Digital tools still exist: this is the right way to take advantage of technology

Key points:

The educational technology industry is experiencing explosive growth, especially with the rapid emergence of artificial intelligence (ai), which isedtech-and-ai-developers/?sh=1236eb6a470f” target=”_blank” rel=”noreferrer noopener”> It is expected to reach $3.68 billion. in sales at the end of the year. It is increasingly clear that a key question we will all answer in the coming school year will be: What should be the role of technology in K-12 education? This is not a new question, but it is likely to take center stage this year.

Despite new technological solutions, teachers remain burned out, test scores remain low, and pedagogical innovation is stifled. Many educators feel overwhelmed by the revolving door of products and lack the resources and guidance to use digital tools to address student needs.

When properly integrated, ai can amplify the work of teachers, reduce equity and accessibility gaps, and provide unrestricted access to information. But for technology to bring about meaningful change in K-12 education, we must address the true source of the problem: failing instructional models.

Although countless technological tools have been introduced to the market, classroom practice seems eerily similar to how it was a hundred years ago. This is because educators are still equipped with an outdated teaching model that is not designed to respond to students’ learning styles. By leveraging artificial intelligence and technology to rethink traditional teaching methodologies, we can level up our classrooms to more effectively empower educators and personalize student learning.

A new approach to blended learning that benefits teachers and students

Research has found that, compared to traditional ways of teaching, self-paced learning allows students to develop a deeper understanding of academic material and correlates with higher achievement. However, most classrooms today still rely on live lectures and fixed-paced learning.

In my high school math classroom, I struggled to meet the needs of my students using an outdated, one-size-fits-all instructional model. Students were falling behind because they lacked the foundational skills to understand new material, others felt unchallenged and unmotivated because they already understood the material, and some were continually playing catch-up due to chronic absenteeism or other extenuating circumstances.

I decided to embrace digital tools in a way opposite to what I (and most of my fellow professionals) were taught in training. I learned how to leverage technology to enhance students’ learning experience. Instead of employing a rigid lecture-based teaching model, I used educational technology to free up my ability to engage in more one-on-one and small group interactions with students to effectively address their needs.

Whole-class lectures were replaced by bite-sized recorded instructional videos that I created, so my students could watch, rewind, and repeat as many times as needed, whether at school or at home, until they digested the material. . To help students retain the information better, I incorporated guided questions while they watched. Instead of sitting passively, students participated fully in the learning process.

When I was no longer tied to whole-class lectures, I could spend class time working with students who needed additional support individually or in small groups. Additionally, students were able to pace themselves based on their current needs: students who understood a skill could get ahead or help their classmates, while those who struggled with the material or were frequently absent had the time and structure that they needed to master it. content.

What made a self-paced classroom so advantageous for students was that the class no longer moved through content based on the day of the week. Instead, each student developed foundational skills and only moved on to subsequent material after successfully demonstrating mastery on end-of-lesson assessments. I was able to clearly define goals for my students, and with the benefits of technology, I was able to focus on the most important elements of teaching: data-driven, individualized, and small group instruction.

Educators understand our students more than any digital solution. While ai introduces a whole new level of functionality to the classroom, good teaching will always be about building relationships with students and supporting them as they apply new information to complex tasks. ai will help teachers be great, but it will not replace them.

To unlock the benefits of today’s technology in K-12 education, educators must be equipped with new instructional models that create differentiated learning environments for students and offer the freedom to leave lectures behind for individual and group interactions. little ones. and make the teaching profession more sustainable. Only then can teachers truly take advantage of emerging ai and technology.

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