As the educational landscape evolves, your school needs to evolve with it. If you want to keep up with rapidly changing student interests and demands, you must embrace mobile technology. But what does that mean? How can your school make itself more flexible using these devices? What apps should students be using on campus? Which apps should teachers be using? With all these questions, you might feel like you don’t know where to start. If so, read on for seven tips that can help make your school more mobile and flexible.
Why It is Important for Schools to Be More Flexible & Mobile
First, you need to understand why it is important for your school to be more flexible and mobile. Here are the top five reasons to consider!
#1: The Classroom is Changing
As the world rapidly changes, so too does the classroom. With broadband internet access in most middle schools and high schools, teachers can integrate multimedia content into their lessons. Audio files allow students to listen to lectures while completing other tasks like reading or writing papers. Video content will enable them to learn skills through demonstrations. Interactive websites and online simulations can help them create a deeper understanding of the concepts being taught in the lesson.
#2: Technology is More Accessible than Ever
For many students, owning a computer or laptop was once an unattainable luxury. Now, thanks to advances in technology and the advancement of the educational system, computers are far more accessible. In fact, most schools have a computer lab with dozens of systems for students to use.
#3: Students Use Technology When They’re Not at School
While many students would like to disconnect from technology and their school work when they return home after a long day, that simply isn’t possible. Thanks to smartphones and Wi-Fi, students can still keep up with their classwork even when they’re not on campus. With a quick internet search, they can find resources for any homework assignments or projects that they have been assigned.
#4: Technology is Essential to Students’ Careers
It may come as a surprise to you, but students’ lives will be a lot more difficult in the future if they aren’t able to use technology. Sure, not every high school student needs to be proficient in HTML programming. But even if they don’t want to learn how to code, they need to understand the basics of using technology. So that means students should be able to type up a paper on their computer or create a presentation using Microsoft PowerPoint.
#5: Most Technology is Cost-Effective
Technology allows you to provide students with the tools. They might not be as expensive as many educational toys and gadgets, but they can still give your students an incredible learning experience. For example, an interactive whiteboard is a relatively cheap investment, but it can enhance the quality of your lessons. And digital cameras can help students explore new hobbies and develop their own personal projects.
Utilize These 7 Tips to Make Your School Easier to Manage
Now that you understand the importance of your school being more flexible, let’s look at seven tips to make your school easier to manage:
#1: Provide Chromebooks
Chromebooks are cheaper than traditional laptops. They don’t require you to purchase additional software (since everything runs through the Chrome Operating System). And they’re easy to secure since students can’t download or install any programs on their systems. You can even create Google accounts for your students so that you have access to their email and other personal accounts.
#2: Give Students Portable Tablets
Tablets are an excellent gift for your students. Not only can they complete assignments from home, but they’ll also be able to bring them to class with them as well. They’re also great for enhancing lessons since you can use an interactive whiteboard to work through lessons and applications with them.
#3: Create a BYOD Policy
If students have their own devices, you can allow them to bring those to school as well. Allowing your students to use their personal devices will help you expand how they learn. For example, you can have them create videos to show you what they’re learning about at home, or they can make use of any apps that you’ve already purchased for your school.
#4: Reconsider the Way You Store Bandwidth
Many schools are still using DVDs and VHS tapes to teach students lessons. However, it’s much easier to store a series of digital files on a hard drive. This type of storage is far more secure and convenient. All the files will be in one place, so students can easily access them without moving around any physical media.
#5: Use Sharing Applications in Your Classroom
Of course, there is still the chance that students will forget to bring an assignment home with them. No matter how hard you try, some stuff gets left behind. Using sharing applications can help with this problem. For example, if one student completes an assignment, they can share it with other classmates through Google Docs or Dropbox.
#6: Utilize Internet Tools to Teach Your Students
Since you can find answers to almost any question online, it’s easy for students to learn independently. However, that doesn’t mean they should do this instead of working in your classroom. By using the internet in conjunction with lessons and lectures, you can help them understand a great deal more.
#7: Teach Students How to Use Technology Right From the Start
Using computers and technology is a part of daily life. Students must have some basic understanding of how these systems work under the hood. Not only will this help them in their education, but it can also prove useful in future careers.
Technology is changing the world of education. It’s making it easier for students to learn, and it’s giving teachers more tools than ever before. If you want to use technology in your lessons, the best time to start is now!
Investing in technology isn’t always easy for schools, but it can help enhance lessons. Not only does this improve students’ experiences, but it also makes your school easier to manage. By following the seven tips mentioned in this article, you can invest in technology without breaking your budget. Your school will be more flexible and capable of doing so much more. It is now more important than ever to make your small school flexible and mobile!
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