Let’s face it. The modern classroom has evolved.
Just a couple of years ago, students didn’t have smartphones. Now, it’s all they can talk about. Little do they know though, technology is shaping their lives. And it’s making your job a bit more challenging.
But, don’t you worry! In my opinion, it’s for the better. Here’s six reasons to embrace eLearning and make it a part of your classroom:
- Screens are all a student will ever know
Remember when you played outside with sticks and built a fort with your older brother? Those were the days! Now, you’ve got three different sized screens in-front of kids: their mobile phone, tablet, and computer monitor. They’re connected all the time. What does that mean for you? If you can’t beat them, join them. Use eLearning to facilitate classroom discussions, get student feedback, and increase lesson retention. - Content and knowledge are free
Everything I’ve learned over the last year has been online. Sure, I’ve read a few books for personal improvement, but my skills? They’re learned online. Everyone is sharing their experiences, teaching classes online, and many are giving it away for free. FREE. Take advantage of all of this content to help your students gain a better understanding of important concepts. - Skills are taught using screens - not tools
I don’t know how to change the oil in my car or build a raised bed for growing veggies, but, lucky for me, the internet does. Video blogs and how-to posts have had a recent surge in popularity. Everyone wants to know how to do something, so they just “Google it”. Your students do the same thing. Have a math question, Google it. Have to find a motion machine to make for physics class, Google it. Skills are taught using screens - not tangible tools. While this may spell disaster for future generations who don't know how to. - Even chalkboards have come a long way
Whiteboards and chalkboards may soon be disappearing from classrooms. With eLearning, why do you need them? School administrators have bridged the gap with Smartboards. - Disruption in the textbook industry
I’m sure you and me both have textbooks from freshman year of college. The thick books that took away our beer money. Yeah - those. They’re gone now. Textbook publishers have harnessed the power of the internet to deliver their published content for a fraction of the price. Colleges are taking note and students couldn’t be happier. But there’s one problem. This needs to trickle down to kindergarten. All books should be delivered on ipads, group discussions should happen in online forums, and you should never see a support CD ever again. Technology is disrupting the textbook industry and they’re coming for your classroom next. - Teachers are everywhere
You’re a teacher. I’m a teacher. Your cabbie is a teacher. Your hair-stylist is a teacher. You have something to teach. There’s a domain you’re an expert in. And that’s what’s shaping the teaching landscape. The internet connects people with those who have something to share. Whether it’s knowledge, resources, or funny pictures of cats, harness what the world knows through eLearning.
What it comes down to is this: the internet has taken over learning - from math to history, changing your oil to kneading bread dough. It’s all online. Students range in age from three to eighty, and everyone is a teacher.
Classrooms need to harness the power of the internet. Learn from those who know more, assess comprehension using online tools, and be open to new teaching methods.
eLearning is one of those methods. Not only will it shape how your students learn for years to come, it impacts the workforce, their personal and professional journey, and how they interact with the world around them.
Give your students the chance to learn online.
