Pro-Touch

Is Digital Learning the Way of the Future?

There's no question that touch screen kiosks are revolutionising public facing sectors such as leisure, retail and healthcare. However, recent studies have indicated that touchscreen technology can make a prolific impact when is comes to student learning and education, too. Gone are the days where students relied solely on notebooks and turned to textbooks for information; with the advent of devices and technology, classrooms are now becoming paperless and the future of teaching and education lies mainly in ‘smart’ classrooms.

Touchscreen technology hasn’t been around for very long, but it is already making a huge impact on education. Whether it be in early learning, key stage learning or higher education; technology allows the current generation of learners to go out and find answers on their own, catering for their desire for information and improving their critical thinking skills. According to an infographic by Educase, 70% of students say they learn most in blended learning environments; indicating that with access to a variety of rich media resources, students can benefit from higher levels of engagement.

Digital learning, touchscreen PCs in particular, has the advantage of being able to capture the attention of students, who may otherwise become bored or restless by more conventional teaching methods. Interestingly Educase found that 54% of students say they are more actively involved in courses that use technology. Through E-learning students can play educational games, read interactive books, practice logic and arithmetic skills, take tests, submit work, research, and much more (depending on varying learning styles and interests); allowing them to learn more effectively as they interact directly with the device.

Touch screen technologies can prove particularly valuable in the education and development of disabled students or students with learning difficulties. Through interactive learning teachers can better engage students who may have short attention spans, difficulties reading or hearing and so on. Specialist software can be installed in a touchscreen PC in order to suit the requirements of the users, including; large, easy to read text, colourful visuals, interactive games, voice command and moving objects.

Technology is becoming an integral part to the learning experience, not only for students but for teachers too. By understanding how to present information to students teachers can better connect with them and therefore benefit from the positive impact that comes with empowering students through independent learning.  As well as this, teachers can use technology to manage their own time more efficiently (lesson planning, marking etc), using collaborative tools to reduce the demands placed upon them as the sole teacher.

While technology for technology sake is not the answer, it’s important to know what is out there and what tools can be used in a classroom environment to make learning a more positive and integrated experience. If you’d like to find out more about how touchscreen technologies can be used in the classroom, contact Protouch today.

Image source: CNN.com