There is great concern over the excessive use of mobile phones and technology in our culture and how to find a healthy balance, mostly through limiting usage.
Technology in This Age
Access to digital technology is now more prevalent than ever and is growing around the world. According to the Global Digital Overview, as of January 2019, 67% of the world’s population uses mobile phones or 5.1 billion people, up 2% from last year, while 57% of the world has internet usage or 4.38 billion people, up 9% from last year. As the increase in technology continues, we must find a way to leverage this technology in the classroom where minds are being molded and lives are being shaped. We believe that there is great opportunity for Edify to come alongside our partner schools and assist them in gaining access and training.
“I personally believe that every child, no matter the financial background of his/her parents, age, gender or geographical location deserves the best of education! Technology is the future and by the introduction of educational technology in the classrooms, we are literally presenting the schools with the future, today.”
– Juiliana Amoateng, Edify Education Technology Project Support Officer, Ghana
According to the Brookings Institution, in recent years, studies have been done to look at how learning and technology can be integrated and many have shown that technology improves learning.
Edify recognizes the need for education technology in the classroom, helping teachers integrate it into their classroom instruction and improve learning. Today, Edify serves 105 schools across five countries with technology solutions, offering many platforms including e-readers, computer labs, and SMILE (learn more).
Edify’s Role
As our Edify team has pioneered this work with our partner schools, we have learned more about the benefits of introducing technology, namely:
1) Improved teaching methods and resources for teachers:
Knowing that many classrooms are diverse in nature, with age differences and learning abilities, education technology in the classroom helps teachers to use varied methods of teaching to reach students of all learning abilities. Many of the technology solutions include additional teaching resources loaded onto a device; resources include Khan Academy and Wi-fi access to other worksheets and materials that would not otherwise be available without Wi-fi.
2) Students’ greater involvement in their learning and grasping of concepts:
With the integration of educational technology, students can independently progress in mastering lessons, choose their own pace of work, repeat material that is not understood initially and can immediately get results to track their progress. Interactive, multimedia content provides a great advantage of modern learning over traditional learning.
3) Preparing for the future of the business economy and job opportunities:
The world is pivoting rapidly to adapt to new technology solutions that are changing the world every day. If the schools that we serve do not learn how to use this technology and equip their students, they will have little opportunity to gain access to jobs that will lift their families out of poverty.
“Children in Ghana spend more time in schools than in their homes, and thus skills development while in school is critical to prepare them for the future business economy. Education technology is one of the tools that will help prepare them, but generally this tool is only available to families who can afford the technology. Education technology being employed in a school in Ghana has the potential to change the learning outcomes of children and give them employable skills that they can use to positively impact our society.”
– Mark Mensah, Technology Support Officer, Ghana
We are excited about the future of Edify’s Education Technology program and the potential growth and opportunity it will offer our partner schools. We are also excited to hear of the stories of children that gain access to this technology and find the path where their gifts connect with opportunity and resources. Here is a charge from our Chief Technology Officer, Reuben Thiessen:
Thank you for partnering with us as we walk alongside these amazing schools who are changing the lives of children in their communities.
For more information on our Education Technology program, click here.
Want to find out other ways to get involved, click here.