What do we need digtal school lessons for?
Smartphones, tablets and the like have long since found their way into children's rooms. That's why there are some voices calling for these devices not to be used in school as well. But can the trend be reversed at all, and does it even make sense? We have checked some facts and figures.
The figures on smartphone use among German children speak for themselves, according to Statista.
- 7% of 6- to 7-year-olds own a smartphone
- Among 8- to 9-year-olds, the figure is already 27%
- In the group of the 10- to 11-year-old it is already 54%
- The percentage of smartphone owners among 12- to 13-year-olds is 73%
The German Federal Statistical Office arrives at similar figures with regard to average Internet use: 94% of 10-15 year-olds are online every day.
No matter of one likes these figures or not, but the fact remains that the Internet has become a central part of everyday life for children and young people. Efforts to completely ban smartphones, tablets and the like from school miss the reality of children's lives.
In addition, school offers a well-protected space in which children can learn how to use digital media in a safe and responsible way. Also it is easier to fulfill the wish for individualization during lessons with the help of appropriate tools.
This means that children can learn at their own pace and even introverted students can be actively involved in the lessons more easily, for example with quiz apps. This allows teachers to provide more personalized attention to each child and adapt learning progress to the learner's needs.
Practical tips for a virtual classroom
Dr. Anette Dragan, principal of the Montessori Community School in Friedrichsthal (Germany), uses digital media whenever they enrich the lessons in a meaningful way.
She also advises: "I think it's very important to create a uniform solution. If you agree on a learning platform, all teachers should use it and not use OneDrive or e-mail to make their materials available instead. In addition, I think it's important that the system is tailored to the school and adapted to the different age groups."
Infographik of the Month: Why digital lessons at all?
Download and further information
The interview of Dr. Dragan you find here (German only).
The info graphic you can download for free as PDF.
![[E-Learning Punk] Virtual Classroom Preview](https://images.im-c.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/imc_image_elearningpunk_virtualclassroom_thumbnail_2020_06_05.jpg)
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