Technology is becoming a part of people’s lives, and it has led to many changes – both in how we think and in how we learn.
The business landscape has changed as well. Companies want people with a different set of skills, and they are looking for more “competency-based” certifications that can work in an increasingly global market.
The globalization of our society is a direct result of the recent technological boom, which means that the barriers between different parts of world are starting to break down. It’s part of the world in which we live, and it’s showing no signs of slowing down. However, classrooms and teachers aren’t as eager to embrace the technological breakthroughs within the field of education, and there could be a number of reasons why.
Even if teachers are resisting the wave of change, it doesn’t mean they will be able to stop it. Some have predicted that students will have the ability to interact with teachers and other students remotely from their computers, and that the technology will focus more on individual education instead of on the traditional classroom setting. While I can agree with the former prediction, I’m not as inclined to accept the latter. I believe that teachers will play a major role in the education of children, but the methods in which students are taught will most likely change.
I’m not suggesting that we abandon traditional methods, but there is a growing need for teachers to use the educational tools that the Technological Age has brought us. There are many online courses and learning resources that can help students grasp certain subjects, and they can make it easier for teachers to relate to our digital youth.
The future of educational technology will rely on how well teachers are able to use them in the classroom, which means that they will have to think differently about how they teach. I have put together a list of online tools that teachers can use to enhance their experience in the classroom, and they can help students have a stronger learning environment.
#1: Dropbox
Cloud computing has become a technological tour-de-force in the last few years, and it has changed the way people store files on their computers. Many businesses have used it to make it easier for people within their organization to access files from multiple systems, as well as to share information with different users on their network.
The same technology can also be used in a classroom setting, as it can make it easier for teachers and students to share files and electronic documents. Dropbox has a number of features that can allow teachers to share specific folders with their students, and they can access them from their computers. There is even a mobile app, which can allow students to view and edit them from their tablet or smartphone.
#2: ClassDojo
A large part of teaching is managing the classroom, and ClassDojo makes the process easier. However, it doesn’t focus on the standard “gold star” method that has been used by teachers for years. It puts more emphasis on providing “positive feedback” to students. You can also add more detailed information about the student’s performance or behavior, and you can send public or private messages to parents about his or her progress. It will even allow parents to look at their child’s feedback in real time, so they can stay up to date about how he or she is doing in class.
#3: Edmodo
Communication in the classroom can be a challenge, especially if you have a large group of students to manage. Edmodo can offer a more streamlined approach to this part of classroom management. It can serve as a conduit for submitting assignments, getting grades, and sending any relevant information to your students. It makes it easier to post assignments, messages, polls, quizzes, calendars, and other classroom resources, and they can access them online.
#4: Educreations
Some say that the whiteboard as we knew it is dead, but it has been given a new life with Educreations. It gives you the ability to create electronic whiteboards with lessons and tutorials that you can share with your students. It’s easy to create diagrams, commentaries, animations, and other instructions, and you can even record audio for narrative purposes. Not to mention, you can share it with your students – both in the classroom or via e-mail or social media.
#5: TED Talk
When I was in school, we would sometimes watch video documentaries, and they were a great way to get more information about what we were learning. TED Talk has a library of video lectures that cover a wide range of topics, and they can be used in the classroom to supplement what you are teaching.
#6: Unplag
Unplag plagiarism checker is great for uncovering academic dishonesty, since the system spots text similarities in student works. Educators add papers to their profile library and check submitted works against the Internet or other files in the library. After the check teachers can upload plagiarism reports or view the history of checks in the library. It’s also possible to email students and send them plagiarism report.
#7: Slack
This is a great tool for assigning group projects, as students can easily collaborate with others in their group. Slack also streamlines the communication among students so they can work together from remote locations. It looks similar to a Facebook group, but it also incorporates Google Docs and Google Hangouts so students can share files with each other.
Google has a suite of apps that are designed for educators. In fact, many teachers love Google Hangouts because it allows students to have video-based conversations from remote locations. It can be a great way to conduct online discussions and debates.
#9: Remind
Almost every child in America has a smartphone, and Remind is a great way for teachers to use them to their advantage. It can allow you to send reminders to your students via text message, but they are only one-way. They won’t have the ability to respond, and Remind will never disclose the phone numbers of either person involved (this includes the teacher as well as the student).
#10: Edublogs
Blogging has become an important part of Internet culture, and teachers can use them to their advantage. Edublogs is a WordPress-based blogging platform that is designed with the teacher in mind. It can be great for creating online documents (such as assignments and handouts) that you can share with your students, and you can even add images.
#11: Socrative
One of the hardest parts of teaching is grading, and Socrative is a great way to simplify the process. Not only can it help you to grade, but it can also make it easier to send reports and quizzes to your students.
Education plays a major role in society, especially in our post-modern age. The recent rise of technology has caused a paradigm shift that has forced people to change the way they think, and it has changed the way we learn. So, teachers need to adjust their methods to reflect the times.
Some educators want to shy away from using too much technology in the classroom, and it’s often the case with the use of smartphones. Some say that it can cause disruptions, but they shouldn’t ignore the usefulness of mobile technology when it comes to classroom management. In fact, there are many ways that teachers can use it to their advantage, and there are a number of tools that they can use to enhance the learning experience.
