Guest Post: Using Technology as an Effective Teaching Tool
With the advancement of technology, teachers now have some really great education tools for the classroom, online teaching tools and lesson plans for students. Some are moving towards a “paperless” classroom. While it doesn’t seem feasible to make a classroom completely paperless, it’s a concept that technology is quickly helping to become a reality.
As a teacher, can you imagine never having to go through paper book reports, hand out quizzes or books? Nearly everything can now be done using computer technology. Many classrooms today have at least one shared computer for the students to use. Most have access to an Internet connection, which opens up a whole new world of information. Many have DVD players and projectors that are great tools to make lessons more entertaining. While some of these technologies can sometimes be costly, it’s important to have these tools in classrooms so that students are subjected to things that are common in the world around them. It also helps sometimes to make dry lessons much more interactive and fun.
The world today relies on computer technology. There is hardly a business left that doesn’t use this technology to operate. That’s why it’s so important for students to be subjected to computer technology at an early age. They are invaluable teaching tools for classrooms of all ages and sizes. If a student doesn’t get enough experience and exposure to this technology, they may find it difficult to function in the “real world”. It’s best to start introducing computer technology when they are in elementary so that the children can become used to it and gain more experience over time.
Another great reason to introduce technology in the classrooms is to cut back on the large amount of paper that is wasted everyday. Some examples of how technology can be used to replace paper include online lesson plans for classrooms, or using spreadsheets to track your students attendance. There are plenty of online teaching tools that can be used to make lessons more interesting, including educational computer and spelling games. Turn a complicated mathematical lesson into a fun game that the students will enjoy learning from.
Another great way to use technology in your lessons is to use video rather than pages after pages of textbook information. Video can provide a fun way to learn dry information that students may not otherwise pay attention to. It’s an easy way to make things more entertaining, especially when the lesson involves complicated concepts. There are many websites that provide free educational videos online. Simply hook the laptop up to the projector, and you’re ready to go.
Using technology in your classroom is not as daunting of a task as you may think. Simple changes make the world of a difference. While technology will not replace your usual lessons, they will compliment them and enhance them. Technology is just another tool to help your students learn and grow as individuals. Using technology in lessons has shown to greatly improve student performance, making it a great way to get your students more involved in their education.
Henry Marks is a writer for TeachHub, a resource that provides a variety of education tools for the classroom, including great lesson plans. For more information visit http://www.teachhub.com.
I agree that technology can be a very effective tool in the classroom. Some people feel as though one day technology may replace classroom teachers! I don’t agree with that thought, but I do know that technology can sometimes teach an objective just as effectively if not better to some students. My daughter is in college and was taking an Algebra class. The majority of the class was taught with instructional videos on the computer. She was able to learn concepts more successfully than with the instructor. Even so, nothing can replace the actual presence of the teacher. I think that together, teachers and technology are unstoppable!
Thanks for the comments! I couldn’t agree more!