3 Tips on Integrating Technology in Classrooms

Technology has changed how students learn and communicate. Finding ways to integrate technology in the classroom provides students with the tools that would take them into the 21st century.

Technology integration is the use of technology resources such as computers, mobile devices like smartphones and tablets, digital cameras, social media platforms and networks, software applications, etc. — in daily classroom practices, and in the management of a school.

Recommended: Get this Resourceful Guide to Classroom Tech on a Budget now!

Good teaching, especially when it involves the use of evolving technologies, requires good advice. These tips will help you make sure you are using technology effectively in the classroom.

1. Plan ahead:

There has to be a comprehensive strategy in place to implement technology into the school system, and the teachers have to be involved in the planning stages.
When you say, ‘OK, we want to use technology better’, you have to develop your goals and what learning outcomes you’re trying to reach.School leaders and teachers must then think about the “three T’s”, which ask

• how teaching can be improved,
• what technology will be used
• how time will be used more efficiently.

2. Try new things: 

When you’ve taught the same material for a while, you – and your students – may find it less exciting. A quick Internet search may help you identify ways to supplement your lessons with interesting new material. Make a habit of searching before you begin each new unit. You may find photographs, sound clips, video clips, and more that can bring your lessons to life

3. Become an educational designer:

As technology evolves, so must the teachers. “For they’re the only access point of knowledge”. Teachers are more like designers, who get to choose and develop what kinds of content their students access and which technologies they use. With new technologies, students can access resources online such as notes and teachers can quickly see assessment results of their students.

Remember that integrating technology into a school classroom isn’t a one-step process. Bob Wise says “You can’t just slap a netbook (computer)on top of a textbook and say, ‘Great, now we have technology.”

Written by Valentina Umeri