As we have entered and stepped into the next generation of technological integration in almost every aspect of our life, the classroom is no different. With a multitude of services at the disposal of students and teachers alike, this revolution is one to be taken advantage of and wielded to enhance the learning experience.
Derived from an article published by Forbes Magazine, “16 Ways Teachers, Parents And Communities Can Leverage Tech To Improve Educational Outcomes”, I believe this list can be condensed down to 5 main tools that should be used in the classroom.
- Educational Apps
Applications and websites such as Kahoot, Edpuzzle, and others create an environment where students do not feel like their assignments are work as they are formatted like a game. In truth, these websites offer a level of engagement other deeper than that of the traditional lecture using competition.
2. Video Conferencing
While the Covid Pandemic emboldened the importance of applications such as Zoom and Google Meets, these tools have been at the disposal of teachers for some time now. They offer a direct way for teachers to interact live face-to-face with students and parents outside of the classroom.
3. Multimedia Lessons
With many classrooms now being outfitted with overhead projection displays connected to classroom computers, the use of multimedia such as PowerPoint and Youtube videos have become prevalent. This allows students to engage in a lesson with multimodality and cater to the different learning styles of students.
4. Augmented Reality
Of the many innovations in recent years, Augmented reality tools allow the use of technology use in three-dimensional spaces. For students with a proclivity for visual and physical learning, this is a great tool in a multitude of fields and topics a student or class may be studying.
5. Physical Hardware
Many students are still without access to a computer at home as well as modern touchscreen phones and tablets. The importance and usefulness that school-provided hardware such as laptops or Ipads brings are what allow students to have access to these great features in the first place. Whether it be for taking notes or creating projects, having up-to-date technology in classrooms is the most important of all.
With the technological world evolving around us it only makes sense that as educators we evolve with it as our students do. This is only the beginning of what is possible in a technologically advanced classroom and with new innovations being advanced each day the future is bright.
Thank you for reading.
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