Finding innovative applications for classroom technology can not only make your job as a teacher easier, but it can also increase students’ levels of interest in and engagement with the material being taught.
There is no limit to the number of ways that technology can be used in the classroom to create an enhanced learning environment.
Some of the ways that it can be used include facilitating communication between teachers and students (as well as peer-to-peer communication), organizing curriculum calendars, and enhancing presentations and lessons with media and visuals.
If you are seeking specific instances of how using technology in the classroom might improve educational outcomes, the following are some possibilities to consider:
Educational Games
I owe everything I know about typing now to the hours I spent as a kid playing typing games in the elementary school computer lab.
The games were fantastic, and the programs were fantastically engaging for teaching children to type, but more importantly, they made using a computer interesting and thrilling for me, laying the groundwork for all subsequent computer education. Using technology for “gamified learning” in the classroom can help make learning more fun, which is a very important goal. Learning software has its place in the classroom, but making learning more fun can be as simple as making a virtual scavenger hunt by giving students a list of questions to answer and putting them in pairs or small groups to encourage working together.
The Advantages Of Virtual Field Trips
Teachers looking for innovative methods to incorporate technology into the classroom are increasingly turning to virtual field trips because of their popularity, utility, and low cost.
Through the use of Google Street View and other comparable applications, students can virtually visit parks, woods, and even national and international sites without ever leaving the classroom. Get students interested in studying about a region or subject by letting them virtually experience the view from the Statue of Liberty or hike through the Grand Canyon.
Connect Your Social Media
Students spend so much time on social media that bringing it into the classroom can be one of the most creative uses of technology to help students connect with the material, each other, and the teacher.
Make a Facebook group for your class and post discussion questions for students to answer, or create a special hashtag for your classroom to use on Twitter.
Request Student Opinions
Students’ opinions are important for figuring out what is working and what isn’t in the classroom and for fixing problems and confusion as they come up.
Check in with students on a daily or weekly basis using online surveys and polls to hear their thoughts on lessons and address any issues or concerns they may have. Enhance the use of Twitter hashtags by having students use a dedicated classroom hashtag when tweeting comments and queries.
Making New Media Content
Students can show what they know and how creative they are by making digital content that relates to what they are learning. Content creation is improved in the same way as any other type of assignment: when students are given the chance to express themselves in ways that play to their individual strengths and best fit their preferred ways of learning and communicating. Make it possible for students to share their ideas in whatever form they find most appealing, whether it’s through a blog, video, podcast, eBook, flier, or other digital art.
Each student can reach his or her full potential in school if his or her uniqueness and need for artistic expression are respected.
Methods Of Using A Calendar In The Classroom
Make use of Google Calendar or any comparable tool to create a shared online calendar for your classroom.
Keep all important dates (such as due dates for assignments and classroom events like field excursions and guest lecturers) in one central location.
Involve parents further by giving them access to the calendar so they may track their child’s progress and participate in their education.
Analyze And Evaluate Existing Online Resources
Even though you can discover just about anything online, we want you to be aware that a lot of it isn’t accurate or comes from shady sources.
When it came time to do research for papers, I recall hearing from many teachers and professors that “Wikipedia is not a reputable source,” but I can’t think of a single teacher who ever articulated why.
Together with your students, study websites and resources to establish criteria for what constitutes a reputable source and disseminate these criteria.
Instructional Videos And Multimedia Presentations
Use slideshows, films, and music to engage students in your lectures.
Creating slideshows and digital presentations, playing music or a video as background or context while presenting, or inviting virtual guest speakers to engage with your class via programs designed for conference calls (such as Skype, Google Hangouts, and Facetime) are all enjoyable and inventive ways to increase student engagement with lessons while teaching the advantages of technology and multimedia use.
