Is Computer Based Learning the Best Way For Children to Learn?
It wasn’t much more than 100 years since children were writing on slates at school. Changing from slate to paper transformed education…. Now that we are transitioning to learning on devices, what is the role of pen and paper? Is computer based learning the way of the future?
How Do People Learn Best?
As our lifestyles evolve, there is always ongoing research into how people learn best. Recent studies looked into how people learn on a device compared to on paper. The answer is, much to the technology manufacturer’s dismay, that people still learn best on paper.
For young children starting at school, it does seem obvious that drawing an “O” will make them much more aware of the shape and the sound it makes than typing it. This has been proven by years of research. Certainly, there are students who learn to read successfully using a computer-based system. But on average, children learn better using pencil and paper.
More recent research focused on university students. Those students who take written notes remember the material much better than those who type their notes directly onto their device. Ironically, a computer science department had more success giving their students written assignments than computer-based assignments. The students using pen and paper mastered difficult concepts and developed higher level skills!
There will always be people that benefit greatly from using a device. Those who struggle to organise thoughts or suffer from fine-motor skill problems may find using a device helps them tremendously. Devices also makes teaching easier for teachers. It can motivating for children to use a device, in part due to less effort being required.
How Do In2Learning Teach Children?
In line with best practice and best results, at In2Learning we use a mix of styles and methods, which is known as ‘multi-modal’ learning. We continue to use paper as well as incorporating computer based learning and hands-on methods. Our goal is to teach our students as efficiently as possible and to work with their strengths and weaknesses.
Contact us to discuss how we can help your child.