Our Favourite Uses of Technology to Make Learning Fun and Easy

Technology has come a long way since most of us began our education. Calculators are now a feature of every mobile phone, rather than having to be powered by a super-computer or carried around in a suitcase. Smartphones can perform a huge number of functions that we used to need various different pieces of equipment for, from a separate MP3 player and a laptop computer to a pedometer strapped to our waistband and a compass in our pocket.

It stands to reason, then, that in addition to all the entertainment uses of technology, we can also utilise these new functionalities for educational purposes. Here’s a rundown of our favourite apps, websites and products that make learning that much easier:

Rosetta Stone

Probably the most well-known piece of software available for learning languages, Rosetta Stone has made a name for itself as being an engaging and effective way of learning to speak a new language. It has gone through plenty of changes over its 20 years in existence, keeping up with changing technologies and pedagogies, and has benefited 12,000+ organisations, 9,000+ public and non-profits, 22,000+ educational institutions and millions of individual learners worldwide. And they still found time to make an app!

eBooks

No longer do we have to trade a healthy back with knowledge and lug around 1,000-page tomes. Nowadays technology has made it possible to condense gigantic books into a tablet the thickness of a pencil and the weight of a pack of cards. And observers are none the wiser as to whether you’re reading 50 Shades of Grey, War and Peace or Computing for Dummies. Additionally, eBooks have significantly reduced the cost of learning, down from £12.99 or so for a book (much more for a technical book!) to £5 or less for an eBook. This opens the doors hugely to learning new things, as we’re no longer restricted by what we can spend or carry.

YouTube

While at first glance it can be seen as an entertainment-based website, YouTube is actually a mine of educational gold. From ‘how to’ tutorials to conference talks, YouTube really makes learning easy for those of us who learn best by watching and listening. And the ‘Recommended’ videos down the side help to expand our knowledge in ways we hadn’t imagined, taking us from sales techniques to book writing tips to, of course, hilarious cat videos.

Wikipedia

Everything you could ever want to know is now housed on one website, editable by individuals. If you’re a subject matter expert and you find a topic lacking or non-existent, you’re welcome to contribute to its creation and benefit hundreds of thousands of others who aren’t as knowledgeable. It’s a pretty nice ego-booster to know you’re helping out so many people hungry for knowledge!

From conducting research for your chemistry homework and learning about the solar system to completing your tax return and finding a list of all horror films released since 1980, there is information for every instance. And with Android and iOS apps available to download, finding information is easier than ever before.

Learning Management Systems

Well, we couldn’t list our favourite technology-related learning resources without including our Academy LMS in the line-up! Learning Management Systems are online platforms for delivering, monitoring and reporting on training programmes. Corporate LMSs are used within organisations to upskill employees, while educational LMSs can be used for higher educational purposes.

Some Learning Management Systems are pretty basic and will do just the bear minimum, while others – the Academy LMS included – offer much, much more: gamification, social learning features, classroom management, performance management and more.

These are just a few of the technologies available to us which have made it so much easier to find information, learn new things and improve our lives. Want to learn more about how technology is making learning more fun and engaging? Download our free white paper below and see how technology can be used in the classroom to boost learning!