Students Equipped With Latest Gadgets
As students we are always on the lookout for ways to enhance our learning experience, whether it's by using a particular app or website, or buying a piece of technology that is designed for such purposes. Nowadays most educational institutions have invested in some form of technology in order to sustain their online presence and boost the amount of information that students access more easily. These new gadgets and technologies have changed everything from the way we teach, study and even play games.
In the 1990s and early 2000s, laptops and some tablets were very much in vogue. Students used them to search for information in libraries and use them to take notes during lectures. Now most students use their smart phones or tablets to take notes which is becoming increasingly popular as it allows them to be more flexible with their note-taking. In fact some institutions such as Cardiff University have banned laptops from lectures over fears that they divert the attention of both lecturers and students. This is understandable given that most devices now have an Internet connection meaning that many students are distracted by Facebook or by surfing the web during class time.
However, they are also one of the most basic tools which can be used to improve a student's learning experience. Devices such as smart phones and tablets are capable of being used for a number of different ways. Whether it's by playing games or taking notes via their camera, students can now use their phone or tablet to help them remember important facts or to write down points that will be important in making a decision in class. However this technology has changed how we study as well as being effective learning tools; they've become powerful game-changers in modern education, taking dangerous 'drop-outs' away from the classroom through gamification.
Gamification, also known as game-based learning, uses the principles of gaming to bring about increased engagement in learning and to boost students' motivation. It is a learning method that focuses on game design as a means of designing an effective engaging experience. It involves integrating gaming principles into the classroom through implementing game elements which include rewards for good performance, penalties for bad performance or failure to achieve class goals and pervasive rewards. This approach is being increasingly used in universities such as Curtin University during their online courses which have led to a considerable rise in student interaction and participation (which were usually low).
The use of gamification is not only an effective way to engage students with their education but it can also help them study better. The use of gamification can boost students' engagement in the learning process, as it focuses on their motivation to succeed. The use of gamification can associate students with a game which is capable of being used to improve their learning, for example delivering coursework or homework assignments in a game format.
Furthermore, games are not only useful in the classroom but also online where it can be used to facilitate students' learning through targeted delivery methods that are tailored to individuals. This allows it to be individualised and precise with the use of feedback from users which helps them improve how they perform. The introduction of gamification into the classroom is beneficial as it allows teachers and lecturers to intervene in order for students to learn effectively. Gamification encourages students to be engaged and this translates to higher levels of learning.
In summary, gamification is a useful tool in improving the learning experience of students and can be used to make their education more efficient and effective. However more needs to be done as the use of gamification is not universal, and it is also only being introduced by some universities at the moment. More schools and universities should consider implementing the use of gamification into their courses in order to improve student's engagement with their education.
Very often we hear about how technology has changed our lives. We are now an 'always-connected' society which is always connected through smart devices such as smartphones, tablets and laptops. The mobile revolution has made it very easy for us to stay connected 24/7 and with some education institutions now adopting technology Android and Apple devices are used as an educational assistant.
In today's digital age students are no longer restricted by the limitations of a physical textbook and can easily browse the web in order to acquire more knowledge about a specific topic. Furthermore students can also use their smart devices to take notes during lectures, as well as answering questions given by the lecturer which is becoming increasingly popular. Not only that but now students can also complete assignments for school or university via their phone or tablet and submit them online through the institution's website.
The invention of the internet and the use of mobile devices has made it very easy for students to study on their own. Therefore not only can they access online resources but also use them to help them in their studies. For example, students can now access the internet from their nearby location which gives them a certain amount of flexibility. Additionally smartphones and tablets provide students with an easy method of accessing important resources and information that they need in order to learn effectively.
However at times we could argue that although mobile devices are useful for studying they aren't able to offer a better learning experience than other modern technology available in educational institutions today such as laptops, smart boards, computers and flat screens. Mobile devices are limited in certain ways as they cannot be depended upon to provide a comprehensive learning experience. For example, it is not possible to use online learning resources such as Google Drive or Office 365 on mobile devices and this can be seen as a considerable setback for students.
The fact that smartphones have far lower processing power and memory capacity than desktop computers means that the performance of tablets or mobile phones are often inferior to the traditional computers which are used for education. However this is slowly changing with the newer versions of both Android and iOS having their own 'tablet mode', which allows students to view applications in a similar way they would be viewed on a laptop or computer.
Furthermore, many students prefer using tablets or mobile phones over other modern technology due to their 'personal touch' and natural feel. For example, laptops and computers can be seen as being too impersonal where as mobile devices are much more personal which offers students a more comfortable study environment. Nonetheless it is still unclear whether the use of smart devices such as phones and tablets actually makes a difference on how well students perform academically. It is difficult to find the correlation between the use of mobile devices and academic achievements due to the fact that different factors are involved such as motivation, time management and others.
Conclusion
Overall the use of mobile devices within education has been beneficial as it allows students to access online learning resources as well as completing assignments. However it is questionable whether this truly improves student learning and performance, or perhaps they are just a distraction from their primary focus which is actually their studies. Therefore there are still some questions regarding the use of mobile devices in educational institutions, however the advantages of using them for studying in an educational institution outweighs their disadvantages and has been found to be useful for both students and lecturers.
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