25 Easy Ways to Use Technology in the Classroom [+ Downloadable List]
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Written by Marcus Guido
Category
- Adaptive Learning
- Game-Based Learning
- Teaching Strategies
- Teaching Tools
Delivering Content
1. Run a Virtual Field Trip
2. Preview Field Trips Virtually
Similarly, you can use Google Earth to explore locations before actually visiting them. Let’s say your class is set to go to the Zoo. Find the location, traveling through it using Street View to see which exhibits pique the most student interest. You can quickly discuss what they’re looking forward to, boosting excitement levels for the trip. Popular field trip destinations will also have websites filled with visual media you can use to complement the preview. All it takes is a device connected to a projector or large screen.3. Quiet a Noisy Classroom
4. Use Videos for Mini-Lessons
You can bolster your lesson plans by using videos as stand-alone overviews for some topics. Also available as skill reviews and previews, there are many websites that host teacher-made video content. TeacherTube is an example of an education-only version of YouTube, covering core school subjects.You can search for a specific topic or browse by category, quickly finding relevant videos. For example, searching for “middle school algebra” will load a results page containing study guides, specific lessons and exam reviews. This easy way to use technology in the classroom adds a multimedia element to your lessons, which can effectively resonate with visual learners. Research has shown that the use of animated videos can positively impact a child’s development in several competence areas including memory, creativity, critical thinking, and problem solving.5. Co-ordinate Live Video
6. Play Podcasts
Playing relevant podcasts can not only supplement your lessons, but engage auditory learners and act as a learning station.Made by groups ranging from media giants to ordinary people passionate about a particular subject, you can find podcasts that are:- Interviews with the author of a book your students are reading
- Lessons about studying techniques and strategies
- Explorations of a curriculum-related topic
- Lectures from professors
7. Add Multimedia Elements to Presentations
Whereas slideshow presentations entirely made up of text can disengage students, ones with multimedia elements can effectively hold their attention by varying content delivery. When applicable, try to include:- Images
- Graphs
- Pictographs
- Podcast clips
- Sound effects
- Short video lessons
- News, movie and television show clips
8. Send Adaptive Content
9. Share an Online Class Calendar
To keep students informed regarding the content they’ll be tackling, create and share a class calendar that details lessons and highlights important dates. You can use a program such as Google Calendar, emailing your calendar’s hyperlink to your students or their parents.This not only keeps them informed, but helps you stay organized -- you’ll quickly see if you’ve set too many due dates in a short period. And by keeping students in the loop, you’ll help them come prepared for each class.Helping Students Process Content
10. Use Virtual Manipulatives
When teaching and reinforcing some math concepts, students can use virtual manipulatives in more ways than physical ones. For example, a 6th grade geometry activity from the National Library of Virtual Manipulatives involves using geoboards to illustrate area, perimeter and rational concepts. Although there are a few websites that provide these manipulatives, many teachers regard the National Library of Virtual Manipulatives as the most versatile and engaging. The website is made up of tasks targeted to students from pre-kindergarten to 12th grade. So, there should be something for your class. This method of using technology in the classroom is not only easy to run, but appeals to hands-on learners.11. Run Learning Stations
- Using virtual manipulatives
- Solving relevant problems in a computer game
- Recording their thoughts about, and responses to, a podcast
- Contributing notes to a group Wiki page, which this guide explains in a later section
12. Provide Online Activities for Students Who Complete Work Early
Similarly, you can set up stations for students to use when they complete work early, giving them engaging ways to further process content. Set up a few devices that have videos, websites and educational games open. Take time to ensure that this material is aligned with your lesson, allowing students to delve into relevant topics. By doing so, you’ll encourage them to wisely use every bit of class time. Even those few minutes before the bell rings.13. Save Time for Exit Tickets
- Online Journal Entries -- Using an online notepad, students can write a journal entry to summarize what they learned.
- Slideshow Comments -- Sharing copies of slideshows from the day’s lesson, students can make comments through PowerPoint or Google Slides to review and expand on important points.
