Trends In Educational Technology

Trends in Educational Technology- IXL

When thinking about trends in educational technology, the first thought I have in my brain is of a pendulum and how my coworkers reminisce about Kagan Strategies, CLR (Culturally and Linguistically Responsive), etc. They often share about how in education, a lot of best practice or strategies are reinvented over the years and labeled differently. However, this is not what I will be discussing today. 

Image/GIF Source: Grandfather Clock GIFs | Tenor

In this blog post, I will explore a program called IXL and how that program is not only connected to equity and inclusion in education, but also gaming in education. The program, IXL, can be used in many different content areas with the same goal in mind- targeted instruction at a student’s specific level. With that being said, if you are not familiar with IXL and would like a quick (8 minute) run down, the recorded Loom may be beneficial for you. 

Trends in Educational Technology - Watch Video

Equity and inclusion in education is nonoptional. Ensuring that students have what they need to be successful and given equal opportunities should be the absolute minimum in 2023. Unfortunately, that is not the case. Oftentimes, teachers are constantly working on ways to help close the achievement gap between students of the same grade level. We see the gap widen as the years go on. We also see drastically different resources for different school districts as the years go on. To help level across the nation, IXL is being used by millions of students, thousands of teachers, and more. 

As we cannot control resources, budgets, etc. we can try our best to maximize what we can accomplish inside the classroom. With the rise of the pandemic a few years ago, many school districts took the plunge and purchased enough laptops, tablets, etc. to become one-to-one with students and devices. This was an excellent and necessary jump as it offers more access than before. With IXL, students are now able to receive targeted skill practice and instruction at their level. Students are able to progress at their own pace. With their diagnostic testing scores constantly updating their skill set, students are always on target with their current needs. They are able to incentivize themselves with educational games as they master a certain number of skills. This type of program helps bridge the gaps. Unfortunately, IXL does come at a cost to the school districts who choose to use it. 

In terms of gaming in education, the IXL program does offer games for both reading and math. Students can play these educational games at their leisure. They can use this engaging tool and competitive component to keep pushing forward. I encourage my students to play a game to reward themselves in the last 5 minutes of class. It is still educational, but it is fun! Gaming allows students to still be themselves (gamers and competitive at heart) while still maintaining the skill review and practice they need. 

All in all, I love IXL! But, if you don’t believe me, maybe you will believe these people who shared their passion and success stories for the program that has helped so many. 

5 Additional Resources (in case you did not catch the embedded links 😁)

1. IXL | Math, Language Arts, Science, Social Studies, and Spanish
2. IXL overview for middle and high schools - YouTube
3. IXL Review for 2023 | Approvedcourse.com
4. What is IXL and How Does it Work? | Tech & Learning (techlearning.com)
5. IXL - Testimonials