The advancement of technology has brought a tremendous change for education. The use of modern IT and proper IT management can greatly improve schools, making learning more effective, while keeping students safer. In this article, we will discuss some of the benefits modern technology has, and how security is a huge factor when it comes to students' academic success.
The Benefits of Modern IT in Schools
Use the Tools that Kids Need to Grow Up Learning
These days, school children are picking up technology a lot faster than they were twenty, ten, and even just five years ago. In the first decade of the 2000s, it was pretty rare to see laptops in the classroom, even in higher education at first. Today, mobile computing is just a part of the daily life of students. While teachers and staff obviously want to avoid the distraction that comes with smartphones, tablets, and other electronic devices, these devices also serve as tools to a student’s education. Being able to assign homework, share presentations, and allow students to collaborate with their technology is not only engaging, it trains them for the real world.
Enhance the Classroom
Modern technology tools such as interactive whiteboards, tablets, and projectors have made it easier for teachers to present lessons and engage with students. Whether it means pulling up video content from the web to help aid a lesson, or allowing students to participate in the learning process, these can make a huge difference in the classroom.
Make Learning Materials More Accessible
Schools have the opportunity to move away from traditional textbooks to more accessible learning materials like e-books, online courses, video, and virtual libraries. In some situations, this can reduce the cost per student over time, but more importantly, it gives students access to more materials that are easier to commute with, and can often provide the same quality materials for students with disabilities.
Facilitate Collaboration Among Students
Providing online tools like discussion forums, collaborative documents, group chat, online courses and quizzes, course transcriptions, and note sharing can give students more of a voice even when they are outside the classroom. It gives teachers additional opportunity to engage with students and helps develop teamwork skills, which will always be an essential skill.
Gamify Education
While this doesn’t have to have anything to do with video games, it’s a good time to mention just how revolutionary that side of the coin is. For years, the popular game Minecraft has had a major impact on many students. The game on its own helps young minds develop creativity and problem-solving skills, but it has also been a catalyst to help engage students into the world of computer science and development, engineering, and more.
Modern schools can also incorporate gamification elements such as quizzes, puzzles, and other activities that make learning more fun and exciting. This can greatly increase a student’s motivation and interest in a particular subject.
Modern IT Can Make Students Safer, Both In and Outside the Classroom
First, let’s break down the term security into two categories; physical security and cybersecurity.
Physical Security
It goes without saying that schools want to be as physically safe as possible. One of the traditional ways to provide security and accountability is in the form of a security camera system. Modern systems that tie in with the rest of a school’s IT tend to provide a wealth of additional features that can proactively keep students safer and provide warnings when something might be off.
Modern systems can process video content using AI and other modern technologies to develop meaningful insight about activity that happens in the halls, classrooms, and other locations on campus. These intelligent systems can also detect things like smoke or vapor in bathrooms, potentially detect illicit objects, and even include facial recognition.
Combining this with modern entryway access systems, classroom door locks, and other security measures ensures that your facility can be in your control at all times.
Cybersecurity
Cybersecurity is becoming incredibly important in the modern world. In the business world, organizations need to protect the identity and sensitive information of their staff, their customers, and their own internal systems. For a school, you are responsible for your staff as well as your students.
Offering secure Wi-Fi, content filters, encrypted student devices, intrusion detection, and antivirus can help aid in protecting your students and staff from online threats. It also helps educate students on the importance of cybersecurity awareness, as online threats are only going to get more dangerous and more prevalent as time goes on.
Let’s Modernize Your Campus
Whether you are a public school, a private school, a college campus, or a non-profit that works with young minds, we can help you utilize modern technology in a way that is safe, effective, and engaging for your students.
If you’d like to discuss your goals, or simply need help navigating this increasingly complex world of technology, give the education IT experts at Dresner Group a call at (410) 531-6727 today.
