Advancements in technology have had a huge impact on education, helping to revolutionise the way people learn in the 21st century.
While the core foundation route through school, college and university remains intact, the way information is accessed and delivered is no longer the same.
Studying at home is now much more prevalent, with technology impacting the way people learn regardless what stage they are at on their educational journey.
Education across the board has become a much more interactive process, allowing people to engage with subjects like never before.
At primary and secondary school level, children are able to use tech to enrich their learning and head into adulthood with a much more rounded view of the world.
Further along the age scale, the increased flexibility offered by tech has also improved accessibility for adults to learning resources.
Online distance courses are now all the rage, with people able to study at a time and place that suits their individual circumstances.
Read on as we take a closer look how tech impacts home learning and offer advice on how to maximise the benefits of the experience.
Investing in the future through tech
It is imperative to get children invested in learning at an early age and ensuring that they have the proper tech kit is a great way to achieve that.
Buying a tablet for your kids is the perfect way to get them on the tech ladder and provides them with a tool that can be used for both fun and home learning.
Amazon’s Fire HD 8 Kids Edition Tablet features a child-friendly interface and hard-impact case that can withstand the toughest knocks.
The unit is powered by a 1.3GHz quad-core MediaTek MT8163 processor and 1.5GB of RAM, making it ideal learning or gaming activities.
There is also an 8-inch display (1,280 x 800 IPS), a 2MP camera and Dolby Atmos-enabled stereo speakers, while battery life comes in at impressive 11 hours.
With a one-year subscription to the Amazon Fire for Kids Unlimited service and two-year damage and breakage warranty, this is undoubtedly one of the best tablets you can buy for kids.
Moving things up a notch with the MateBook X Pro
With education increasing in intensity as you progress through life, it is important to ensure that your tech keeps pace with your needs.
By the time kids reach secondary school age it is highly likely they’ll need a laptop to support their studies and that is certainly the case for college years and beyond.
The Huwaei MateBook X Pro is a cost-effective solution, offering levels of functionality that will suit home learning activities regardless of your age.
The Core i7 model of the MateBook X Pro features 16GB of RAM, a 512GB SSD and an NVIDIA MX150 GPU which can handle daily computing tasks extremely effectively.
The aluminium design gives the product a high-quality feel, while the Dolby backed sound output is hugely impressive.
With a price point that pitches it much lower than many of the more well-known brands, the MateBook X Pro is the ideal laptop to support home studies.
STEM websites hit the right notes
For any parents wishing to help their kids learn at home, STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) websites are a fantastic innovation.
Learning via the internet provides kids with a greater understanding of the world around them and gives them valuable skills they can use later in life.
There are hundreds of different online sites which are designed to support learning, with NOVA, Funology and Code three of our favourites.
NOVA is an excellent science-themed site, featuring regular contributions from experts within that particular sector.
Funology does exactly what it says on the tin, adding humour into the learning process and providing kids with a ton of resources across different STEM subjects.
Code provides kids with a grounding in tech, teaching them how to build websites and apps in addition to showing them the basics of HTML.
Learning is a never-ending process
The internet has helped to facilitate an ethos of continual personal development, allowing people to keep learning throughout their journey in life.
Whether you are studying a specific subject or simply looking to enhance your knowledge, the world wide web provides you with the platform to achieve your goals.
There are some fantastic online resources available, including the online learning community Skillshare which helps people to tap into their creative potential.
Learning on Skillshare is practical rather than academic, allowing users to develop their own unique style rather than sticking to a rigid format.
TED-Ed is another excellent site, allowing both teachers and learners to widen their knowledge across a vast array of subjects.
Supported by the TED ethos of ‘ideas worth spreading’, the award-winning site is firmly established as one of the most popular learning resources in the world.
Staying safe in the digital age
Regardless of your age it is vital to stay safe and secure when using tech to support your home learning activities.
Parental controls on tablets and laptops are an essential tool where kids are concerned, giving you peace of mind that they are shielded from the darker corners of the internet.
Spend time talking to them about the things they should avoid online, particularly in respect of talking to people they don’t know.
All devices should also have suitable virus and firewall software installed to protect against malware or other rogue programs.
If you are using chargeable learning resources, make sure that you visit sites that implement the necessary security protocols to keep your personal details safe.
Home learning should be a fulfilling experience for anyone who undertakes it and implementing safe practices will help you to achieve this.
The final word on tech for home learning