Tips for Adding Technology to the Classroom

The immense amount of technology available for education can be daunting. Just starting with something can seem like a challenge that takes more time to prepare than the average teacher has available! If you've recently discovered how great technology can be when used in your classroom but don't know where to start, I've got a few tips for you!

1. Know your resources. 

Does every student have an iPad? Does your school provide chromebooks? Do your students have their smartphones on them? Depending on the grade level you teach, you may find that the available technology is vast or slim - but you need to know what you're working with. Even if every student lacks their own device, technology can still be used in your class.
Here are some apps and websites to check out if you use 1:1, or every student has a device:

• Socrative - create quizzes, exit tickets, and more to assess students.
• Desmos - they call themselves "an online graphing calculator" but they are much more! Great for math concepts with fantastic challenges and activities. 
• GoFormative - similar to Socrative with quizzes, but you can give immediate feedback as students submit answers. I can tell them to check it again or think about it another way while they are taking the quiz! 
• Kahoot - quizzes that look like games! Great for all ages. 
• Quizlet - flashcards, quizzes, and online activities. 

Students without technology? You can use your iPad or phone to engage the class with these apps:

• Plickers - Students use paper cards to select a multiple choice answer, you use technology to scan the cards from the front of the room. Great for quick formative assessments! 

2. Pick one thing and try it. 

The first technology I introduced to my 9th grade classes was Plickers. Plickers allowed me to incorporate a little tech and engaged my students better than anything else I tried! I downloaded the FREE Plickers cards, printed them out, and distributed to my students. Setting up the online class took less than 5 minutes. I created a few quiz questions for the first lesson and taught my students how to use it. I offered bonus points for participation - although it only applies if a student is a few tenths of a point away from the next grade level. (For example, if a student has a 92.4 and scored well on the Plickers all semester, I bumped them up to a 92.5 so they'd round up to 93, or an A.) 

I'm at the point now that my students get upset when I don't use Plickers. They love to compete with each other and I know right away if my students are not understanding a concept and I need to reinforce before moving on. 

3. Don't be afraid to take risks.

It can be scary to try new things. There are days where I plan a socrative review quiz and the wifi goes down. I spend more time troubleshooting than the quiz would actually take. 

4. Tell your colleagues about things that work well. 

Learning and trying new technology is a lot less scary when you know it works for someone else. I have shared Plickers with many of my colleagues and now it's being used in our program in about half of the math classes. When I told others how much my students were engaged by it, they were all questions. I know they were intimidated but I was able to tell them how I make it work well with our students and they were able to follow suit. 

5. Ask your students which they prefer: an online activity or a worksheet? 

In my last post about why you should be using mobile technology, I listed a statistic that stated "82% of students prefer a blended learning environment" (Brooks, 2016). That means some may need a little convincing, but I know my classes love when I give them activities they can complete online vs. a worksheet of classwork. 

So, go try it. And then come let me know what works best for you! I can't wait to hear how you incorporate technology and what new resources you come back to tell me about! 

Resources: 
Brooks, D. C. (2016). ECAR study of undergraduate students and information technology. Research report. Louisville, CO: ECAR. Retrieved from https://library.educause.edu/resources/2016/6/~/media/files/library/2016/10/ers1605.pdf