Optimizing Learning: How Touchscreens Help the 21st Century College Student
Technology influences everything in the modern world. That includes how students learn, study and work. In 2015, according to Stastica, there were over 20 million students in college, almost all of whom rely on technology to propel them through higher learning. While many still use laptops, these new generations have grown up in the touchscreen environment, so it makes sense that they would turn to touchscreen tablets to study and gain knowledge.
College Students Embrace Tech
College students regularly bring devices to class and use them in preparing assignments and studying. A Pearson Study revealed some interesting stats about college students and their tech usage and preferences:
Most every college student has a smartphone, with 86% of them regularly using it, while laptop ownership is now at 89%. Thus, students are using different types of tech tools including many of them simultaneously. They also realize the differences between laptop capabilities and small touchscreens, with 83% of students agreeing that touchscreens are transforming the way they learn.
When asked which device they learn best on, one in six college students (16%) said a tablet, which is nearly three times the 6% who said they learned best on a standard smartphone. Two in five (40%) students currently use a tablet at least twice a week for school work.[1]
How Touchscreens Add Value to Learning
Small touchscreens are more mobile than a laptop and easier to stow in backpacks while providing all the necessary tools they need like taking notes and researching online. The touchscreen capabilities of a tablet make reading, highlighting, and hand-writing notes easier, whereas taking notes in class on a laptop can be difficult for those who type slowly. Further, handwritten notes tend to convert better to muscle memory and can therefore cut studying time. Free applications with note-taking software can be downloaded to tablets, allowing for easy note taking with a stylus or finger.
Touchscreens Offer Productivity Advantages
Touchscreens as a second screen can also improve productivity. According to The New York Times’s report of a Jon Peddie Research survey[2], dual monitors have been proven to increase productivity by 20% to 30%. While working on a laptop, a touchscreen can act as a source of additional information. This offers a dual screen setup with a lot less space than multiple monitors, which works particularly well for those living in a dorm or in a small living space. A second screen can also help when reviewing sources or comparing different products or services for a project.
Preparing for College Success with the Right Tools
Every college student needs certain tech tools to succeed. No longer is paper and pen the expected or only learning mechanism. In 2018, it’s all about how technology can optimize student learning, allowing them to manage their time and studies efficiently. As college students rely more on touchscreens as a way to learn, collaborate, and engage, the rise of the touchscreen as a primary or secondary device will continue.
At Mimo Monitors, we believe everything should be interactive, including learning. We offer a range of high-quality, reliable tablets. Our tablets have long battery life so recharging between classes isn’t a worry, and are compatible with Linux, Windows, and Mac OS. Mimo offers a variety of tablet sizes to fit any need or budget. Explore our options.
[1] https://www.pearsoned.com/wp-content/uploads/2015-Pearson-Student-Mobile-Device-Survey-College.pdf
[2] http://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/20/technology/20basics.html