Lesson Transcript
InstructorFrank ClintShow bio
Frank has been an educator for over 10 years. He has a doctorate degree in education with a concentration in curriculum and instruction.
Many classrooms use digital resources in student educational processes. Explore the definitions and uses of digital curricula, as well as digital tools. Review evolving classrooms, and recognize how both digital curricula and digital tools can benefit classrooms.
Table of Contents
- Evolving Classrooms
- Digital Curricula
- Lesson Summary
Classrooms have evolved along with our world. If you were a student graduating high school 20 years ago, the internet was new, cell phones weren't a standard item in purses and pockets, and tablets didn't even exist. Online learning existed in its archaic form, and the words ''social'' and ''media'' had no relation. Much has changed, and the classroom of today reflects all of the technological advances that have taken the world by storm. Because of this shift, digital curricula and digital tools have emerged, although they are not staples in every classroom. What's the difference between a digital curriculum and a digital tool, and what is the purpose of each?
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Depending on when and where you went to school, you may have learned with books, such as textbooks from an official program bought by the school or district. Your teacher may have given assignments using worksheets and assessments on paper. A digital curriculum replaces traditional curriculum, such as textbooks and, in some cases, the traditional classroom environment. Some examples of a digital curriculum include:
- Online courses
- Electronic textbooks
- Digital and online programs
Online courses range from K-12 to university and vocational levels. This type of digital curriculum allows for a blended learning environment or an entirely online learning environment. Teachers deliver all assignments and curriculum materials via an online learning management system (LMS). In other cases, electronic textbooks have enabled teachers to replace the heavy books used before. Electronic textbooks quickly open on a tablet, smartphone, laptop, or computer.
Digital and online curriculum programs are widely used in schools today. Some examples include Study Island, Istation, and IXL. These programs are designed to teach or reinforce curriculum standards using gamification, which is using game-like elements and other engaging features. A program may reinforce math or reading standards using video lessons and practice activities, for example. Personalized learning programs with built-in assessments, such as computer adaptive assessments, make it possible for teachers to individualize instruction to meet the unique needs of each student.
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In some cases, digital tools and resources may be more appropriate than an entire curriculum. Digital tools differ from digital curricula because they're used to help deliver instruction or for other classroom purposes. They aren't school curricula by themselves because they can't replace instruction. For example, a video or movie maker app is considered a digital tool that can be used to help students create a movie to help explain a concept they're learning. Other digital tools and resources include:
- Word processing documents
- Slide presentation software
- Electronic reference materials
- Tablet and cellphone apps
You can implement digital projects using various word processing and slide software for individual and collaborative projects. Instead of students creating a poster, for example, they could create a slideshow. Similar to electronic textbooks, dictionaries, thesauruses, and other reference tools can now be found on the internet or through apps, which saves room in the classroom.
Teachers' favorite digital tools are often tablet and cell phone apps. The word ''apps'' is short for applications, which are software programs specifically for mobile devices. You can find software and resources to help you with classroom management such as ClassDojo, in which you can assign or take away points based on behavior. Other apps such as Quizlet help with assessment by allowing teachers to create and assign quizzes. Several easy-to-use and customizable platforms such as Google Classroom and Edmodo are available for teachers to integrate into their classrooms. These platforms are similar to LMS platforms.
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All right, let's take a moment or two to review the important info from this lesson. Digital curriculum is a robust program or a set of materials used to teach or reinforce school standards or objectives. Examples might be online courses delivered on a learning management system (LMS), which is the system teachers use to deliver all assignments and curriculum materials, or digital and online curriculum programs used to teach a particular subject area, such as math. Digital tools are different because they aren't used to teach or reinforce but as a way to help teachers deliver instruction, organize, manage the classroom, or assess students. An example of a digital tool would be one of the many apps, or programs on mobile devices, that are used to track student behavior on a tablet or mobile device.
The digital age brought many of these advancements into education. And with more emphasis on moving software onto the cloud (the convenience of being able to access files anywhere), one can only wonder what the future holds.
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