Welcome to my inaugural post! The first topic we’re going to cover is tech in the classroom.
Some teachers hear the phrase “Use technology in your classroom” and teach as though the technology is the lesson. Unless you’re teaching a course or unit on learning how to use a particular piece technology (e.g., robotics or CTE), that’s probably not quite what your admin expects.
The challenge then becomes “How do I incorporate technology into my lesson to enhance student learning?” I will be writing a series of posts on doing just this.
To begin with, think of another tool you use in class. Maybe math manipulatives such as base 10 blocks. If you’re teaching a lesson on place value, the manipulative is not the learning objective. You could use counters, money, or base 10 blocks to teach place value, but the most useful tool to visualize it is probably going to be the blocks. This doesn’t mean you can’t use other manipulatives as well or in place of the blocks, just that they will be more effective.
The same thought process can be applied to incorporating tech in the classroom. Let’s look at the most used piece of technology you probably have available – your Smart board/projector. My campus moved from SMART boards to SHARP touchscreens a couple of years ago, but the premise is the same. The students are likely used to this device, as they have probably had one in every classroom and every grade. This is what you use to project videos, interact with, and use a document camera with. I’d never have a lesson designed for the sole purpose of using this technology just because it’s available, but I incorporate it into my lessons because it is the most efficient way of displaying information for students to see.
Think of another piece of technology that you have available in your classroom. How do you incorporate it into your lessons to make learning efficient, fun, and engaging?
Stay tuned, and I will share some more Tech in the Classroom ideas in later posts.
Anna Sparkman 