Running head: EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES IN EDUCATION

Current Emerging Technologies in Today’s Curriculum

and Their Effects on Student Education

Brieann Robles

College of Southern Nevada

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Abstract

This paper explores three different emerging technologies in education. This paper explores eight

different articles that reported on emerging technologies. The technologies that were researched

for this paper are: Virtual and Remote Laboratories, Game Based Learning, and Mobile Games.

This paper includes resources found online (Internet) and offline (non-Internet).

Keywords: Emerging Technologies, Educational Games, Digital Learning, Remote Laboratories

Hands on learning plays an important role in the educational process of many students.

However, resources such as time and money often get in the way of schools being able to
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purchase and provide updated and relevant equipment to set up appropriate science laboratories.

Virtual and remote laboratories have many positive aspects and can be the answer to schools

with limited resources. Virtual labs can be utilized for assessment purposes, information

facilitation, and interactive learning all while making learning fun and enjoyable for the students.

There are many virtual laboratories available online. At the elementary level there are

simple and entertaining labs with interactive games that follow the lab. On Phet.com there is a

lab at the elementary school level that focuses on balancing. Students will be shown a balance

beam and must add heavy objects to make the beam balance. For middle school classrooms there

are labs available such as conducting an experiment about what happens after sugar and salt are

mixed with water then evaporated. After the experiment students will be able to view the effects

on concentration and conductivity. The students also have the ability to zoom in to see how the

different compounds dissolved. For a more advanced laboratory, such as those needed for higher

education classes, like high school, there are hundreds of free labs available on

www.molecularworkbench.com. Molecular workbench has the option for students to watch

experiment simulations, interact with the experiment to change the outcome and record their

findings.

“Virtual and remote laboratories are a cheap way for schools to obtain laboratories for all

courses”( Alexiou A., Bouras C., Giannaka E. 2005). Virtual laboratories allow the teacher to

expand their lessons and concepts without having to worry about money or time constraints.

With thousands of virtual laboratories at their fingertips, educators will be able to create more

enriched and exciting lesson plans for their students.

Remote and virtual labs are a great tool for teachers struggling to appeal to tech savvy

students. (Adams 2014). Virtual laboratories benefit the students learning in many ways such as:
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flexible lab hours, instant feedback from experiments, and access to top-notch equipment.

According to article by Caralee Adams, Long Distance Labs (2014), “When students have the

opportunity to use a remote lab, they are three times more likely to run more labs than required

by the assignment compared with students conducting traditional labs”. By allowing students to

work with remote laboratories you are enabling them to go above and beyond the given

assignment and experiment with different outcomes, therefore giving the student a better

understanding of the lesson. Remote and virtual laboratories also provide the students with

flexibility when conducting experiments. By allowing students to view the lab outside of

standard classroom hours you are giving them the opportunity to expand their knowledge at a

time that is convenient for them. This also benefits the teacher as valuable teaching time does not

have to be allocated to the actual experiments. Another benefit to using virtual labs is the instant

feedback that is provided to the students. These web applications allow students the ability to

redo experiments on the spot while they are still in critical thinking mode (Lynch 2016) this

allows the users to play out different scenarios and analyze the outcomes. Many schools do not

have the financial funds to maintain a well stocked science lab. By using virtual laboratories,

students are able to use the newest cutting-edge technology that they would otherwise not have

access to.

Virtual and remote laboratories are a safe and fun way for students to practice science

experiments online. Online laboratories are web applications that emulate the operation of real

labs and enable students to conduct experiments 24/7 anywhere and at anytime. Remote

laboratories are slightly different as they allow students to view real, physical laboratories via

webcams. Users are able to manipulate the equipment and watch activites unfold in real time.
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Another emerging technology in education is game based technology. Game based technology

has been around for years but is finally starting to gain traction in classrooms and is a student

favored educational tool. According to the research firm NPD, 91% of U.S. children ages 2-17

play video games or about 64 million (Reisinger 2011). Game based technology offers a familiar

learning format for students that are accustomed to playing video games.

Puzzle and classic games are popular in the elementary school classrooms. These games

can be a useful tool used to help students review and practice previously learned material. These

games help to build memory, logic, and verbal skills. In middle school classrooms, digital games

can be used to enhance learning for all subjects. Adventure games are popular for this age group.

Adventure games promote problem-solving skills through adventure scenarios and role playing

(Lever p.188). Argument Wars is a free middle school level adventure game that allows students

to play out real supreme court cases that are relevant to their age group. This game allows for a

deeper understanding of ethics, the constitution, and the elements of argumentation.

Game based learning is a positive and fun resource that can be used to enhance lessons.

