"Technology will not replace great teachers, but technology in the hands of great teachers can be transformational."
George Couros
Technology is becoming increasingly more important in today's society, which is especially apparent in regard to education: many schools are one-to-one, where students are given school-issues devices such as iPads or laptops, and even if the school does not provide the technology, most students have personal phones, tablets, and/or computers. Rather than fighting students on the use of technology, there are innumerable ways educators can incorporate it into their curriculum, instruction, and assessment. Additionally, technology has opened access to and opportunity for intercultural communication and collaboration, thereby aiding in and advancing global citizenship.
Padlet: this is an excellent collaboration tool -- available in 29 (and counting) languages -- that allows individuals to post text, photos, videos, audio, links, and more. Participants do not need to sign up in order to post, comment on, or "like" others' responses.
Google Drive: the possibilities with Google Drive (and Google Docs, Google Slides, Google Sheets, Google Forms, etc.) are endless. It is a useful storage tool for students, as it is accessible via any device, and it is also an incredible platform for collaborative work. Kahoot!: this is a game-based learning tool and is easily one of students' favorites. Kahoot! is both easy (and free) for teachers to create and simple for students to use, given they each have an Internet-connected device. Review games have never been better. Poll Everywhere: this is a live, interactive, audience participation tool that shows responses in real-time. It is user friendly and allows prompts to be in multiple formats, including multiple choice, word cloud, open-ended response, rank order, Q&A, etc. Instagram: this popular social media platform has extreme potential in the classroom, including to showcase student work and classroom activities, to convey announcements, to relay content-related material, to pass on book recommendations, and more. Mentimeter: this is an engaging and exciting interactive presentation tool that will capture participants' attention with real-time results. It is easy-to-use (both as a creator and a voter), and questions and responses can be displayed in 8+ formats. |
VoiceThread: this is a tool that functions much like a slideshow by incorporating media such as images and text, but it also students to verbalize their knowledge through voice recording, respond to peers' and educators' comments, and more.
Pinterest: this popular online bulletin board has countless possibilities in the classroom. First and foremost, it is a space for teachers to compile and share articles, strategies, and curriculum. There are infinite ways that students, too, can benefit from the platform. Twitter: this popular social media tool has a vast array of options that involve following and communicating with experts, creating hashtags and having Twitter meet-ups, making announcements, collaborating with global peers, and much more. iMovie: available on Apple devices, this movie-making tool has endless possibilities for students and teachers alike. The trailer option can be less intimidating than a blank slate, as users simply fill images and text into a template that has built-in transitions and music. Flipgrid: this is a video discussion platform that has been heralded as a combination between Instagram and Snapchat. Students respond to a prompt and reply to others' posts, too. It is accessible from anywhere in the world on any Internet-connected device. Schoology: this is a learning management system that allows educators to post materials, collect/comment on work, and enter scores. It is easily organized for students, and because it is formatted much like popular social media sites, it is especially user-friendly for them. |