It’s that time of year again and school is back in session! Everyone from returning college students to anxious new kindergartners for the most part by now are in the full swing of a brand-new year of learning. Being the husband of a teacher myself, I most definitely know about the concept of the “struggle bus"! Many of us are unaware of what happens inside of a classroom, or at the very least, have forgotten as time has gone by. Learning may be different than what the average reader recalls, but rest assured it's not only going well, it is getting more savvy.
Advances in technology can be seen in all facets of our daily lives and education is not immune to these changes. Today, students at every level are increasingly more interactive with both their teachers and each other. The obvious things seem simple like email, texting, Google, and eBooks. Google Classroom for example is an amazing tool to “help students and teachers organize assignments, boost collaboration, and foster better communication.” (Link) You will be hard-pressed to find a school that does not provide Laptops/MacBooks/Tablets for their students to facilitate lessons and collaborate. An example of this development of tech in the classroom from here in North Carolina can be found at schools such as Lakeshore Elementary here: (Link). In the video, Media Coordinator Melissa Loflin highlights the use of nearpod as a way to engage her students. Technology can not only be beneficial and engaging but it can also be fun in a lot of ways.
At the school where my wife teaches, every classroom is outfitted with Smartboards (Link) that help facilitate presentations, videos, and interactive learning. This is no longer the special case but more-so the norm in the classroom setting. Companies like Smartboards and Cisco are intentional leaders in delivering enhanced technology products for education. Cisco Webex (Link) can offer students a world of opportunity. Joe West, assistant professor of political science and public administration at UNC Pembroke says, “Webex has taken class engagement to a completely new level, providing interesting and accessible new ways to view course material and interact, and making the experience better for all of use. With this technology, I’m able to create a single, yet expansive, learning environment.”
Here at Katalyst, we partner with a wide variety of customers, including education and we often talk with them about technology successes along with the challenges or needs. Delivering the right technology isn’t simply limited to the gear, we want to drive adoption of not only the “things” but more importantly the process to ensure success. This success can transform the
way we teach and learn together and I for one cannot wait to see what comes next!
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