How Digital Media Can Benefit Elementary Education

5 Ways Elementary School Students Can Use Digital Media to Benefit Their Education

Digital media is everywhere, and students of every age are now learning in a digital environment. The online world has so many things to offer including some distractions, so it’s important for younger students to know their limits and productively utilize digital media. When used appropriately, the online learning environment can benefit a student’s education immensely. Whether a student is working on improving their study habits and organization or exploring their environment, digital media is a great educational tool.

1. Study tools

Digital media offers students some study tools from organizational apps to help with core subjects such as math and English. Students are encouraged to try some different apps geared towards their grade level to see if this type of digital organization is right for them. Online study tools, when created for younger students, are often most helpful when the user has guidance from a parent or educator. Also, students should utilize off-line tools to encourage a balance between the digital world and the physical one.

2. Online tutoring

With the demands of today’s classroom, many students need extra help from a supplemental educator. However, students don’t always have time to commit to a regular schedule, or they may need help at the very last minute. With the advent of online tutoring, students can work for 30 minutes or 2 hours with their tutor and can get last minute help when they forget about an important assignment. Additionally, if students live in a remote area, they have an opportunity to work with any number of great tutors who don’t happen to live close by. Online educational help is one of the greatest new opportunities for any student who lives in an area with internet access (check out our online tutoring platform Tutornerd.com).

3. Research and exploration

When students use online media, they have an opportunity to explore the world around them and learn about things they see in the physical world. Students can take a picture of an animal or plant and upload that picture online to find out what species it is or they can research weather patterns or climate change they see around them. Students ask all sorts of questions about their immediate environment but don’t always know how to find the answers to these questions. Because of the short attention span that is common with their age, elementary school students are often no longer interested in their original query by the time they have a chance to go to the library at the weekend. Digital learning puts these answers at their fingertips.

4. Group study

Elementary students can also work with other classmates in an online environment. Many students don’t live close to each other but can get together online, with the help of a parent or tutor, to work with others on a group project or just to help encourage each other to complete assignments or work on a research project. Families are so busy these days that getting together in person can be a challenge but the digital environment is available 24/7 (READ: 5 Reasons to Hire an Orange County Private Tutor).

5. Bells and whistles

Many elementary age students aren’t interested in learning unless there are a lot of extras involved and they want to be able to interact directly with their learning environment. There are tons of applications that give students exactly what they want in this respect and keep them entertained while helping them learn about reading, writing, or math. Because younger students get bored quicker, the digital environment can continuously be upgraded to suit their current educational needs.

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