ducational technology in the classroom environment
R.Rajesh Kumar.,MCA.,M.Phil
Asst professor, Dept of BCA,
SBK College, Aruppukottai
rajeshranjithsingh@gmail.com
Educational technology is a term used to describe a wide array of teaching-and-learning–related software and hardware that’s increasingly being used in college and university classrooms. Educational technology refers to technology that usually helps facilitate collaboration in an active learning environment(Casey 45).
Benefits of using technology in education
Used to support both teaching and learning, technology infuses classrooms with digital learning tools, such as computers and hand held devices; expands course offerings, experiences, and learning materials; supports learning 24 hours a day, 7 days a week; builds 21st century skills.
Some ways to use technology in the classroom
- Gamified learning
- Digital field trips
- Integrate social media
- Gather student feedback
- Creating digital content
- Using a shared, online classroom calendar
- Review and critique webpages
- Incorporate video and multimedia into lessons and presentations
- Online activities for students who finish work early
- Gamified learning:
Gamification is about transforming the classroom environment and regular activities into a game. It requires creativity, collaboration and play. There are numerous ways to bring games and game playing into the classroom to promote learning and deepen student understanding of subject matter.
According to the International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education, gamification increased retention by 12.23% and increased overall performance by 7.03% (Casey 45).
Casey, Denise M. “A Journey to Legitimacy: The Historical Development of Distance Education through Technology.” TechTrends: Linking Research and Practice to Improve Learning 52.2 (2008): 45-51. Web
Digital field trips:
Virtual field trips are interactive web-based experiences that guide students through an exploration of content about themes, such as a specific place or time.
Field trip enriches the classroom learning.
Field trips provide an opportunity to the learners to get first-hand information from natural settings.
Best virtual field trips for students
Take a trip to the zoo.
Visit The Hidden Worlds of National Parks.
Watch the Monterey Bay Aquarium Sea Otters.
Swim through Palau coral reefs.
Visit the surface of Mars.
Power up with renewable energy.
Walk the Great Wall of China.
Float around the International Space Station.
- Integrate social media:
Social media integration is the act of using social media accounts as an extension of your marketing strategy (Schools of the Air” 7-34). This is typically accomplished two ways: Directing your social media audience to your website. Allowing your social media accounts to be easily accessed on your website.
Ways to Implement Social Media to Classroom Activities
- Google Apps – stay connected anywhere.
- Blog – leverage the power of blogging.
- Skype – use video conferencing to teach your students.
- Facebook – create a classroom group.
- Twitter – use it as a class message board.
- Pinterest – for student collaboration.
- Gather student feedback:
Feedback is any response regarding a student’s performance or behavior. It can be verbal, written or gestural (“Education by Radio” 36). The purpose of feedback in the assessment and learning process is to improve a student’s performance – not put a damper on it.
How can the teacher gather feedback?
Invite a colleague to visit your class to offer feedback on your teaching practice. Gather feedback in writing, orally, and anonymously from individual students and through group work and discussion. Use various tools or materials like surveys, reflection prompts, and activities.
Creating digital content:
Creating digital content is an important part of any digital marketing strategy. Every part of the content you create – including newsletters, brochures, blog posts, case studies, and more – must be carefully designed to guide your brand prospects, maximize organic links, and increase conversions.
Steps to create Successful Digital Content Creation
Determine the purpose
Different types of content have different purposes.
Create useful, quality content
In creating digital content, the rule is that each part of the content you create should be useful and appropriate to the target audience.
Promote content on social media
Share different content on social media platforms to expand your brand and add a campaign range. The content you share on each site should be unique to give your followers a reason to follow on more than one network.
Utilize photos and multimedia
Complete your content with images, graphics, and videos.
Implement an SEO program
Rather than guessing the keywords to use throughout your content in the hope that it will resonate with the public, it is best to apply a formal SEO strategy that implements Google tools and other resources. Powerful SEO helps you discover the most searched and important terms about your site and industry.
Track and analyze content
Ideally, the Analytics program should go beyond simple page views to evaluate online behaviors for individuals viewing specific portions of digital content. In addition to that, it’s important to stay aware of your ranking in the best search engines and continually aim to improve these rankings.
Using a shared, online classroom calendar:
In Google Calendar, you and your students can see classwork due dates and added events, such as field trips or exam dates. To see classwork or events in Google Calendar.
Benefits of Using a Calendar Every Day
It keeps us accountable. Scheduling my most recent doctor’s appointment reminded me of how valuable appointments are.
It keeps us realistic. When planning out tasks and activities on the calendar, be realistic.
- It helps us prioritize.
- It keeps us on track.
- It sets boundaries.
eview and critique webpages
A review site is a website on which reviews can be posted about people, businesses, products, or services.
Reviews are consumer testimonials written by someone who has purchased and used, or had experience with, the product or service and are usually accompanied by a rating (from 0 to 5).
Incorporate video and multimedia into lessons and presentations
Encourage creativity, reflection, and confidence through the use of multimedia presentations. However, multimedia presentations (like digital stories) can lay the groundwork for developing those skills.
Multimedia activities encourage students to work in groups, express their knowledge in multiple ways, solve problems, revise their own work, and construct knowledge. Through participation in multimedia activities, students can learn: Real-world skills related to technology (“Education by Radio” 36). The value of teamwork.
How does multimedia enhance teaching and learning?
Effective instruction builds bridges between students’ knowledge and the learning objectives of the course. Using media engages students, aids student retention of knowledge, motivates interest in the subject matter, and illustrates the relevance of many concepts (Cuban 27).
Cuban, Larry. Teachers and Machines: The Classroom Use of Technology Since 1920. New York, NY: Teachers College Press, 1986. Print
Multimedia tools in education
Multimedia simply means using a combination of different content forms in an integrated way. This can be text, audio, graphics, animation, video, virtual and augmented reality, interactions, etc.
Online activities for students who finish work early:
Fun Activities Your Online Students Can Do Together
- Show and Tell
- Matching Game learninggamesforkids.com
- Jokes jokes-for-kids
- Language Games
- gonoodle.com (includes lots of games to get kids moving!)
- Tell a story a sentence at a time
- My name is…start with A. Have students say a name, a place they work and something they sell that starts with their letter.
- Directed Drawing (share screen and draw something together): artforkidshub.com
- Talent Show
- Madlibs Wacky Web Tales – Education Placewww.eduplace.com › tales
- Quizizz quizizz.com (website with lots of online Quizzes on different topics)
- Read Aloud storylineonline.net
- Guess My Animal
- Prodigy prodigygame.com (fun, interactive Math website)
- BINGO (teacher mail/email BINGO card) activityconnection.com
- Discuss new talents discovered during Quarantine
- Share family stories
- Mimo: (getmimo.com) enforces Math and Phonics
- Group Exercise
- Puppet Show
Conclusion:
For these roles, too, technology allows greater communication, resource sharing, and improved practice so that the vision is owned by all and dedicated to helping every individual in the system improve learning for students. It is a time of great possibility and progress for the use of technology to support learning.