Since classroom time is critical to learning, teachers and students simply cannot afford to lose precious time due to clumsy technology, writes Madeleine Mortimore, global education innovation and research lead for Logitech, where she leads research on ed-tech hardware, in District Administration.
“It’s no secret that teachers and students are losing valuable learning time each day due to never-ending disruptions in the classroom. In a study that concluded before the proliferation of tech in recent years, researchers documented teachers were losing 3.5 minutes of learning time every hour. While some interruptions are unavoidable, many day-to-day challenges can easily be mitigated.
“Technology in the classroom is generally designed to enhance learning experiences, but it’s also become a regular source of frustration for those using it. Since classroom time is critical to learning, teachers and students simply cannot afford to lose precious time due to clumsy technology. But time lost to technology is easily avoidable with the right practices and tools in place.
“Considering the time lost to technology, it’s no wonder a recent study uncovered that 49% of educators believe their colleagues were fatigued by tech use. We’ve all been there—and we’ve seen enormous amounts of time wasted on device pairing, untangling headset cords, or trying to awkwardly take notes on a tablet without using a stylus.
“Despite the challenges, most educators are excited about tech in the classroom. In the study mentioned earlier, 61% of the teachers believe that technology invigorates their students, which implies there’s a tremendous opportunity to keep students engaged and excited.
“Technology effectively designed can greatly reduce frustration and improve both teaching and learning. For teachers, there’s peace of mind when students are truly set up for success. And when educators use tech in the classroom, it needs to be equally impactful.
“When evaluating classroom technology, it’s important to consider how the technology will increase focus in distracting environments and streamline instruction. Tech solutions that are built for learning typically require little – or preferably – no setup time. They should be intuitive, easy to use, and plug-and-play so that students and educators can seamlessly use devices without interruptions.
“In a perfect world, technology should be ‘invisible,’ in that it takes a back seat to the actual process of teaching and learning. With the right tech and planning in place, you can reclaim lost time. All it takes is a little bit of research and a good plan for implementation.”
District Administration
