New ways classrooms are changing

Today’s classroom are in flux. And these changes, rooted in technological innovation, are making it easier for students to become more engaged and collaborative.

Here are several areas where technology is changing the way lessons are taught and information is absorbed.

• Collaborative Apps. While in the past, group study sessions and group projects could become logistical headaches, today, there are a wealth of free apps that allow students to share, collaborate, edit and provide feedback simultaneously and in real-time, from the comfort of home or while on-the-go using mobile devices. Teachers and students are also using these same technologies to share homework and receive feedback. With so much communication taking place among students and teachers at their convenience outside the classroom, class time is becoming more productive and efficient as a result.

• Modern Mathematics. The latest graphing calculators are a far cry from the kind you may remember from your own high school days. Certain models today feature the ability to draw 3D graphs and view them from various angles in order to better understand their shapes, as well as offer picture-plot function, for plotting graphs over real-life scenes. In the past, students may have felt isolated working out problems on their own, however, with the latest models, such as the fx-CG50 from Casio’s PRIZM line, teachers can now easily display and share lessons with the entire classroom thanks to full-color textbook-style LCD display, and direct projector and USB connectivity.

• Modern Music. In many classrooms today, students are learning to read, write and play music on the most up-to-date digital pianos. Many such models offer the performance and playing comfort of acoustic pianos, but with the benefits of modern tech, such as split and layer capabilities, multiple audio outputs and two-track recording. To learn more, visit CasioMusicGear.com.

• Smart Gaming. Many students find traditional lectures a bit dry. But cutting edge educational gaming is more dynamic and exciting than ever before, with some classrooms even using immersive virtual reality experiences to help students understand history in unprecedented ways.

• Connected Projections. The modern lesson plan has nothing to do with chalk and chalkboard. Today, teachers are using the latest projectors to better connect students with the material. For example, Casio’s XJ-UT351WN not only enables projection from data files stored on a USB memory device, but also allows wireless connection to smartphones with a downloadable app. The ability to display and annotate presentations as well as open an Internet browser and display content in real-time, makes for dynamic delivery of lessons.

Classrooms that keep up with the pace of technological innovation offer their students more opportunities to connect and collaborate with each other and engage with the material.