Teachers of the 21st century are working to adapt to the emerging technology that their new students are becoming so proficient with. This technology can help to streamline processes, better connect with students, and provide a unique learning environment that can help student retention of classroom studies. There are various types of classroom technology that is available to teachers.
Interactive Whiteboard
This is one of the simplest tools that every teacher can utilize to help present their lessons and speed up downtime. Interactive whiteboards allow teachers to project an image onto a large whiteboard, which is controlled by special markers or simply touching the screen. This interactive tool can allow teachers to manipulate content based on student questions. This also allows for a quick jump from content to content. With a simple touch of your finger, a new image can appear. This is much quicker than the traditional methods of erasing the chalkboard or cleaning the projector sheet.
Document Camera
The document camera is an indispensable classroom device that allows students to see what the teacher is doing in real-time. Instead of trying to gather a classroom of thirty students around you to see a science experiment, you can simply use a document camera. This can be easily placed next to the experiment and, with the help of a multimedia projector, you can display every step of the experiment on the screen for kids to see from the comfort of their own seat. This type of camera can be used to display anything a teacher needs to, such as a book page, picture, or worksheets.
Collaboration Platform
There are various companies that actively produce collaborative classroom platforms. These can be utilized by teachers, students, and parents to share work, updates, grades, and more. Many teachers find it easier to connect with parents via these platforms as opposed to the traditional phone call route. Students gain access to many beneficial features such as rewards programs, online tutoring, and recorded lessons. There are many features available throughout these different platforms that teachers can utilize. Some of these include a random group generator, video uploading, grade posting, and online lesson sharing.
Websites / Blogs
Creating a website or blog for the classroom has become easier than ever. Simple website software allows for the creation and posting of content within seconds as teachers don’t need to know HTML coding to update their class sites. These websites make it simple for professors to upload assignments, post online lessons, update students with important messages, and share anything else they find necessary with their classes. This allows for easy access for all students to get information from their professor without having to worry about handling paper copies of assignments and other lessons.
Technology is an attribute of the society that we live in. As more and more useful technology is produced, teachers are finding more innovative ways to incorporate it into their classroom. This integration makes it easier for teachers to communicate, share, and interact with their students.