It is an essential component of modern day education since it helps students develop

essential learning skills and become lifelong learners. Research and case studies have
continually proved that technology improves student achievement in Reading, Writing
and Mathematics; it improves the productivity, efficiency and decision-making abilities of
schools; it helps teachers in professional development; it improves learning skills such
as problem-solving, communication and interpersonal skills; helps schools create
personalized learning environments to meet the needs of all kinds of students; it
promotes equity and access in education; and helps students develop efficient
workforce skills required in the future.
Technology ushers in fundamental structural changes that are integral in enhancing the
learning outcomes. It infuses classrooms with digital learning tools; expands course
offerings, experiences, and learning materials; supports learning even outside the
classroom; builds 21st century skills; increases student engagement and motivation;
and accelerates learning. Online learning opportunities and the use of Open
Educational Resources (OER) and other technologies can increase educational
productivity by accelerating the rate of learning; reducing costs associated with
instructional materials or program delivery; and better utilizing teacher time.
To successfully implement and use technology to improve the learning outcomes, a
planned approach needs to be followed. Here are some steps that can guide you on
how to leverage technology to improve learning outcomes:
Foster school environments where teachers, students, parents, administrators
and the broader community of the school support the adoption of technology in
education and are comfortable with replacing and enhancing the traditional
educational practices with the use of technology. Until and unless everyone involved
with teaching and learning do not approve of technology integration, no benefits can
be derived out of it. The community of the educational organization needs to be
collaborative, supportive and open to the adoption of modern ways to teach and
learn. They must not doubt the capability of technology in improving the learning
outcomes. When this vital support is gathered, the organization can head towards

the development of policies for the implementation and use of technology for
teaching and learning.
Once technology is implemented and is ready to be used by the teachers, students
and administrators for teaching, learning and administrative purposes, all should be
provided with the necessary training to make them adept with the use of
technology so they can make the most out of it. Teachers should be provided with
effective professional development on the instructional integration of
technology. They must be made aware of the extent to which they can use
technology for teaching so that it doesnt completely replace them and low down
their value of being an instructor. Students should be taught about the regulated use
of technology to aid their learning and should not at any point take undue advantage
of it. Administrators can make a lot of school administration tasks easier for
themselves but should carefully assess where technology hinders the effectiveness
of their tasks.
After the necessary training and professional development on the effective use of
technology, it needs to be embedded within the daily school schedule. This will
alter the everyday teaching practices that take place within a school. It will modify
how lectures are imparted and what learning materials and resources are made use
of. Some schools may choose to flip their classrooms using technology and will
utilize the class-time for student and teacher interaction, group discussions,
brainstorming, quizzes and additional exercises, since now the lectures are imparted
to students through videos at their home. So, technology integration will modify the
school schedule to a large extent and teachers will need to re-model their roles
accordingly.
Tailor your curriculum in such a way that it is supports the use of technology. The
curriculum objectives being assessed through technology need to be directly
supported. The technological practices need to be made part of the standard
curriculum of subjects, as a result of which the curricula will require basic formatting.
For instance, there will be a need to supplement the curricula of subjects like

Science and Technology with advanced tools for experimentation and research, this
will add a more practical approach to learning and make the overall learning
experience authentic and experiential.
Adjust the incorporation of technology such that it suits the abilities of students
based on the assessment of their prior experiences. Students should not take the
responsibility of using technology all at once. Teachers should support and guide
them to gradually adopt technology such that it becomes a significant part of their
everyday learning. If students are capable of learning certain subjects better without
the use of technology, then they should stick to their usual learning approach and
practices. Students and teachers both must be provided with regular feedback about
their performance and progress with the technological applications.
Provide increasing opportunities for student collaboration and teacher
collaboration since it is evident that encouraging them to reach out to each other to
solve problems and share knowledge not only builds collaboration skills but leads to
deeper learning and understanding for improved learning outcomes. They can learn
better with the new technology if they work in groups and discover its effectiveness
on their learning. They can implement new ways of using the technology provided to
them through innovation and advanced thinking. Collaborative learning will allow
them to make the most of the technology embedded in their curriculum and also
bring light to new and effective ways of using it.
Technology should not just be restricted to use in the curriculum but after students
develop learning of their subjects, they should assess themselves and further their
knowledge and skills by designing and implementing projects that extend the
curricular content and learning and assess it through particular standardized
tests. Taking on projects on whatever is learnt, allows students to apply practical
skills to the subject matter and realize the significance of it in real-life contexts.
Projects encourage students to apply their learning to real uses and the use of
technology to better learning outcomes will be effectual when this step is
successfully carried out.

The correct and timely application of these steps for the use of technology in education
can help improve the learning outcomes. I hope this approach can help you for better
learning with technology. Share more approaches and views with us. The Comment box
awaits you.