Digital tools in Learning

Digital tools have made learning more interesting, easy, fun and interactive. A digital tool can be defined as, software stations and platforms for teaching and learning. These tools can be used with a computer or a cell phone to work with texts, images, and videos.

Teachers are recommended to use digital tools to support modalities of learning. For example, ICT as a didactic tool will improve the students learning, increase their motivation and also improve the teacher’s teaching techniques. Information through ICT is made available to the teachers and students at the right time, place and form. Information technology promotes creativity among the students and as well provide them with interactive learning experiences. ICT has become one of the fundamental skills a student should have, that’s why it should be introduced in schools (Saljo 2010).

Digitalizing lectures also provide opportunities to engage with all students regardless of their location and access to 24/7 learning. Students are able to engage with their teachers more through digital learning which as a result increase their satisfaction. Digitalizing lectures should be regarded because of how extraordinarily it provides information.

The move into online education provides individuals and groups with relevant and timely feedback, unlike the traditional way where students waste time waiting for feedback which might be required immediately. Moreover, the traditional methods feedback is not always clear and lacks the opportunities to ask questions for clarity. E-learning education platform provides students with custom instructions on finding the appropriate learning materials, personalized and adapted to their needs promoting learner-centered education which enables students to solve their own problems and benefit more from education (Vidanagama, 2016).

Another recommended digital tool is an online learner collaboration. These are web-based tools that enable teachers and students to perform a wide range of tasks, such as interactive discussions. An example of an online learner collaboration tool is Padlet. It’s an application where teachers can create an online bulletin board and use to display information for any topic. Through this platform, teachers are able to give feedback when assessing student’s work. They can also create a session dedicated to a book and invite the students to share their reviews and comment on the ideas of others. All these make the student to remain interactive and hence more motivated to learn.

Learner reflection platforms is also a key digital tool that supports various modalities of learning. These platforms include eBooks, seesaw, pic collage, nutshell, etc. Reflections through these platforms give learners a chance to practice making and acting upon growth mindset comments. This means that students can learn new strategies of dealing with questions, improving their way of thinking and understanding and hence they are able to perform better. They also help students find connections with other classes or in their community that they may not have noticed before (Säljö, 2010).

Enhancing student learning experience through large group interaction using a digital learning platform is recommendable because it creates opportunities for students to support each other’s learning. Students also get help when needed, are provided with social support and in general create a “community of learning” among the student group. These platforms may include, jigsaw, think-pair-share and formal cooperative groups. Large group interaction produces greater academic achievers than both competitive learning and individualistic learning. (Johnson et al., 2014).

References

Johnson, D. W., Johnson, R. T., & Smith, K. A. (2014). Cooperative learning: Improving university instruction by basing practice on validated theory. Journal on Excellence in University Teaching, 25(4), 1-26.

Säljö, R. (2010). Digital tools and challenges to institutional traditions of learning: technologies, social memory and the performative nature of learning. Journal of computer-assisted learning, 26(1), 53-64.

Vidanagama, D. U. (2016). Acceptance of e-learning among undergraduates of computing degrees in Sri Lanka. International Journal of Modern Education and Computer Science, 8(4), 25.