Classroom management software and student engagement platforms such as Google Classroom and Apple School Manager enable teachers to conduct lessons virtually and distribute class content.
Other platforms provide similar functions, yet they are used in different ways. All these learning platforms are effective and have their own strengths and weaknesses, depending on the requirements of the educator.
The world has moulded into a digitally inclined society. In the classroom, in particular, pens and paper are almost nonexistent in the modern classroom. Some art lessons are even conducted through iPads, specific tablets or touchscreen Chromebooks.
The Modern K-12 Classroom
The journey of technological adaptation by K-12 educators has been something of a remarkable evolution. Comparing traditional classroom methods to what teachers have had to adapt to now, is comparing two entirely different worlds.
A couple of aspects of a responsible global citizen is one that recycles and cares about their neighbours. But what about a responsible digital citizens and how are they defined?
Classroom Management’s Impact on K-12 Education
Well, if you’re going to compare these two worlds, there are challenges revealed when comparing K-12 education today to K-12 education of yesteryear. We can consider three main characteristics from traditional methods of teaching to today’s methods. I believe the main characteristics are time, sustainability, and weight.
Now that might not seem apparent to you, but let me explain.
Time
The manual process of handing out material is not a myth. It happened, and in some parts of the world, educators have no choice but to carry on with this method of teaching. Let’s hope that does not last long as every student and educator should have the opportunity to evolve and learn with educational technology.
The days of teachers walking around their classrooms distributing books and assignments are long gone and have been replaced with classroom management software. In effect, having a student engagement platform to distribute class content saves teachers time in their lessons. It is done with the ease of tapping a few buttons and voila, students have the content on their devices ready to learn!
Sustainability
Traditional methods of teaching were simply put, not sustainable. They used an abundance of paper in the form of books, notepads, assignment papers, the list goes on. It is tons and tons of paper inadvertently wasted by millions of teachers and students across the globe. Despite the efforts by volunteers, students, and school staff to manage recycling programs, let’s face it, that method of teaching was not entirely sustainable…
The strength of digital classrooms when making use of classroom management software is that teachers prepare their lesson material digitally. A hard history book is now a soft PDF. A student’s English class notepad is now a Google doc. What an amazing improvement of sustainability. A teacher simply chooses the online lesson content through their classroom management dashboard and distributes class content to their student’s devices instantly. In turn, making educators and students more sustainable and responsible digital citizens.
Weight
Remember those overstuffed backpacks not even a few years ago? I mean those felt like there were bricks inside them. How did the students, some as young as ten or eleven even find the strength to carry those? We have got to give them kudos for that.
Let’s go down memory lane and review the list of the contents; at least two heavy study books, their agenda, four to five notepads, one or two binders, and that bulky pencil case. I am only talking about the study material, students also had gym bags, lunch boxes, and in winter, a heavy jacket. That is a heavy burden to carry in every sense!
Bring Simplicity to Sharing Class Content
At the beginning of every school year, K-12 faculties often worked overtime to essentially organize textbook inventory, and every year it was a seemingly endless nightmare. Parents chasing those back-2-school specials, juggling time between raising their children and having a full-time job. What a time-consuming rush. There is no argument there.
School material lists have shrunk since the implementation of mobile devices in K-12 education. And mobile device programs played a big role in downsizing the amount of items parents need to purchase before the start of each school year. Classroom management software solves the challenge of students carrying various study items to school and replacing that with a mobile device such as a Chromebook, Android tablet, MacBook, or iPad.
Distribute Class Content with Classroom Management Tools
The time set aside for the distribution of class content by teachers is replaced by students learning at a quicker and more efficient rate. Teachers simply distribute the content to students’ devices required for that lesson through their classroom management software.
Taking a look at these challenges of old and what K-12 education was compared to now is a feeling of relief. Classroom management software and student engagement platforms were developed for educators to use to simply distribute class content to students instantly during lessons.
We have come a long way since traditional teaching methods and there has certainly been a positive change in K-12 education.
Districts and schools are more sustainable than they ever were, they save time during class, and the realm of learners’ studies are their devices.
Who can deny the beauty of sustainable environments whether in class, the workplace or even at play?
Keep it green, light, and swift with Mobile Guardian and book a demo with me to unlock key ways to an efficient digital learning experience for now and beyond.
If you are looking for Easy-to-use tools designed for Education, visit our blog on how Classroom Management Software can benefit your classroom.
Onwards
Caroline Levine
Team Mobile Guardian
