My Genius Hour Project
How can technology be used in health education?
Why should technology be used in the classroom?
We live in a constantly changing world. As our world becomes more developed and increasingly globalized, technology is the best way that our society can keep up. People are becoming increasingly more familiar with technology, so it is necessary that updated health information is communicated through these means. By incorporating technology into a classroom, students are provided with practically unlimited resources to further their learning.
Using technology in education encourages interactive learning and can provide students with tools to initiate creativity and collaboration. Student voice is supported by technology because it puts students in charge of their own learning. Students who learn at different paces and in different ways greatly benefit from technology in classrooms.
How can technology be used in health education?
There are many ways in which teachers can use technology to teach personal and public health to their students. In my research I found one school that had compiled a presentation of how they had been using technology in health education. The school created “Learning Labs” where the students can go to use technology to learn about personal and community health. The "Learning Labs" are essentially computer stations that are set up with different programs where kids learn about health topics. They also organized workshops where kids could learn about health topics.
There are many resources on the internet that can help kids learn about health. There are several websites that have videos about different health topics, and there are also websites where students can collaborate on projects to learn about different topics.
Why is this important?
Studies show that health education in elementary schools can play a key role in creating healthy behavior patterns that will last a lifetime because of the link between adaptive health behaviors in childhood and their positive influence on behaviors later in life. In our growing world, it is necessary that people learn how they can stay healthy in order to live a longer life with a better quality of life. Students with more health knowledge create healthier people, which creates a healthier world.