Why You Should Incorporate Technology Into your Homeschool Classroom

While you may be tempted to keep technology out of the classroom, here is why you should incorporate technology in your homeschool classroom.

Technology is one of those unavoidable parts of our everyday life. We use technology to check the weather, communicate with people who are far away, and even use it to keep entertained. So why keep it out of the classroom? Technology can do so many wonderful things for your homeschool classroom besides provide a way to watch movies. While you may be tempted to keep technology out of the classroom, here is why you should incorporate technology in your homeschool classroom.

Technology can help fill in the gaps

You may not have a professional teaching degree, but that doesn’t mean that you need one in order to be a homeschool teacher. Math might not be your strong suit, or history, or any other number of subjects you may need to teach. Technology can help fill in those gaps to create a more well-rounded homeschool experience on the subjects you aren’t great at. There are apps that can help you teach art history and even music all on an iPad. There are computer games that can help with math and even apps that can help grade papers!

Technology can help increase engagement

Lecture style environments can often lead students to get bored, or sit back and “take in the lesson” while you teach. While this might sound like the best approach, it can sometimes keep students from asking questions or asking for a further explanation when they don’t understand. Technology forces students to become a participant in the task at hand whether it’s solving math problems or practicing vocabulary.

Technology can help your children prepare for life outside of the classroom

Technology is all around us and will continue to become a major part of our lives. Encouraging your children to embrace technology will help them prepare for the world outside of the classroom, and teach them how to use the devices around them. By encouraging them to learn computer programming, robotics, and other technological skills while they are young, they can even pursue a job in technology with the skills they’ve learned.

Digital classrooms help save time

When you are sick or not feeling well, a digital tool such as an online game or activity can save you from having to cancel the whole school day. These tools can also be used to create independent study time, which can allow you the chance to clean up the house or prepare lesson plans. Digital classroom activities will help save you time and are only possible through the use of technology.

Incorporating technology into your homeschool classroom

Watching movies doesn’t have to be the only thing you use video for in the classroom! You can use them to help aid you in instruction such as using YouTube videos to teach difficult science, math, and other topics. You can even tune into TED Talks that will help encourage your children to think outside the box. You can use tablets to have your children practice or learn new skills, read books, listen to audiobooks, and even do research.

As you can see there are so many great uses for technology in the classroom! You may need to get a little creative, but technology can certainly make your life easier and make lesson plans more exciting.