Classroom Wearables Are the New Breed of Educational Tools

Classroom Wearables Are the New Breed of Educational Tools

Photo: Pixabay.com

It’s the start of the school year once again. Parents and students will take the time to prepare everything including bags, uniforms, shoes, books, etc.

Traditional learning materials aren’t likely to be deemed obsolete just yet, but a new breed of educational tool is getting integrated into classrooms around the world. Tech wearables are now in the process of assisting educators and students in various subjects.

Market research specialists at Technavio project that the market for classroom wearables will reach US$3.7 billion by 2020 based on a report by NZ tech news source Educators. All behemoths of the tech world such as Microsoft, Google, Apple and Samsung are expected to become contributors.

Samsung’s Gear VR is, in fact, considered to be used for recruiting prospective students according to Wearable.com. This will be useful for applications such as geographical simulations and assessing skills like spatial recognition.

Fitness bands, on the other hand, are currently utilized in PE lessons and in a wide range of applications, from monitoring heart rates to recording lap times. Wrist-worn equipment can also assist a student in STEM topics as a handy tool for searching information.

Experts are even studying the effects of Pokémon GO along with how wearable tech can contribute to learning. Education World explains it will produce increased educational opportunities, with Robert Craven saying that wearable tech can be combined with apps and developers can create a “Pokemon-like activity to get students up and moving around the campus.” Craven is the senior director of technology at Tustin USD in California.

Photo: Pixabay.com

It’s not the first time technology has been used to support education. Now review materials can be sent through emails. More exclusively, there are online group pages belonging to groups of students or a whole class where they can discuss various concerns about schoolwork.

Social media also has a role today in assisting the educational sector. Students can connect with their teachers, professors or fellow students much easier and this strengthens teacher-student bonds or classroom friendships, which are crucial for learning.

Furthermore, games that take stress away and teach specific skills in their own way, like problem-solving or dealing with frustrations, are abundant in social platforms. There are now the likes of PuzzleSocial’s Crosswords, which effectively port the popular newspaper puzzles to Facebook and; a variant of the relaxing but fun slots-bingo combination, Slingo Riches, which is played by over 3 million people now on the social platform. Though games may be primarily for entertainment, no one can deny that they can contribute to cognitive, personal and social development.

As technology moves forward, so does the system of running everyday activities and tasks like studying. There may be technical challenges along the way, but wearable technology can bring greater efficiency and productivity, which in turn will result in better learning.