Let 2020 be the decade where schools embrace technology in the classroom

How #EdTech is breaking down the stigma of using technology in and outside the classroom

49% of parents think phones should be banned in school – however, EdTech platforms are harnessing the power of technology for the benefit of students

The average UK child spends almost three and a half hours a day using their phones, drawing complaints from parents that this is indeed detrimental to the wellbeing of their child. As such, it is incredibly crucial for our relationships with our smartphones and other technology to be as healthy as possible because getting this balance wrong can have an incredibly large effect on their lives.

Recent UK studies have shown 49% of parents believe that smartphones should be banned in classrooms, whilst 95% of schools in the UK have active policies controlling their use. However, the emerging rise of the EdTech industry is pioneering methods that could utilise handheld technology for the benefit of children.

Having one-to-one devices has given schools the flexibility they require. Students are able to move around, switch groups, carry on with differentiated tasks and continue where they last left off. The physical educational environment has been transformed almost beyond recognition through the introduction of technology. Classrooms with rows of desks have given way to sofas, breakout spaces, outdoor learning and virtual reality. 

The relationship between learning and smartphones

By helping our children build the relationships they have with their phones to be as healthy and constructive as possible, there will undoubtedly be an overall positive effect on their lives, especially when it comes to their learning. 

The use of portable devices is influencing the position students take while learning—as today’s learners are more relaxed than previous generations. Not only will they sit and attend a lesson but now they are more likely to sit on sofas or the floor while interacting with their devices, or even finding quiet corners when looking for some privacy.

The integration of portable devices will allow teaching to be taken everywhere, and give students more flexibility in how they work and encourage them to work creatively, immersed in innovative methods of teaching.

James Grant, CEO of MyTutor