The demand on students to understand Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) is greater than ever before. Current research demonstrates that through hyper-realistic visuals, interactive components and a user-friendly interface, both teachers and students experience learning gains when presented with complex science content. In recent years, a growing number of instructional technologies have emerged to address these learning needs of a growing and diverse K-12 population.

Educational technologies can provide learners with unique, educational experiences, not always possible in the traditional classroom. But what makes these technologies especially useful in the classroom?

Educational technology can allow students to:

Explore and interact with STEM content and practices without the economical or ethical issues of costly consumable materials or preserved animal specimens.
Have the opportunity to experience and recover from experimental (controlled) failure.
View aspects of science that, until now, resided only with the minds of expert scientists and engineers.

It’s an exciting time for K-12 educators and students. STEM learning is more accessible, more interactive, and more immersive than ever before through a growing body of educational technology. To live in the digital age means to learn in the digital age.