Gen Z students are filling college classrooms across the country. And what’s one thing they all have in common? They’re from a non-traditional, digital generation, relying on tech to conduct research, read textbooks, complete coursework, and interact with their tutors and classmates.

Collegegoers aren’t thriving in traditional classes seeped in lectures. Instead, teaching trends are constantly evolving and shifting toward the digital space, including microlearning, app-based education, and mobile learning. Such models give pupils a sense of ownership of their academic careers, allowing them to synthesize information familiarly.

Zschool reviews that in this age, students expect technology-based classrooms. So, instructors need to consider how they can incorporate digital learning tools to reap exceptional student outcome rewards.

How Instructors Can Incorporate More Technology

As many instructors will be pleased to know, bringing tech into the college classroom doesn’t have to involve overhauling their entire syllabus and course structure.

The five simple tools below are easily implemented yet provide considerably better results for students.

#1 Online Boards

Online discussion boards are perfect – they give students an easily accessible way to explore the curriculum and get involved with their peers.

Of course, boards require monitoring. But thanks to technological advancements, this requires no extra effort on the tutor’s part; it can be done automatically.

#2 Learning Management Systems (LMS)

Hundreds of colleges and universities in the nation have already started to use learning management systems — web-based apps that help professors deliver online course content and manage their materials.

Canvas, Moodle, and Blackboard are just three LMS examples that feature discussion boards, grade books, attendance tracking, and so much more.

#3 Video Conferences

Live streaming and lecture recordings make lessons wonderfully accessible to students. Plus, they allow tutors to create a collaborative classroom-esque atmosphere for online classes.

#4 Clickers

Clickers (a.k.a. student-response systems) let professors collect answers from large classes quickly. They allow tutors to ask a question, receive students’ responses in a matter of moments, and display them on a graph presented to the group.

For larger lectures, clickers are a fantastic way to kickstart discussions and debates.

#5 Virtual Reality

In recent times, virtual reality has been a popular addition to medical lectures, allowing students to develop their skills and techniques in a non-volatile environment.

Anatomage Table, a visualization tool for anatomy, has gained the most traction.

The Impacts of Technology on Student Outcomes

Researchers from Youngstown State University found that technology can increase engagement, resulting in enhanced achievements. Many colleges are already implementing on-campus technologies like LMS, discussion boards, and clickers.

Since technology doesn’t appear to be slowing down, professors who embrace the ever-evolving digital landscape will find it easier to keep students engaged. After all, they’re very much integrated with virtual life, so it’s only natural to assume that allowing them to approach information in a familiar format will improve learning.

On top of that, it’s shown to improve comprehension, practical learning, and even time management.

However, experts encourage tutors to remember that there isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach to technological implementations in the classroom. Professors must consider their course content and specific students to determine which tools are good fits.