Are you an educator? Have you ever tried technology in your class? Technology has the potential to improve teacher-student relations. Technology helps to make learning more practical and enjoyable. In this topic, we are discussing a few technology hacks for educators.
Cambridge University surveyed the teachers in 2018. This survey was done globally. The result was surprising. The educators were using the technologies but they found them a little difficult to introduce in the regular education system.
According to their opinion, the performance of the technologies was not up to the standard and they (28 per cent of the educators) faced different obstacles while using them. 15 per cent of the educators were unable to measure the class-performances of the students by using technologies. 14 per cent of the educators were facing difficulties in the class due to scanty resources.
Benefits of technology for educators
The technologies are advancing regularly. Along with the advancement in technological development, educators are also getting the benefits of the technologies. These technologies help educators to deliver obstacle-free teaching procedures. The easily available and accessible apps add more benefits of technology in education. This article will give a detailed and clear view of 10 technology hack ideas.
Educational hacks are full of excitement. We are advancing towards digital learning day by day. This will open the gate of exploration and creativity. With the help of different applications, you can assess the students, better utilise the available resources, and involve the students in different productive activities while you can manage your unplanned events. These are beneficial and easy to carry out the lessons in systematic and structured ways. You will get huge options for such apps, but need to find the correct one which matches your requirements.
Top 10 technology hacks for educators
♦ Organization technology tools:
1. Pocket
Pocket provides access to educators through both websites and applications. They can use this for bookmarking relevant websites. The educators will get several options to save. They can email, use other connected apps to the Pocket app or apply Web clipper. Otherwise, you can save the required URL by clicking the plus symbol.
That will add to the pocket app directly. This was designed to add relevant documents instantly for later use. The teachers always visit and revisit different relevant documents and websites for references. This technology for educators is essentially helpful in several ways.
They are,
- The educator can easily mark the favourites
- Add the links for later references and use
- You can save different documents in the form of videos, articles, and images
- There are also facilities to archive the documents after viewing
2. Evernote
This is also available in the forms of application and website. Through this online platform, the educator can take notes and tag those notes with relevant keywords. After that, it helps to sort them out into different notebooks and enable the sync process for connecting to different devices.
This technology for educators helps to provide a structured and smooth learning process. This application helps to organize the lessons electrically and make available for further uses.
Process to access
- Log in
- Click text on the device, otherwise plus symbol on the net
- Type the title of the lesson plan
- Copy associated links
- PDF upload
- Click of the old documents
- Audio clip
- Tag the notes with relevant keywords such as lesson number, unit or vocabulary
There is also the share option available to circulate the notes with others. The educator can add geotags, checklists, and additional notebooks on the same topic. This application provides auto-saving of documents by an easy click. This will give paperless and collaborative access between the students and students.
♦ Discussion technology tools:
3. Tackk.com
This is also accessible through application and website. This also provides the connectivity to Edmodo. Also, this is an educational partner of Google. The use of this application is easy for both educators and students. This application can better be described as easy blogging.
This will give a better platform of discussion, classroom newsletters, and show-board of the student’s performances and creativities. The student can easily access this app and add different relevant media. The students can share their views on a specific topic, opinions on a current lesson or current affairs, or add descriptions on any topic.
The educator can leave questions on regular topics and the student can share the answers in the form of comments. This will provide an easy and quick digital communication among the students and educators.
4. Padlet.com
This is a digital platform of live poster-board. This is accessible through application and website. If you a Padlet user, you can design and craft different boards for all occasions. The student can share their Padlets anytime even without the educator’s permission.
Everybody can participate in all discussions or creative displays. The most attractive thing about this technology is that you can share important topics, communications, and discussions anytime. The accessibility is not at all limited to the online session schedules. Padlet always encourages and welcomes great idea-sharing.
If you want to remember something important, pin that in Padlet. The students can enjoy the benefits by sharing a few words, uploading videos or audios, and posting website links.
♦ Backchannels technology tools:
5. TodaysMeet.com
This is a structured conversation on the live teaching sessions. If the teacher is delivering a lecture on a specific topic, the students can raise questions immediately during the session through this application. They can also share the relevant links and images related to that topic during that session.
The students do not need to raise the voice to ask any question, they simply can share their views, doubts, and answers through this app. The sessions can range from 1 hour to 1 year.
♦ Blogging tools:
6. WordPress
Blogging seems difficult and intimidated by its name. WordPress app makes blogging easier and popular among the common people. The degree of complication is entirely dependent on a blogger. This technology for educators provides an online platform to reflect their views on a specific topic and they can also get valuable feedback, views, and comments on that from others.
The teachers sometimes encourage their students in blogging to gather collective views and information on specific topics. If you need updated information or special ideas for a specific topic, you can publish a blog on that. You can raise questions in the comment zone and create your community.
The way to start a blog
- Open WordPress
- Sign in for creating a free account
- Select template
- Start blogging
Blogging helps to develop in-classroom communication between the students and educators by sharing their views and doubts.
♦ Social media tool:
7. Pinterest
You might access the Pinterest for sharing media or tracking something interesting. But this Pinterest is full of teacher hacks. The educators can get ideas on classroom management, desk arrangements, or classroom organization. You can share the classroom board to follow by the parents of the students.
You can add media and caption them easily through the phone. Also, you can share relevant and important links to the students and even to their parents for better access. The educator can use this social media as an online class platform.
♦ Sharing information tool:
8. Smore.com
This is one of the easiest platforms for creating online newsletters.
- Click the Start for a new flyer
- Choose the most relevant template
- Create
When you are done with the new flyer, share them with different social media platforms through Smore.com. You can share class activities, events, news, or other activities.
♦ Formative assessments tool:
9. Plickers
The educator needs to open an account (free) in Plickers. Them they have to download different forty Plicker cards for free. They the educator needs to add several students and create questionnaires on the Plickers website or app. The sessions are like the following,
- Raise questions
- The students need to raise their cards
- Scan cards
- Real-time feedback on every student
♦ Enhance students’ involvement and productivities tool:
10. Gonoodle.com
This is loaded with fun activities for both educators and students. They need to perform them even without sitting. This will give an entertained in-home recess. The students and teachers can access to get fun-times but in productive ways. This will helps to enhance the students’ involvement, concentration, and group activity skills. This will sometimes provide a better communication platform among educators and students.
Conclusion
Both the educators and students are facilitated with the benefits of technology in education. The technology for educators helps to increase the interest and efficiency of the learning system. They can easily measure and develop the activities and performances of the students by applying the above stated 10 technology hack ideas. The easy availability and access to such websites and apps are making the education pattern more effective, interesting, and efficient.
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