Does technology in the classroom really boost student testing outcomes?
The jury is still out on this, but what has been proven is that the use of technology in the classroom does increase student engagement. Higher student engagement, does have a positive correlation with higher overall testing outcomes.
For decades now, school districts and teachers alike have looked for innovative ways to incorporate technology into the classroom. Technology initiatives, including mobile application development, have led the movement to increase student engagement. In a recent study of 8th graders, 35% of students said that they were more interested in their teachers’ lessons or activities when it involved or was related to a mobile device. In fact, the study found that 54% of students want their teachers to include more technology creation activities into daily classroom lessons.
So, how can teachers effectively bring mobile devices into the classroom and leverage them to increase student engagement and collaboration?
The answer is simple…mobile application development.
With programs like Cresearance’s MAD-learn app development curriculum, students as young as third grade are being exposed to computer programming, entrepreneurship, and marketing.
Recent studies have found that coding offers a host of benefits to students including increased problem-solving skills, enhanced logical reasoning, and detail-oriented thinking. Mobile application development programs such as MAD-learn are also great ways to build inclusive classrooms. For example, several non-profit organizations are partnering with schools to teach students with autism spectrum disorder coding, equipping this student population with skills to enter into IT-related jobs.
In fact, research has shown that mobile application development programs similar to MAD-learn have positively influenced students’ parietal cortex development, the area of the brain responsible for language comprehension. Leading studies have found that learning a computer language has very similar cognitive effects to a student’s brain as learning a foreign language.
With 21st century students constantly surrounded by mobile apps and technology, what better place (and way) for them to learn how to be creators of technology than in the classroom? The cognitive and academic benefits of mobile application development programs are well worth the investment.
To get more information on how MAD-learn can help boost student engagement and student testing outcomes at your school, contact us today at 404-913-2737 or request a free MAD-learn demo.