Creative Ways To Incorporate Technology In Your Classroom
In 2022, technology has become a big part of our everyday lives. Not only do we interact with it every day via phones and computers, but many of us work remotely, communicate, and regularly collaborate with people from all over the world. Therefore, we must prepare the student by exposing and teaching them how to use technology effectively and productively. One way to do so is by incorporating technology in your classroom and your lessons. Below are four ways you can do precisely that.
1. Encourage your students to create.
I am a big proponent of project-based learning because students have more opportunities to show you what they know and what they are passionate about. So, I incorporate technology in the unit projects I create as much as possible. It can sound daunting or challenging for teachers who are not tech-savvy, but the students are always excited to take the lead and show what they can do with the technology. This is especially true at the middle and high school levels. For example, I’ve had students record podcasts, conduct audio and visual interviews, create brochures, slideshows, campaign advertisements, etc. I always offer options for students to create something that they are excited about, but that will also challenge them. I also regularly solicit student input about project ideas and technology. Often, they suggest great ideas on ways to incorporate tech they know into our lessons. Therefore, do not be afraid to have those discussions with your students.
2. Create opportunities for collaboration in and out of the classroom.
Collaboration is a vital 21st-century skill. You’d be surprised how many adults are out here in the professional world with no real clue how to collaborate effectively and efficiently. Therefore, not only should you create opportunities for collaboration in the classroom, but you must also deliberately teach it. There are some great online tools for collaboration. Some examples of these tools are:
Twiddla: An online interactive whiteboard. You can mark up websites, graphics, and photos or start drawing on a blank canvas.
MindMeister: This is a collaborative mind-mapping tool. Using their intuitive editor, your class can map your big ideas together in pairs or groups quickly and beautifully.
Tackk: With this tool, you can post one or more pieces of digital content and then have an online discussion about that content.
Diigo: This tool is a social bookmarking site. It makes organizing and saving web resources faster and easier for students. Users can highlight any part of the web and attach sticky notes to specific highlights or the whole page.
You can use these sites in various ways in your daily lessons to have students engage with each other collaboratively both in and out of the classroom.
3. Utilize games for review of preview of information.
Students love to play review games, especially competitive review games. Since the pandemic, Kahoots has quickly become a favorite. Also, with a quick internet search, you can find PowerPoint Jeopardy templates and Family Feud templates. Review games are a great way to go over the content and get students excited. You do not have to reinvent the wheel. Find something suitable for your subject and content and try it in your class.
4. Give students options in how they can showcase their understanding.
Typically, when creating a project for my class, I try to give students options in the tech they can use to complete the project. For example, when students were conducting a border study in my class one year, I offered them the option of creating their final project using Google Maps, Google Slides, or Canva to create their presentations. Students were given a short tutorial on using each and then chose the one they felt most comfortable with.
The use of technology is a great way to enhance the students’ experience and increase student engagement overall. The teachers should be creative and use technology to their advantage and encourage students to experiment with new things even if it might be scary at first. The added benefit is that students learn and practice skills beyond the classroom.