New Technology is Transforming the Classroom: What to Know

(StatePoint) As a parent, you may be wondering how technology in the classroom is being used to provide a constructive learning environment for your child.

Here is a round-up of several new technologies and a look at how each helps educators teach, and students learn.

Better Imagery
Students have a better reason to stay engaged than ever before, as better, brighter more versatile projectors are introduced into more classrooms. For example, Casio’s LampFree Ultra Short Throw projectors are designed to generate large images over a very short projection distance so that they work well in classrooms of all sizes. Their optional wireless adapters give educators the ability to control the images from a smartphone or tablet through an app, so that lessons can be more spontaneous and creative.

Events of the Day
Whether you’re scoping out topics for Debate Club or bringing civics class to life with real world content, incorporating current events into lesson plans is becoming a cinch, thanks to tools like PressReader, a news aggregator that delivers full issues of thousands of publications to mobile devices, PCs and Macs that are connected to library hot zones.

Classroom On-the-Go
Thanks to new software, classroom style learning can take place anywhere. One example is Classpad.net, a free, all-in-one web-based mathematics creation and discovery resource geared for K-12 and beyond. Enabling students to learn math at their own pace, new additions to the software include dynamically linked representations, additional types of graphing interactions, improved authoring tools, and more.

Get Moving
Even gym class is no exception to the technology upgrades that schools are seeing. Physical education teachers are fusing fun and fitness with such games as Dance Dance Revolution, Just Dance and Wii Sports. Technology is getting feet moving and helping kids improve a sports skill.

Technology has the power to engage and enthuse students. Luckily, many schools are recognizing this, and using new tools to their greatest potential.