Today’s K-12 students are true digital natives. They are accustomed to technology and engaging through sophisticated, fast, consumer-friendly applications available anytime and anywhere. This makes it more challenging for teachers to catch and hold students’ attention. And with increasing emphasis on the value of teamwork and collaborative learning, educators are looking for better ways to help students engage with each other and with their teachers in the classroom. Active learning classrooms are drawing increased interest because they can address these issues.
Understanding Active Learning Classrooms
Instead of a single, primary display, an active learning space accommodates BYOD with multiple opportunities for projection and large-format displays. An active learning classroom can expand a teacher’s options in conducting the class. It also encourages collaborative learning by creating dynamic learning environments that take full advantage of the latest in display screens, sound systems, and other projection devices. By design and by the equipment offered to teachers and students, it promotes interaction among students. Teams of students can gather in one area or in front of a single large screen for collaborative content and discussion, then turn and share their information with the entire class.
Four Key Ways Technology is Transforming Education
Today’s students live in a multi-screen world. They have become accustomed to full immersion in visual technology. As education evolves to meet the needs of these digital natives with concepts like active learning spaces, four key trends are driving visual learning technology in the classroom.
1. Emphasis on classroom collaboration:
With the interest in collaboration on the rise, teachers need visual learning tools to link multiple students simultaneously via a single shared screen. Solutions like large screens and projection systems that connect to student devices help information flow in more than one direction—not just from teacher to student, but among the students and back to the teacher.
2. Use of large-screen displays:
As the cost of the technology has dropped dramatically, large touch-screen displays are becoming more prevalent in the classroom. In fact, the increasing affordability of large screens is helping districts include multiple screens in a classroom. This helps educators divide the class into groups and further encourage teamwork via discussion groups. Large-screen displays also enable innovative approaches.
3. Sophisticated touch screens to keep students engaged:
Nothing enhances interactivity like touch screens. They let multiple students approach the screen and draw, drag, and otherwise interact. A protective touch overlay on a large screen display adds a hands-on element to visual learning. For a more cost effective alternative, teachers can use modern projectors. Teachers and students can annotate, save and share content projected onto any wall, dry erase board, chalkboard or other flat surface, without needing a computer.
4. Rise of collaborative classrooms and “huddle spaces:”
Educators are spending less time at the front of the classroom. This drives the need for smaller, collaborative areas. This trend toward “huddle spaces” is growing as blended learning becomes more prevalent and as schools supplement their primary visual learning tool—often a large touchscreen display or interactive whiteboard—with additional smaller screens that students can share.
Download a free whitepaper which contains examples from NEC Display Solutions of America to learn more about tailored solutions for your classroom. NEC Display Solutions of America, Inc., is a leading designer and provider of innovative displays, offering the widest range of products on the market, such as commercial- and professional-grade large-screen LCD displays, desktop LCD monitors, direct view LED displays, a diverse line of multimedia and digital cinema projectors, and integrated display solutions. NEC is orchestrating a brighter world with the quality and reliability of its products and outstanding customer service.
From audio visual needs to telephone technology, Hiscall delivers solutions and services, day and night. Hiscall ensures we are always on track to technologies’ possibilities. Contact Hiscall today to get the highest quality display, A/V system integration and service that exceeds expectations! Give us a call at (866) 740-7771.
Source – NEC Display Solutions of America | www.necdisplay.com
