In just a few years, digital assistants have gone from a novelty to nearly ubiquitous. Much like the smartphone revolution a decade earlier, Amazon Alexa and Google Home are transforming the way we live, work and learn. This could not be more apparent anywhere else than in the classroom, where Alexa programming is helping drive superior educational outcomes while getting students more engaged with the learning process.
How voice technology is being implemented in classrooms
Products such as Amazon Alexa are a natural fit for today’s classroom. They are relatively inexpensive to purchase, they can be easily programmed to provide a vast amount of educational functionality and — most importantly — students love interacting with A.I.-driven voice assistants.
So, how are teachers and administrators using Alexa and other platforms in the classroom? Let’s take a look at a few of the most popular implementations:
Storytelling
Alexa is capable of reading stories to students, including popular audiobooks. This is particularly well-suited for younger classrooms, where the novelty of having a voice assistant lead “story time” is always an attraction.
Mathematics
In addition to reading stories, Alexa has the ability to perform calculations and teach basic math skills. This can liven up instruction and provide teachers with an easy resource to check student work after class is over.
History lessons
Along with her ability to spin a tale, Alexa is also a current events whiz, as she can offer daily news rundowns. Alexa programming also allows teachers to use the device to administer historical trivia games and other content.
Science
Alexa can also be programmed to deliver basic science lessons on everything from biology to the natural world or deliver popular science-focused podcasts.
Administrative functions
Teaching isn’t all about lecturing or offering hands-on instruction. Alexa’s programmed skills can help teachers with classroom time management tasks (by setting reminders) along with providing students a resource to discover information on their own, without having to interrupt the teacher.
These implementations represent just a few of the ways Alexa is being used to improve the learning experience. As the number of Alexa voice applications (or “skills”) continues to grow, teachers will have an even greater number of creative, voice-based approaches to deploy in the classroom.
Preparing for a voice-activated future
Growth in the voice assistant market has been explosive in recent years — and adoption of smart speakers is projected to rise by another 1000% by 2023. We are quickly shifting from a world mediated through a keyboard to a world that is run largely by voice command.
Whether at home, in the office or in the classroom, voice assistants are quickly becoming our default option for interfacing with the connected world. Schools that stay at the vanguard of this change will be best equipped to help their students navigate this transition.
A top Orlando marketing agency like BIGEYE can assist in this process by delivering sophisticated Alexa programming services at a competitive rate. Equipped with the right set of skills, Alexa can keep students engaged and excited while allowing teachers to work more efficiently at the same time. Talk with our voice engineers today to learn more about how we can personalize voice technology for your classroom.
