The disinterest of students to attend the classroom and to learn and study in a serious and concentrated way seems to increase more and more, although without a doubt, and as we have commented on occasion, the traditional classes that still exist may be largely to blame.
Endless hours of theory aimed at passive learning make students increasingly dissatisfied and unmotivated, and much more inclined to other ways of accessing information and entertainment , as offered by new technologies. This new reality makes the majority of students more attracted to learning of an informal type, much faster and more dynamic, which does not always contribute to their training but to their entertainment or possible interest. And this should make us adults rethink the forms of teaching and the need or not to prohibit the presence of new technologies in the classroom, among other things.
The reality of the “digital native” student body
Ignoring new technologies cannot be an option today in teaching, since there is already in the classroom a whole generation of students who were born and raised under the influence of computers, mobile devices and social networks , which is the so-called “Generation Z”. For the same reason, debates on the suitability of new technologies in education should be overcome and the ways in which it should be incorporated into everyday learning should be well analyzed, and yet they are not. There are many doubts that continue to exist, motivated in large part by the lack of information and resources, but there are ways to make technology present in the classroom without too much effort in order to achieve an update of teaching methods and a greater interest on the part of students. But how? Attracting unmotivated students who are pure digital natives in the classroom today is easier than it may seem and not only depends on technology, but it does depend on creativity.
Discover some strategies of expert teachers in the digital world applied to teaching that we have compiled in this article!
- Integrate technology in the classroom
The forbidden seduces, so it is not a good strategy to ban technology in the classroom. The recommendation is to bring technology closer to the classroom and guide the student on how to take advantage of it positively. This can be done by guiding on reliable sources, on different ways to search for intelligent information, explaining the importance of looking for reliable sources and always and correctly citing sources, talking about educational technological games that can be part of an active learning … etc. But beware, man does not only live by technology, so looking for a more current learning does not imply giving up other types of strategies such as those that we will continue to see below.
- Integrate play and laughter into activities
It has been shown that the student learns more and more quickly the more positive his educational experience is, or what is the same, the happier and more enjoyable it is. If the student is open to learning, he will be the first collaborator in his own training and vice versa. In this sense, simple or dynamic games that involve physical exercise such as integrating a ball into classroom activities to choose participants or groups at random, is something that has already been done with great success and that can complement the more passive use of new technologies . Encouraging healthy competition and earning extra points for answering questions is another fun activity that can have a positive impact.
- Connect student interests with educational programs
It is important that the teacher is updated on the interests of young people, such as around actors or fashion artists, current cultural currents, the most famous youtuber, the singer who sells the most records, the most alarming social problem of the society you live in, etc. The important thing is that the student realizes that the teacher cares about them and knows their interests and realities . To achieve this, you can search for essays, plays to represent in class, hold a debate or any other dynamic that relates interests to the main topics of educational programs.
- Other dynamics of movement
Some students need to take breaks so they don’t feel too tired and bored, so if you don’t want to have students “tune out” in the classroom, give them the opportunity to really disconnect, to allow them to stretch and move . Dynamics can be done in groups where they have to move from their place, for example, and in the process learn other things such as the benefits of exercise or group work.
These are some strategies that you can carry out to try to put an end to the demotivation of students, but the possibilities are almost endless and there is no one better than the teacher himself to get to know his students and motivate them accordingly. And if you need more ideas, don’t miss our “Games for children” page, where you will find a multitude of dynamics and original strategies for the classroom and for every moment and occasion.
