Teacher Tech Tips for the Classroom
Written By
Tammy Clegg
With rapid changes and recent advancements, many educators may have questions on when and how to use technology effectively in the classroom.
- The last two years have seen drastic changes to how our kids are learning.
- There’s been a dramatic increase in the role of technology in the classrooms.
- Technology was key to virtual learning, but educators have been able to integrate it into their teaching in other creative ways.
- Many teachers are still trying to navigate when and how to use technology effectively in the classroom.
Tammy Clegg shares some helpful info and tips for our Noggin educators!
Technology is a permanent fixture in our classrooms – and it’s only increasing and evolving.
Technology can afford both on- and off-screen experiences. In reality, all kinds of technology can be helpful in the classroom – even times when kids are focused and individually looking on screens. They may be seeing simulations or engaging in ways they wouldn’t be able to do in the real world.
But technology can also mean more than a computer or tablet. For instance, it allows kids to have hands-on experiences in their physical environment and share them with each other. Let’s say I’m working with groups and observing weather patterns outside – and I use photos to capture that. I can share the different groups’ experiences. And of course, there are also cool toys that allow kids to get involved with STEM and programming, like robotics.
Teacher Tech Tip
Ask your students to capture an experience from home – like cooking with their parents – through photos and videos. They can then share their footage with the class! It’s a great way for each student to show an individual experience and spark discussions in the classroom. What was the experience here? What were you learning about? Is this a special recipe your family likes to make, and if so, why? Does anyone else have a similar experience that they do with their families at home?
The pandemic created the need for new teaching methods.
Creating virtual classrooms had a lot of challenges, but a lot of new, exciting teaching methods arose as well. One amazing example is that you can bring people into the classroom more easily. Guest lecturers from across the world can speak to your students and engage with them in a way that wasn’t possible before. And you can even accommodate multiple guests with breakout rooms that can create spaces for more intimate group interactions and discussions.
Due to the pandemic, many museums and public spaces have opened virtual tours. No longer limited to local field trips, students can now visit iconic places around the world and get a firsthand look inside these spaces, often times with an official expert as a guide!
Teacher Tech Tip
If you’re meeting in a virtual classroom, a scavenger hunt in students’ homes can be a great learning activity or icebreaker idea. One example I’ve done with my class is giving my students a limited time to find design materials they may have. Then, they have to come back and create something with what they’ve found and then share their project with the group on screen.
Digital media can be valuable for students with different learning needs.
If each child has a tablet, they can explore and learn at their own pace and in their own way. That in of itself helps with different learning needs. There are some kids who learn better by hearing things verbally or seeing things pictorially, so technology can play a big role in that. Having access to personal tools and devices promotes kids’ learning at their own pace and receiving the individual help they need.
Teacher Tech Tip
Have your students try Noggin’s learning games in the app that build skills ranging from literacy, math and science to healthy habits and social & emotional learning. Many of Noggin's interactive learning experiences are adaptive and adjust dynamically to each child's performance. This allows young learners to grow and develop their skills at their own pace as they engage with Noggin over time.
Read more from Tammy Clegg as she debunks 3 Misconceptions About Tech Use for Young Kids
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New content added weekly
Accessible on multiple devices
Downloadable books & games for offline play