Technology has changed every single part of our lives and technology in schools has not been exempt from this change. Look back only ten years ago and the thought of a 13-year-old high school student having an all-can-do smartphone was unthinkable. Now people will have the latest iPhones and Samsung’s as they start their first year. But technology hasn’t just shaped the social side of school, it’s also influenced how they learn. Here are some of the ways technology has changed schools:

Communication

Kids are now learning more than just English. They have learned a whole new language: text speak. Using synonyms and emoji’s are now part of most school kid’s vocabularies. This has influenced both the social and academic side of schools. Teachers have to know what things like “brb” mean now as well.

Wider Perspective

Go back to a time when all a student’s information would come from the teacher. Then it came from TV and the teacher. Now it comes from everywhere. Kids have all the information, opinions and news they need right in the palm of their hand at a seconds notice. That has made it both easier and more difficult for teachers.

No More Heavy Lifting

In the past, there would be endless amount of paper, textbooks and supplies to carry around. It would make the trip to each class seem like an assault course. Thanks to the introduction of laptops and tablets in to schools, this is no longer the case. These devices can hold all this information and more while weighing practically nothing.

The New Textbook

No longer needed are big heavy textbooks that are expensive and need replacing every few years. All this information can now be accessed through student’s devices. While supplying every kid with their own tablet might seem expensive in the short term, it will more than likely save money in the long run.

Note Passing

Remember when you’d rip up a bit of your paper in order to write a note to pass to your friend. Kids would live on the edge as they would try not get caught trying to secretly talk to their friend across the classroom. Now they are able to simply text their friends at a moment’s notice.

Goodbye to the Chalk Board

Gone are the days of teachers having to spend the whole lesson writing on a chalk board. Now nearly every classroom in every school is fitted with interactive whiteboards or projectors. This means that whole lessons can be done from the teacher’s computer. This saves time and effort and can mean more important things get focused on.

Technology in Schools: Research

When you were trying to do school work you’d have to rely on the library and its many books to get your information. Now all this can be done from a simple Google search. The sources are endless and will more than likely be more up to date than those outdated, dusty books sitting on your librarian’s shelf.