There exist laws and policies to ensure that every child has access to an education. However, what is more important than receiving an education is receiving a "quality" education and in their definition of a quality education UNICEF suggests ( among many other things) that the content must be relevant and adaptable. As such, it is essential that teachers incorporate technology into their daily teaching practices and ensure that they are using devices and tools that are current and prevalent within society. The education system is complex in nature and how children learn and the skills and knowledge that they need to succeed and that they require to become contributing members in society is continuously changing. To ensure a quality education means adapting teaching practices and strategies to reflect the current needs of students and there has been a significant amount of research done that shows that wearable technologies have the potential to increase the quality of education for all children.
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EngagementStudent engagement is an important aspect of a quality education and engaging all students can be a difficult task for even the best educators. Students are currently using technology and wearable devices outside of the classroom and for personal and social purposes. Integrating these devices in the classroom and using them to deliver curriculum content allows students to be actively engaged in their learning. For example, a Fitbit allows students to compete with one another, allows them to track their heart rate and physical activity levels as well as keep an ongoing food log. Another example is the Run-N-Read which allows students who cannot sit long enough to read a book, to walk around or run while reading.
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PerspectiveWearable technologies allow students student to experience things first hand. They are able to share their perspectives with one another and provide a first-person point of view. For example in a large lecture hall, student can provide input and ask questions with one another or their teacher without having to interrupt and without having to speak in front of everyone. These devices also allow teachers to teach using real life situations. For example, students can watch their biology teacher perform a dissection just like they can watch their history teacher explore the Mayan Ruins while on vacation.
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ImmediacyInstant feedback, Instant access and Instant communication are made possible with the use of wearable technology. Teachers , students and parents are able to send and receive notifications from anywhere and at anytime knowing that they will be received and acted upon immediately. Teachers are also able to intervene and provide assistance to students by sending them alerts or monitoring their progress.
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