Generally, Mobile devices are considered a hindrance to education and learning by parents of young schoolers and the reason for bad grades is told off as an effect of overuse of mobile phones. All of this might be true in many cases but the way technology is pacing in today’s world, it is as likely that the same mobile devices can prove to be great learning tools for children all ages. In fact, mobile technology is revolutionizing modern education system today.
Children, in the present time, are grown in the age of mobile phone and tablet devices and they are effortlessly equipped with the devices which were considered complicated even a decade ago. But Young people conduct their entire lifestyles through smartphones, so much so that they instinctively turn to their phones for any news article, calculation, internet search and what not.
This instinct can be thought of as an opportunity to imbibe learning into the endless hours of mobile phone usage. Let us see how:
Motivated learning experience:
A study conducted in 2017, about the usage of iPads among nursery and primary school children of Ireland, states a number of positive uses and benefits of using iPads in classrooms. In that study, there is a mention of an interesting finding that children feel more motivated and enthusiastic about learning something on an iPad or any other digital medium instead of a pen and paper.
Apart from this, a survey of teachers also proved that the introductions of any digital technology among children reaped positive results in reading, writing and numeracy skills development.
Also, the pupils who were made to share a device/iPad were communicating better leading to a high level of discussion which is a crucial skill to develop among children.
Modern learning experience:
In the case of older children, learning with the use of digital devices in a flexible way helps in developing their sense of independence, time management of their studies and ownership. Students today are more socially active and the news of the entire world is at their fingertips, so they are more aware also. They realise that traditional methods of learning have become rudimentary in today’s world and they also expect the same 21st century’s education. A learning that is customised to each student’s highs and lows, is convenient and saves them time is what the students expect today. And all these points hold true for mobile learning as well.
Additionally, smartphone devices can also greatly help parents and guardians to stay connected to the teachers and remain updated with their ward’s progress. This can be helpful to parents to be aware of all the topics and discussions happening in the classroom so they can have the opportunity of bringing the conversations at home.
Constant Availability:
Young children and young adults with smartphone devices always have the access to information as and when they need, what they need. In fact, many education app development companies are into such learning app development that students and children can interactively get access to the kind of content they would like to read whenever and wherever they want in a customised way that is suitable to them.
The content is interactive to gain maximum interest from the users and it is being done by creating the content in multiple stimulating formats and using navigation an map any technique of idea that is close to children, like social media.
Today there are quiz applications which allow us to form an account, add our friends and play with them along with socializing on msgs.
Some apps even help students to keep track of their assignments which reinforces a sense of responsibility in children.
Preparing for the future:
Adopting smartphones in today’s education system can also prove to be a boon in preparing children for their future workplaces. Today’s E-learning applications familiarise children with different ways of learning, the techniques which are used in big workplaces, which helps the students to have an upper hand during the time of employment.
This was a low hanging fruit because most students suffer from alienation and low adaptability when they join a workplace straight out of college and it is a whole new environment for them to adjust But with the help of E-learning, which also fits in an employees schedule and which can be accessed from any location, is gaining a lot of popularity these days.
Basically, Mobile technology today is influencing the learning process in a way that it decides when, where and how the learning will take place. Today’s world is so intricately inter-connected, that this influence will not stop growing anytime soon and we will see a time when mobile devices will have occupied a more significant role in children’s daily learning.
And this, in the end, is a good thing because mobile technology and learning experience together will only lead to a more engaging and exciting classroom experience for students of all age groups.