New educational technologies are a tool to strengthen teaching and learning, increase opportunities to access knowledge, develop collaborative skills, or instill values, among others.
If there is one thing that has changed our lives and habits in recent years, it has been new technologies. The ways in which we shop, communicate, and relate to others are radically different from how they were less than 20 years ago. And new technologies, despite the risks for children and the need for control by mothers and fathers, applied to education, have also changed the way we teach and learn at school. Do you want to know how they have influenced you?
To begin with, the teaching activity has changed with the use of the internet or devices such as computers, cell phones, and tablets, so it is now possible to use other ways to educate and different means to learn, which allows focusing technologies in education towards teamwork, the critical capacity of students and learning values. We discover all that it puts at our disposal!
What are new technologies in education?
It is something very simple. It is nothing more than the use of ICT or information and communication technologies in education. The purpose of their use is to improve and promote both teaching and learning. We will tell you how!
What characterizes them?
They combine the particularities of information and communication technologies, such as speed and proximity, with those of teaching, such as learning and knowledge. In other words…
They make it possible to expand the scope of teaching beyond the traditional classroom.
They make possible new ways of approaching the theoretical and practical parts of the subjects.
They increase access to education and promote interactivity.
They simplify the sharing of educational materials or information, both for teachers and students.
They invite you to continue learning and developing knowledge or to improve skills with extra content or digital books.
Facilitate the connection and participation between educational centers regardless of where they are located.
They make it possible to keep up to date with data, figures, and news from around the world, and allow to know other realities different from the environment in which they live.
The 5 new technologies in education – Get to know them!
We live in an increasingly technological world. Chalk and notebooks are giving way to new school supplies. And this can be seen in the classroom. Here are some examples.
Electronic books
Paper books are heavy, it is uncomfortable to carry them daily in backpacks. In addition, with the continuous advances, discoveries, and frenetic pace of events, they soon become outdated.
Digital books avoid these problems, since it is possible to read them on different electronic devices and their contents can be quickly adapted according to new developments.
Computers and smartphones
Computers are not new and cell phones are not usually welcome in the classroom. However, they are the ideal tool for developing computational thinking in the classroom through programming and robotics. The National Institute of Educational Technologies and Teacher Training has the CodeEducaLab project to promote this skill within the educational community. Learn more about it!
MOOC courses
These are Massive Open On-line Courses, which help many more people to access training and reduce the educational gap due to their characteristics: they are free, collective, allow students to have free access to the contents and do not require an entrance exam.
Online learning
The well-known online learning or e-learning is somewhat similar to the above, as it also promotes access to education through the network, but in this case, it is based on a teaching model where there is permanent communication and interaction between teachers and students.
WhatsApp groups
In many schools, it is common for parents to have this type of group. They allow them to be in contact with the school and stay up to date on all issues: canteen, extracurricular activities, excursions… or even student absenteeism!
The impact of new technologies on education
The use of information and communication technologies at increasingly younger ages brings positive aspects such as the promotion of values or skills, which you will find developed below, but can also involve negative nuances if they are used inappropriately or if there is overexposure to them.
The End Child Prostitution Child Pornography and Trafficking of Children for Sexual Purposes (ECPAT) mentions cyberbullying, identity theft, or data theft among other risks.
Educators and parents must promote the responsible use of these technologies and thus reinforce the safety of minors.
As in other issues, training, and prevention are vital to avoid negative experiences for children. We must remain vigilant!
