact, many modern schools in Malad Westhave already started integrating digital literacy and even basic coding into their curriculum. Such skills are not just for tech-savvy. But, they are called foundational for all students because they prepare people for a future where technology surrounds them.

Access to a Wide Range of Resources

Last but certainly not least, technology allows students and teachers to gain easy access to vast education-related materials. As online resources are readily available on hand, no learning shall remain bound between the confines of the walls of a classroom or on paper book pages. That would provide easy online library access to video courses. Students can even make use of global input through interactive webinars with other expert scholars around the globe. This easy information access democratises education so that students in less privileged areas get to learn from the same resources, just like the affluent. It implants a lifetime passion for learning through demonstration of how wide knowledge actually is. Similarly, even primary education teachers can benefit from this information access. It helps them bring more depth and variety to their lessons. Digital tools also make it easy for them to stay updated with the latest information.

Drawbacks of Technology in Primary School Classrooms

Even though technology in education has opened doors to many opportunities, many experts view it as a double-edged sword. Check out some of its common drawbacks:

Managing Screen Time

Technology in education simply means more time spent on screens for students. Although the time is spent wisely, laptops and screens actually negatively impact them. The continuous use of screens will stretch the eyes of the children and disturb their sleep cycle. In rare cases, it may even disrupt physical activities. All these can affect the overall development of your children. In fact, the American Academy of Paediatrics (AAP) recommends that children aged 2-5 should have no more than one hour of screen time per day. Primary education teachers must take extra care to ensure that technological learning does not take them away from the physical and social elements of education. Unfortunately, that perfect balance is very challenging to achieve as it requires innovative teaching methods, such as including more outdoor activities.

The Digital Divide

Remember, not all students have the same level of access to technology, especially in a developing country like India. So, technology in education just underlines the concept of the digital divide. In a classroom where assignments might require online access, students without this resource at home are at a significant disadvantage. That creates a gap in learning.  Eventually, some students may fall behind their peers who have better tools. It would be practically tough for schools to provide alternative learning methods for economically weak students. UNESCO reported that 826 million students, almost half of learners, were not able to attend classes during COVID-19 due to a lack of computers at home. 

Lack of Teacher Training and Support

Technology integration into classrooms has occurred so fast during the COVID era that many teachers have been outpaced in training. Most of the primary education teachers were not trained on how to use these digital tools while at school. Hence, a steep and daunting learning curve was created, which is still untreated.  Without proper training, the scope of digital classrooms may not be fully utilised. In fact,  teachers may fall back to traditional teaching methods out of comfort. Modern schools must allocate extra funds to help teachers get updated with the latest tech-education trends. 

Conclusion

Nowadays, adopting technology in education is no longer a way to stand out. It’s the need of the hour. That’s why we have created effective digital classrooms for nurturing young minds. At Witty Schools, we have creatively constructed a digital ecosystem that provides engaging and meaningful learning. But, at the same time, we integrate practical-based learning activities to limit screen time. Let’s create well-rounded, futuristic learners without any overburdening!