Twenty or more years ago, technology was scarcely found in the classroom. Students may have taken one computer science class consisting of MS-DOS, complete with a game of Oregon Trail that many of today’s teachers may remember playing as a young student. Cue the 21st century, and technology has come a long way. Technology in the classroom has become so commonplace that you’d be hard-pressed to find a student who hasn’t used a computer in or out of the classroom.
Digital learning provides a boost to education for students both in and out of the classroom, at all grade levels. A digital learning environment includes the technology tools and solutions that schools implement to support their students’ learning, as well as digital platforms that allow students to take their education to virtual places. When used correctly, these tools can help teachers teach—but not replace them. There is still no stronger learning resource than the teacher.
Digital learning also includes the use of the internet to contribute to a student’s unlimited learning potential. While it involves access to the expansive knowledge that lives across the internet, it also means that students are exposed to the harmful and distracting parts of the web. Students then have to navigate the world of social media and digital citizenship, along with safety practices to protect against spam, viruses, and online predators. To help manage student safety and keep them on-task, K-12 schools use tools like GoGuardian for their filtering and classroom management needs. Students are then able to unleash their curiosity and strategic thinking within digital learning environments, while staying safe and free from distractions.
Each year since 2012, Digital Learning Day acknowledges instructional technology programs, innovative educators, and technological advancements in education. Thousands of events across the U.S. celebrate the transformation of learning through technology on this day. According to digitallearningday.org, “ School districts across the U.S. are transforming K-12 teaching and learning by incorporating digital learning in every classroom, every day. As educators embrace technology, students – at all grade levels – are gaining the valuable 21st century skills they need for college and career readiness.”
The benefits of education technology exceed that of internet safety and classroom management. With present-day society as tech-driven as it is, this reliance on technology will only continue to increase. Educators can help prepare students for a future characterized by tech advancements by providing them with the tools to navigate a tech-heavy world and become creators in STEM fields.
As an education technology solution provider and a proud member of the EdTech community, GoGuardian celebrates Digital Learning every day. Today especially, we’d like to acknowledge our greater community of learning leaders: The teachers, counselors, administrators, district leaders, principals, superintendents, board members, and all other leaders in the EdTech sphere who are committed to transforming learning through technology. And last but not least: The EdTech enthusiasts and former educators in our own staff.
