Does Technology Help Us Or Hinder Us In Education

Technology is all around us, every day, whether we like it or not. At Eva Carlston Academy, integrating technology into our classrooms has been one of the key factors in helping our students excel in school while still providing them with the critical clinical support that they need. The use of assistive technology allows our full-time faculty to be more effective and creative in the classroom.

Technology and Education

Many students experience setbacks due to the “one size fits all” approach that has become the necessity in our national education system. We know that school doesn’t operate in a bubble that is independent to the emotional needs and wellbeing of our students. Technology has allowed Eva Carlston Academy to synchronously meet our student’s needs while providing them with top-notch education, but “how” exactly? 

Blended learning gives us the opportunity to support our students in their educational environment while continuing to support their academic progress. Each student at Eva Carlston comes with a unique academic background and need. Our faculty has digitized their curriculum to effectively design an individual course for each of their students that is responsive to their needs for remediation and rigor alike. 

Thriving In School

Students experience less school-based anxiety and demonstrate increased focus and ability to engage therapeutically when they have that one on one attention that they need to thrive. Teachers are equipped with resources that enable them to assess and create individual courses quickly so that students can settle in the program and experience forward progression. Teachers have more freedom and availability to provide one-on-one support when needed and even cater their instruction to the larger therapeutic goals of each student.

We meet the student where they are and work towards pushing the student to accomplish their goals while still maintaining a connection with them. Our Academic Director, Corrie Norman strongly believes in this and stated, “Our ability to educate students doesn’t come from the computers, it comes from the people. It’s facilitated by the ease and flexibility offered by blended learning, but more importantly allows our faculty to focus on the depth of learning, application of principles, and abstract thinking.”

When it comes to education, technology has become embedded in the classroom and it has no plans on stopping. It’s important to properly integrate this change in our classroom to fit the needs of the students who will be joining an increasingly tech-heavy university education and even job force. Despite many assumptions, the use of technology furthers opportunities for teacher-student interaction that is meaningful and effective.