With all the latest technology applied to smartphones today, it’s about time the smartwatch was launched! But how much do you really know about them? Yes, you can test them at the store, however, you can’t fully understand what a smartwatch is capable of unless you put it to use! So that’s what we did!

Here are some of the ways we discovered that smartwatches can help promote student success:

1. Syndicate Everything

Syndication is key. We’re sure you can relate to the moment when you're scrambling to class, carrying your books, laptop, and coffee; your phone is ringing or an alarm goes off. In that moment there is just no way you can check your phone and respond to the notification accordingly, without dropping everything in your arms or stopping to put it all down. Even with all the helpful technology phones have, they just can't do it all. The smartwatch will allow you to syndicate your devices and send direct notifications to you at a flick of the wrist. It’s a functionality that is space saving and time saving… both of which are extremely important!

2. Professional Etiquette

Whether you’re in a class or at the library, using your phone is disruptive to you and those around you. Phones are often times banned from classes. Now your ability to prep notifications, schedule events and check important emails are tucked away in your bag. Smartwatches allow students to discreetly check the necessities without being distracted by a large glaring screen and an unlimited number of available activities that a smartphone presents.

3. Engagement

Getting students to interact is often challenging inside the classroom. Similar to the smartboard approach, discussed in a previous TechSpec blog, smartwatches can allow students to engage with their teachers anonymously through messaging apps. This function would help teachers address questions that often times many students are too shy to ask.

4. Study Methods

With the way education is changing each year, standardized testing is a tool that remains predictable. Although a timer is a smartphone function already, the convenience of having it on your wrist allows students to study in a more realistic testing environment; since phones are banned from test taking. To put it simply, the device lets you easily and conveniently monitor time spent on an activity.

5. Future Uses

Tech companies will consistently put out updated software and new functions for their smartwatches. This means there will always be more possibilities for how smartwatches can be used successfully in education.

To list a few...

• With smartboards entering the education system, smartwatches could have the capability to act as a remote.
• Increase engagement by syndicating the teacher's presentation to the students smartwatches.
• Often times it is hard to know which student raised their hand first; using a smartwatch as a way to submit their name to a queue could increase student participation. 

Smartwatches are still new to the tech world thus research on how they will positively affect education is still being monitored. Many arguments have been made that smartwatches do everything your smartphone can do. However, smartwatches should be thought of as a compliment to your phone, not a replacement. The ability to glance at important information on your wrist is obviously useful and therefore predicts that this technology will be adapted into the classroom sooner than most critics think. Critics are skeptical that having smart device technology on students' wrists will enable them to cheat. Still, as with any new technology, teachers, and schools need to be educated on the costs and benefits of these devices inside the classroom. Technology must always be embraced in education and instead of retreating and relying on old methods, it should be looked at to help students and educators in a modern day classroom.

Looking for more information on an education in technology? Learn more about how Touro Graduate School of Technology is fulfilling its mission of educating “tomorrow’s technology leaders today!”