Teaching in the Now

Technology Integration

   In our ever-growing technology-based society, many schools and educators are looking to integrate technology into their everyday classroom curriculum. However, some may have questions and concerns about this notion and ask if this is actually a good idea. I have a better question, why would we not want to take advantage of the enormous variety of resources and information at our fingertips? 

  Technology is an incredible way to take students from being just engaged in their work, to being fully immersed and empowered. With the use of technology, students are given the opportunity to create and explore. This helps them to be able to go much deeper into their learning than just the surface level that they have currently been reaching through worksheets and written exams. Not only that, but technology allows us, as teachers, to be able to share our lessons and ideas with others around the world. You can help your students learn, while also helping students from all over the entire world learn and be able to have the education they deserve.

  Before getting too deep into this, we need to first formulate our standards for what effective technology integration really is and is not. If we are only using technology as a means of turning in assignments and reading information that can already be accessed in textbooks, then how is that any different than a classroom without technology? Just using technology in the classroom is not enough. If there is no real impact or change in student learning, then technology is not being effectively integrated. 

  Another big part of technology integration is its ongoing and never-ending growth. Technology is rapidly evolving and demands its users to learn just as rapidly. If you are not willing to constantly embrace change and continuously grow with the advances in technology, then you will not be able to keep up with the needs of your 21st-century classroom. 

   Once these needs are met, students will have no excuse not to feel empowered and encouraged to take learning into their own hands. This can help with maintaining a "flipped classroom" setting or just help students with a variety of learning styles. Students who are usually shy and timid when it comes to sharing their ideas and creations can now use different mediums to share their voices in ways that are more comfortable for them. 

   With technology, the possibilities are endless. Our students and students around the world deserve nothing less than to have an enormous amount of knowledge and recourses to help guide them in all of their learning endeavors. Below is one app that I have researched that can help any educator to start more effectively integrating technology into the classroom. As George Couros said in The Innovators Mindset, "Learners are the driver; technology is the accelerator". 

Happy Teaching! Enjoy!

ShowMe Interactive Whiteboard App

Price: Free (Offers in-app purchases)

Have you ever wanted to create fun and effective tutorials for your students to be able to watch from anywhere? Have you ever wanted to have an enormous variety of resources for lessons right at the tip of your fingers? If so, this is the app for you. ShowMe, the interactive whiteboard app for iPads, allows educators and students to be able too easily create voice-over lessons and share them with the public.

Impact on Student Learning 

• Since this app is simple and easy to maneuver, students can use it confidently and be empowered to take control of their own learning. Instead of making a lesson and presenting it to students for them to memorize and later regurgitate on a written exam, let the students take charge. Students can create lessons for other students with materials and information given to them. This encourages critical thinking, creativity, communication, and collaboration among students. 
• Not only can students take charge, but teachers can create a "flipped classroom" setting. Once videos of lessons are created, students can then watch them at home, allowing more time for collaboration and project-based learning in the classroom.
• ShowMe is not limited to any one subject area. This app can be used for any subject, at any time. You can easily use this interactive whiteboard to record lessons in math, history, science, grammar, or any number of subjects. By easily changing the background picture, you can go from a whiteboard background for a math lesson to a map background for a geography lesson.
• Visual and auditory information can be received through this app. This is a great tool for students who need a variety of learning strategies to be able to effectively process and comprehend the information given to them.
• ShowMe had a free website that has an enormous variety of videos created on almost every subject that can be used in and out of the classroom. What better way to share and connect with other teachers across the globe than by being able to watch and upload innovative and creative lessons?

                 Tutorial:

 

More Great Educational Apps

Nearpod - Interactive presentation and assessment tool. Great for virtual field trips!
Seesaw - Great for student and teacher portfolios.
Epic! - Online classroom library.
ABC Mouse - Learning platform.
Kodable - Computer science curriculum for elementary students.
Puppet Pals 2 - Storytelling app.
GoNoodle - Website/App designed to get students moving.
Prodigy - Game to help students learn math skills.
BrainPOP - Interactive animated videos and activities.
Augmented Reality - Great way for students to interact virtually with the world around them.
Shadow Puppet Edu - Create videos that aid in educational experiences.