Games can be used as a reward for completing class assignments or as a replacement for other

review strategies (Lever p.189). Digital games can also be used by teachers as an assessment tool

that tests the quality of the material being absorbed by their students. Many games can be used in

place of review worksheets and are a fun and interactive way to motivate students.

Using games in the classroom can encourage students to focus and have a better grasp on

course material. According to a study conducted in 2013 by SRI International, “When digital

games were compared to other instruction conditions without digital games, there was a

moderate to strong effect in favor of digital games in terms of broad cognitive

competencies”(Barseghian 2013). Educational games are proven to be an exciting and interactive

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way to encourage learning in and out of the classroom and is shown to help students better

absorb knowledge.

There are many different types of game based learning programs. Each type offers its

own unique and entertaining learning opportunities however each of them is created with the

same goal, to engage in practicing behaviors and thought processes that can easily be transferred

from the simulated environment to real life (Team 2013). All game based learning follows the

same structure, the player works towards a goal, choosing actions, and experiencing

consequences. The user has the opportunity to make mistakes and through experimentation,

learn, and practice the correct way to do things. These methods keep the students engaged. The

games are designed to work in unison with subject material and is meant to be an aid in assisting

the students retain and apply the material to real world problems.

Classroom games add flair and student engagement to more tedious, yet necessary tasks

like teaching math facts, grammar rules, vocabulary, reviewing for tests, or even completing lab

experiments (Pak 2012). Educational games have many benefits for use in the classroom such as

helping to improve participation, provide controlled competitiveness, reduce stress, and

encourage peer positivity. Game based learning has the ability to create positive outlets for

students to show gained knowledge and offer the educator the opportunity to evaluate the

absorbed material content by the student.

Mobile technology offers teachers and students a flexible path to learning. At the

elementary school level, mobile phones can be used by students to access age appropriate apps.

One app, PBSKIDS offers educational games that one study found to improve the vocabulary of

children between the ages of three and seven by 31 percent (Wylie 2015). Students who used the

app noted that they understood the content better and were more motivated in class. At the
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middle and high school level, mobile phones are being used in more ways than one. Educators

have the ability to create live polls, encourage the students to create engaging videos, and utilize

classroom chat rooms. While students gain the accessibility to access class material and review

assignments anywhere at anytime so long as they have their mobile phones. By allowing students

to use their mobile phones in class, heavy textbooks are no longer needed and the most updated

versions are available to the students at a fraction of the cost.

Utilizing mobile technology in the classroom offers a familiar medium when introducing

new material. This allows the students to feel more comfortable when approaching new lessons

and is shown to lead to a better comprehension of the new knowledge. By using mobile

technology in the classroom you are preparing your students the future by allowing them to use

current learning styles. Mobile technologies allow students to take responsibility for their

education and also allows teachers to be more focused on creating more educationally enriched

lesson plans.

Finally, there is a constant need for new and improved teaching strategies using

technology. As the digital world advances so must teachers. It is imperative, now more than ever,

for educators to stay focused and instill their students with the knowledge and skills needed to

function and grow with these current technological times.

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References

Adams, C. (2014, April 03). Long Distance Labs. Retrieved February 12, 2018, from
http://www.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=3758370

Alexiou A., Bouras C., Giannaka E. (2005) Virtual Laboratories in Education. In: Courtiat JP.,
Davarakis C., Villemur T. (eds) Technology Enhanced Learning. IFIP International Federation
for Information Processing, vol 171. Springer, Boston,

Barseghian, T. (2013, June 17). Can Digital Games Boost Students' Test Scores? Retrieved
February 18, 2018, from https://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2013/06/17/can-students-learn-better-
with-digital-games/

Lever-Duffy, J., & McDonald, J. B. (2015). Teaching and learning with technology. Boston:
Pearson.

Lynch, M. (2016, May 19). 4 Benefits of Virtual Labs. Retrieved February 12, 2018, from
http://www.theedadvocate.org/4-benefits-of-virtual-labs/
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Pak, R. (2012, February 02). Engaging Classroom Games for All Grades. Retrieved February 18,
2018, from http://www.teachhub.com/engaging-classroom-games-all-grades

Reisinger, D. (2011, October 11). 91 percent of kids are gamers, research says. Retrieved
February 17, 2018, from https://www.cnet.com/news/91-percent-of-kids-are-gamers-research-
says/

Team, E. (2013, April 23). What is GBL (Game-Based Learning)? Retrieved February 17, 2018,
from http://edtechreview.in/dictionary/298-what-is-game-based-learning

Wylie, J. (2015, July 20). Mobile Learning Technologies for 21st Century Classrooms. Retrieved
February 19, 2018, from http://www.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=3754742