Technology Making it Possible to Go Back to School Online

2020 has provided a stark new reality when it comes to education. While many schools across the country are trying their hardest to get students back in the classroom, the situation with COVID-19 is making it extraordinarily difficult. Students of 2020 are going to be doing some of their schooling online, there is no way around it. Today, we’ll take a look at some of the technology that is making this distance learning possible.

Remote Education and Technology

Whether your child’s school district is going completely remote or if they are trying out a hybrid approach that has them going to school only a couple days a week, having the right technology can improve their students’ ability to learn. Fortunately, many students are already exposed to much of the technology they will need to be successful scholastically. Let’s take a look at some of the considerations that parents and teachers are going to have to make if they are going to make telelearning work.

The Equipment

Most schools don’t have the resources to provide devices to all of their students. There simply isn’t the money for that. Unfortunately, this typically means that it is the responsibility of families to procure the technology needed. 

First, you’ll need a computer. An inexpensive laptop can do the trick, but you will want to make sure that it has the resources to run the software that is provided. Today, a lot of the educational resources will be cloud-based so that everyone can access it, but for those students who need to physically download software, it would be good if their computer could handle it without much hand-wringing. Unfortunately, many manufacturers are experiencing shortages, due to the intense increase in demand.

There are certain situations where a tablet would be appropriate, especially for younger learners.

As far as audio-visual tools, you will definitely need headphones with a microphone for those times when children are asked to participate with their classmates online. 

Other than that, you need a reliable Internet connection, wired or wireless. 

Security

Of course, this isn’t the most important issue that you are trying to confront when setting your child up for school, but considering it is important, nonetheless. The chances that your child would run into a problem is minimal, but ensuring that your computer is running antivirus software and your router’s firewall is working and updated are solid practices regardless of who is using the computer. 

Limiting Screen Time

Studies have shown that the more screen time a person has when he/she is younger, the more apt they will develop inattentive disorders, anxiety, and depression. For this reason it is important that you set some limits about the use of devices for kids. Moreover, there are a lot of threats online that, if they go unmonitored, children can succumb to. Some of them are really nefarious.

Of course, if they are going to school online, they will be taking in more screen time than they probably should anyway, but with technology becoming a universal part of everyday life, teaching your kids about the risks and rewards of using technology can be beneficial for both them and for you. 

If you would like to talk to one of our IT experts about what technology you need, call Preferred today at 708-781-7110.