How Can Teachers Combine Technology and an IBL Environment?

Streaming Innovation in Classroom

Infuse technology into your classroom teaching to encourage students toward becoming thoughtful, motivated and innovative learners…

The student population across schools and economic levels is more ‘wired’ and has grown up in a highly digital atmosphere. It is quite evident that there is a fundamental difference in the way present-day students have been trained to absorb and process information, as compared to previous generations.

Research shows that today’s students learn more when technology is used to engage them in relevant and intellectually stimulating school work. The richness, flexibility, and power of computers and their attendant technological kin offer valuable tools to support inquiry-based teaching and learning.

Inquiry-based learning (IBL) is an approach to education that places students’ questions, ideas and observations at the center of the learning experience. It nurtures a discipline-based outlook so that students are spurred toward becoming thoughtful, motivated and innovative learners, equipped to thrive in a world of constant change.

Learning how to teach effectively with technology, both enables and requires some fundamental changes to schooling. Along with these changes come impressive results for students, including improved achievement, higher test scores, improved student attitude, enthusiasm, and engagement, richer classroom content, and improved student retention and job placement rates.

Advantages
Mobile learning environments provide a plethora of possibilities for Inquiry-based Learning. Handheld, wireless mobile devices extend learning experiences outside the classroom and enhance the thinking abilities of the learners. Inquiry-based mobile learning expands the students’ depth of knowledge. Here are a few advantages:

1. Multitask
Students can do multiple tasks with one device like conduct research, record interviews, gather data, take notes, document events, collaborate with peers, create multimedia projects and then share their work.

2. Research
Mobile devices can be used to gather rich data in the form of text, audio, image, video, etc. Students can use multiple data capture methods with annotated photos, GPS coordinates, etc., to gather and analyze data thoroughly. On field trips, students can use their mobile devices to explore the place, gather information and take notes.

3. Active Engagement
Student interest is maintained and engagement is increased. It especially helps students with low learning achievements to perform better, as they learn by doing and seeing instead of memorizing.

4. Time Management
Mobile device technology reduces the amount of time and work required in data entry and research. It also improves the quality of the learning experience. Students can have continuous access to research groups to connect with a greater scientific community.

5. Initiative
Having personal devices makes students responsible for their own learning by designing their research projects from developing the question and methods for data collection and analysis, to presenting their research.

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