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Smartphones have become something that we can’t live without in today’s digital age.
We use them to do almost everything: texting, watching videos, searching for information, and even ordering our own food. That’s how integral they have become in everyone’s lives, even your students too.
Although educational settings usually do not allow smartphones or restrict their usage, smartphones are also quite important in classroom learning.
This article will address the benefits they bring and how they can help your students learn more efficiently in class.
Access to Educational Content
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Smartphones provide access to all kinds of educational information and resources, as long as they are online.
With this in mind, your students will be able to venture into digital learning and not be restricted to classroom learning.
They can conduct their own research for studying or for the work you go through with them during lessons.
Thus, you won’t have to always direct them and give them instructions, as they are engaged in self-directed learning.
Additionally, it is usually more effective for their learning if they find their mistakes and understand how to prevent them by themselves with the help of online resources, instead of us telling them straight away.
Digital Literacy And Learning
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Incorporating smartphones into your lessons also provides them with more opportunities to learn to use their smartphones strictly for learning.
This includes learning how to control any temptations to open gaming or entertainment applications for leisure during lessons, as well as how to evaluate the credibility of the online resources they look at.
This will help them to have a healthier work-life balance while staying safe online as they do their work.
Communication And Safety
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Safety is always the number one priority for everyone.
If your students require help or feel unwell during lessons, they can use their smartphones to communicate with you or their parents.
Other people can also notify them of any emergencies through their devices.
Collaboration With Others
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Similar to the previous point, your students will be able to communicate and collaborate with one another online.
This is especially important if you hold online lessons with them. They can discuss and share their ideas on educational platforms such as Padlet and Miro without needing any physical contact or proximity.
Additionally, it will be easier to keep track of what they are doing on those platforms as an educator. This builds their teamwork and communication skills in the digital world.
Increases Engagement And Motivation
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It goes without saying that your students tend to be more focused and interested when they are using their smartphones. So why not incorporate that into their learning as a way to keep them focused while learning?
You could include gamified learning during parts of the lessons as well as present information for them to learn in the form of videos, presentations, etcetera.
All of these will stimulate their interest and get them more engaged and motivated to learn.
On top of that, a trick is that if you get them to watch educational videos during lessons on social media platforms such as YouTube, more educational videos will pop up on their algorithm.
This increases the chances of them watching educational content outside of lesson sessions as well.
Conclusion
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Although there are a lot of concerns regarding the usage of smartphones in lessons, such as them being a huge distraction for students, you can improve their learning experience by managing their usage and incorporating them into your lessons.
This way, you can transform smartphones from distractions into a source of educational tools and resources for your students.
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