- Tweets -- In 140 characters or less, students can summarize the most important point they learned in class. You can easily see what they wrote by asking them to use a class-exclusive hashtag.
14. Use Twitter Hashtags to Take Questions
Just as you can use a class-exclusive hashtag for exit tickets, you can use it to take questions throughout the day.By inputting the hashtag in Twitter’s search bar, you can display the feed on a screen during class or check it periodically on your device. You can choose to answer all the questions at once, or as they pop up. Either way, you don’t want to see an empty feed. Encourage students to ask inquiry questions, as well as specific ones related to lessons, presentations, homework and more. This use of technology can be especially beneficial for introverts, who may not be comfortable asking questions in front of the class.15. Study, Review and Critique Content on Web Pages
16. Use Online Mind Maps for Class Brainstorms
A digital take on brainstorming, there are websites you can use to create clear and detailed mind maps faster than written ones. For example, many teachers use MindMeister, as its features are designed for students and educators. Put the program on a screen that everyone can see. Work with your students to brainstorm ideas as a way to reinforce lessons or launch a problem-based learning exercise.It should only take a few minutes to set up this kind of classroom technology.17. Gather Student Feedback
Allowing Students to Create Products
18. Launch a Wiki Page for a Collaborative Assignment
Collaboration doesn’t have to take place face-to-face, as you can give group assignments focused on creating a wiki page. There are many programs you can use to create wiki pages, which are web pages that different people can edit.As a project, students can create one about a relevant topic. This process inherently encourages collaboration -- students must contribute their own content to the page, editing and refining each other’s work. This version of a group paper may also prove to be more engaging than its classic counterpart.19. Set Up Student Blogs
- Poems
- Short essays
- Diary entries from the perspective of a historical figure or character from a novel
20. Offer Open-Ended Projects
When it comes time to start a new project, give students a list of options to choose from. This way, you can appeal to their distinct learning styles and they can effectively demonstrate their knowledge. The projects can involve:- Designing web content
- Putting together ebooks
- Creating original artwork
- Composing musical tunes
- Crafting multimedia products
21. Use Online Sign-Ups
When it comes time for students to deliver presentations, using digital signup forms is an easy way to incorporate technology. Like sharing a class calendar, send students a link to a survey. It should just contain a list of dates to choose from, so they can schedule a presentation time that works for them. They’ll likely be happy to complete the project on their own paces.22. Base Assignments on Technology-Focused Subjects
Offering a Unique Learning Experience
23. Introduce a Game-Based Learning Platform
An ambitious way to use technology in the classroom, you can introduce a game-based learning platform.Most are designed to engage students, enlivening difficult topics and subjects. Research backs up other benefits, too. For example, video games stimulate an increase in midbrain dopamine to help store and recall information, according to a 2014 article in the journal of Learning, Media and Technology. Prodigy is one, providing math content up to the 8th grade level that’s aligned with curricula across Canada, Australia, England and the United States. Teachers can create classrooms, track student progress and deliver custom questions through plans and assignments. You can create and sign into your free teacher account below: If the benefits intrigue you, read this five-step guide to implementing game-based learning in the classroom.24. Play Simulations
Geared to solo and group use, online simulation games can add context and real-world applicability to your lessons. Most simulations deal with subjects such as business and economics, which require the player to have math skills higher than the elementary level. But it is possible to find ones that appeal to younger students. Regardless, as simulation programs become more advanced, they grow more engaging by teaching students how to apply their knowledge in a greater range of scenarios. And, because many of these programs work on most devices, you’ll have an easy time testing and using them.25. Participate in a Webquest
Downloadable List of the 25 Easy Ways to Use Technology in the Classroom
Click here to download and print a simplified list of the 25 easy ways to use technology in the classroom, keeping it at your desk for easy reference.Infographic
Created by Educational Technology and Mobile Learning -- an online resource for teaching tools and ideas -- below is an infographic based on this article: [caption id="attachment_615" align="aligncenter" width="360"]