Recording Development Observations Using a Tablet in the Classroom – Good or Bad?

As tablets make their way into more and more classrooms, the debate over their beneficiality continues.

In the modern age, everyone is accustomed to using tablets to record a wide range of data. Adding classroom development observations to the mix is a logical step. But what is the effect on education?

Educator Tips

Here are 4 ways recording development observations using a tablet in the classroom is good:

1. Efficiency

Recording development observations is arguably one of the educator’s most important tasks in child care centers. Tracking a child’s development provides insight into their learning style, potential issues, and areas where growth is critical.

The old school method of documenting observations by hand served its purpose but in the modern age, using tablets is much faster. Rather than devoting so much time to handwriting observations, educators who use tablets gain valuable time to focus in other areas.

2. Improved Accuracy

Since using a tablet to record observations is much faster than doing it by hand, observations can be documented in real-time. This means they will be more accurate than if educators sat down to write out progress notes at the end of each day. With improved accuracy in observation documentation comes more detailed evaluations of children’s progress.

3. Motivates Learning

While it may seem counterintuitive, seeing educators using tablets may motivate children to work harder. Children developing in the digital age are interested in technology. Educators can make learning experiences and tablet tracking into a game. It’s similar to the effect a classic star chart has.

4. Easy Sharing

Perhaps the biggest benefit of technology has been its ability to keep people connected. When educators use tablets to document observations in the classroom, they are creating e-Portfolios which can be shared with parents with just the click of a button. This creates a collaborative educational experience.

At the end of the day, tablets in the classroom offer many benefits when it comes to recording development observations. Child care educators can take advantage of the technological tools available to them.