Tips to Maximize Use of Technology in Education
The National Education Association of the United States estimates that the average teacher uses 27 different types of technology, from laptops to e-readers to interactive projectors. For school administrators, using the right technology is essential to classroom success.
Whether you are a teacher looking for tips and techniques to use in your classroom, or an administrator trying to decide which technologies will make the best use of your limited budget, here are some tips and tricks to maximizing tech use in education.
Integrating computer technology into the classroom is a challenge teachers face every day. The internet is a vital tool that helps students learn, teach and connect to the rest of the world. Nowadays, most students spend their maximum time online, so teachers must figure out how to harness the power of this technology before it takes over their future opportunities.
1. Access to the Internet
In 2014, an estimated $4 billion was spent on notebook computers for internet access across all education levels, with an increase in 2015 specifically within K-12 schools across the United States. Also, 87% of all schools have had Internet access for at least 5 years. 97% of all schools have access to computers.
However, only 60% of schools use a 1-to-1 device initiative; and 80% of teachers say that student performance improves when technology is used in the classroom.
You can also opt for YouTube's live streaming feature, in which anyone can go to the educational stream and watch lessons live or on-demand later. Most of the students can view these lessons from home, which has made it easier for me to close out this quarter.
It has opened up so many opportunities for students. It is a perfect option for low-income families, as this technology has opened up a world of learning. You can easily gather your students' work and assessments in the cloud. It's also fun to use Google Docs and Sheets to make classwork more collaborative and engaging. With these Chromebooks and your phone, you can become a "teacherpreneur."
4. PowerPoint Presentations and Games
These types of presentations can introduce a classroom concept while also encouraging participation. Links to videos that accompany the ideas presented in the PowerPoint can be embedded within the slides, besides graphics and bulleted information. For example, Kahoot, an educational app for the classroom, can review information after a lesson or unit.
At ILM, we can integrate with varied popular tools you're already using including PowerSchool and Google Classroom, giving you the freedom to spend more time teaching and less time navigating between suites. You can contact our experts for more information.