Student-teacher interaction is one of the most important things when creating a positive and effective classroom environment–in fact, it ranked higher than educational technology use, according to both teachers and students in a new survey.
The survey from online learning service provider Quizlet seeks to outline how teachers and students, including Generation Z students (those born in 2001 or later), feel about technology in their classrooms.
Eighty-seven percent of surveyed teachers said interaction with students is an important part of their teaching environment.
Apps in the Classroom
Teachers are significantly more likely to view educational technology apps as a good use of classroom time than students are, according to the survey.
Eighty percent of teachers said using apps in the classroom makes learning more fun, compared to 51 percent of students.
Ninety-seven percent of teachers said they encourage their students to use learning apps and websites on their own time to help with learning, homework or test prep. They cited building good study habits (57 percent), being fun (66 percent), and increasing engagement (76 percent) as benefits.
Of the teachers who said they do not encourage students to use technology on their own, 40 percent they prefer students to study with more traditional materials, and 32 percent said they don’t believe the tools help students build good study habits.
(Next page: Discover Gen Z students’ feelings about educational technology use)
Overall, Gen Z students seem positive about using learning technologies in the classroom.
Here’s what Gen Z students had to say about technology and learning:
1. Seventy-one percent of Gen Z students said tablets or computers in the classroom help them learn.
2. Fifty-six percent said those tools help them learn more quickly than traditional worksheets, books and lectures.
3. Most say tablets and computers make learning fun–71 percent of Gen Z students agreed.
4. When it comes to learning apps and websites in the classroom, 70 percent of Gen Z students said they aid in learning, and 57 percent said they make learning more fun.
5. Sixty-eight percent said learning apps and websites help them prepare for tests and exams, and 48 percent said they are a good use of classroom time.
6. Eighty-eight percent use learning apps and websites on their own time to help with homework, and 64 percent said those resources help them learn.
7. When asked about important parts of in-class learning environments, 65 percent said interaction with teachers is important.
To compile the report, Quizlet surveyed 12,525 students and 10,800 teachers in November to discern their preferences and perceptions about how educational technology is used inside and outside the classroom.
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