Teaching in the 21st Century: Technology Use
When I was growing up in school, SMART Boards were introduced and used through the years, but textbooks, hard copies, and hand-writing notes reigned supreme.
Today, children in elementary schools are using tablets or laptops - I thought using the desktop in my parents’ house to make my own CDs was peak technology at that age. Technology has increased its presence in schools greatly in the past 5 years.
As we get deeper into the 21st century, it’s becoming clear that virtual learning is the new normal. While some may think that you can’t effectively teach this way, we are here to share some knowledge on how to best incorporate technology into your classroom, whether you are physically meeting or if you are teaching online.
Benefits of Learning with Tech:
Increased student engagement with the lesson
Opportunities for students to problem-solve
Students can take control of their learning
Additional learning opportunities
Preparing students for their inevitable tech-heavy future
Collaboration with fellow students
Tech in the Classroom:
1. Games to Help With Learning
There are all types of fun online games that were created with the intention of helping children learn. I used to love playing math games on the computer as a kid. Nowadays, there are engaging apps like Kahoot! available for use; students can compete against each other to answer content-related questions, motivating them to know their stuff!
Aside from specific games, you can also amplify learning with creative scavenger hunts where students need to team up and search for answers to questions you pose.
Adding this element of fun into your teaching routine encourages students to work together and keeps them excited to learn.
2. Digital Content Creation
Presentations have always been a part of classes, but you can give your students the opportunity to get more creative and showcase their knowledge by creating a website, creating flyers, recording a podcast, writing blogs, and so much more. You never know, this could even plant a seed for what they want to do professionally in the future.
3. Class Calendar
This is probably already included in some of the online programs available to teachers, but if you don’t already have one, you should create a shared online calendar with your students. A shared classroom calendar keeps everyone on the same page through constant updates, and hosting a place for all of the important due dates, assemblies, field trips, etc. Bonus points if it is able to send notifications a day in advance!
When students have access to this, it helps you stay organized with content and helps your class stay on top of their work.
4. Social Media Integration
Children and teens spend huge amounts of time on social media as it is, so you can use this to your advantage by including it in your curriculum.
One of my history teachers in high school had our class create Facebook pages for historical figures, and we had to make it represent who they were and how they would post. Super fun and creative idea, right?
Another thing you can do is create Facebook groups specific to your classes to discuss readings or certain topics. You can also have students think of unique hashtags for particular events or figures in your lessons. Get involved and show your creativity with this too!
5. Surveys & Polls
Receiving feedback from students helps you help your class. In order to have a successful classroom, you need to gauge the knowledge of your students, find out how they prefer to learn, and ultimately figure out how to get the best out of them. Using polls and surveys, you can get these answers. Do daily or weekly check-ins to know how your students are doing in general. This will help you build trust within those four walls and you will be able to better serve your students what they need.