Bringing Technology Into the Classroom
Technology surrounds us. Social media, videos, and apps, to name a few, are constantly being used in student’s free time. However, recently, teachers from all around the region came here to Lincoln high school to discuss bringing these things into the classroom to enhance our learning even more.
A mix of familiar and unfamiliar faces attended sessions in the classrooms around the school and discussed new, innovative ways to blend technology with daily lesson plans. Websites such as Blendspace and Zaption were introduced. These are tools to help personalize and create engaging lessons for students. Another website that was shown was Schoology. This site is a step up from Google classroom. It has the formatting of Facebook, as you can comment and like people’s posts. Also, group discussions, lesson plans, homework, and quizzes can all be used on Schoology. These websites are all great resources for teachers, as well as students.
What is the goal of all this? Why would it be a good idea to bring even more technology into schools? When asked, most of the education providers said that technology should be used to better serve students and help them apply what they’ve learned.
However with all the good technology can bring, there is also some worry that it might replace traditional teaching. In one session a teacher voiced his concern about technology limiting face to face interactions between teachers and students. The reply he got was that technology should merely enhance and further education. Gina Drellack, an education consultant with Northwest Service Cooperative says, “Technology should bring us together, not isolate us.”
Not everything in the classroom has to be technology based. There are still many benefits to the paper and pencil way of life. With that being said, technology has many benefits as well. Learning to balance screen time and off screen time is key.
The shift to more technology interactive lessons may be challenging for some teachers, and it would be a good idea to turn to people who probably know more about this kind of thing than anyone: kids. “Don’t be afraid of help from your students,” Gina Drellack says. Students and teachers will have to lean on each other and learn from each other with all these new technological tools coming out left and right.
This conference was a great way for teachers to communicate and brainstorm new ways to make learning more fun for students. We are extremely lucky to have devoted teachers here at Lincoln who are always striving to improve our education. So look out Lincoln, soon you may be seeing new advancements and tools that will make classroom time more fun, engaging, and interactive.