Students expect to work with technology in the classroom these days, but how do you get creative, engaging lessons with technology? It turns out that there are quite a few ways you can use technology in the classroom to get students excited about learning. Let’s take a look.
Digital Field Trips
Going on a field trip is the highlight of school, but budget constraints and time can put a damper on all that. Digital field trips help students explore places they’ve never been without leaving the classroom.
You can tie the trips to things you’re learning in the classroom or use it as a reward for students performing specific tasks. It’s customizable and could spark a lifelong love of travel in your students. It also helps bring history to life or encourage students to explore nature during science studies. The best part is that there are no complicated logistics.
Online Surveys
Digital feedback is an excellent way to take your classroom temperature and gives students the chance to provide opinions in a safe environment. Plus, when you digitize feedback, you have an ongoing record of the conversation for the future.
You can also use online surveys to gather information about prior knowledge or as exit tickets to help with your overall assessment of each student. The digital record can show a learning trajectory and help you build a portfolio.
Augmented Reality
An exciting advancement in classroom tech is the use of augmented reality. Augmented reality in the classroom allows students to explore objects in the digital space using their actual surroundings. Augmented reality can be applied to science, math, literature, history, and many other lessons. You can find lesson plans online, and students can use devices of their own or provided by the school.
YouTube
YouTube lessons are a great way to have brain breaks, teach complex topics for those falling behind, or create a way for students who finish early to dive more deeply into a certain topic. It’s an excellent choice for teachers who need some fresh alternatives to worksheets.
Students can get off track with YouTube quickly, so you’ll need to have a plan in place to account for those distractions. As a whole class, YouTube has a wealth of information for a variety of subjects, or it could help students take a quick brain break before their next task.
Gamification
Gamification is a big buzzword in education, but there’s a good reason. Children and adults alike learn better with games and gamified reward systems that continually stimulate the brain and keep engagement up. There are plenty of gamification strategies and systems online, but you can also use your own smartboard to create games and rewards.
Gamification relies on the reward-center of the brain and encourages students to continue on a learning trajectory. Plus, gamified lessons are extra memorable. Use memorable gamified lessons and take advantage of online resources such as those from Adobe Education Exchange.
Bring Technology to the Classroom
Technology is a great way to increase engagement and help students learn to navigate their digital world. With the right strategies and tools, you’ll have one more tool you can use to help students make the most of learning. Whether you are teaching basic excel or designing a Power BI Dashboard constantly learning and upskilling is key.