Top 10 Things I Think Teachers should know or understand about Technology - REVISITED

I can see the light at the end of the tunnel of this worldwide pandemic! Educators have been thrown into the deep end when it comes to technology and has come out the other side with a new understanding of what it can offer our students.  With that said many teachers still shy away from technology because students have had to use it too much.  Zoom fatigue is real!  I have revisited my list of top things teachers should know about tech for this final blog post. While I kept my list in no particular order I would say that my number one tip would be to not be afraid to ask for help!

Top 10 Things I Think Teachers should know or understand about Technology

(in no particular order)

REVISITED

1. Play around with tools well in advance of when you need to use them.  Not only should you have some experience using tools or presenting technology in order to teach it but you should also have some idea about how fun or inspiring the tools are.  If you think they are boring and uninspiring so will your students.

2. Don’t be afraid to ask your students for help.  There will be times when students know more about how to use certain tools or navigate technology than you.  It is ok! Students should know that even as adults we are learning.

3. You are not alone! Reach out to your district tech team, co-teachers, or your LIBRARIAN for help if you need to.

4. Always have a backup plan.  Technology doesn’t always work and there may be unforeseen glitches with tools or tech you want to use that day.  Be sure that you have at least one if not more backup plans to use just in case.

5. Students need to use it to learn from it - Don’t teach a lesson that makes them sit and watch you present technology.  If they can’t touch the tech and play around with it then and there the lesson would be for naught. (I would add here there should always be a connection to the standards with each tech tool. Don't just use it because it is there. Make sure there are multiple uses for each tool learned)

6. Connect the tech to the classroom and real life.  Students should understand the reasoning behind why they are learning about a certain tool or procedure.  If they don’t see a practical usage for it your lesson could go in one ear and out the other. (This relates to the above tip. Try to use one tool in several applications. That way students can really experience what a tool can do for them.)

7. Be sure to understand all of the different ways you can use technology.  Whether it's to encourage collaboration, promote distance learning, or reduce paper clutter make sure you know why you want to incorporate technology into your learning objectives. It is up to you to apply it to your learning objectives.

8. Technology is ever-changing. Always be on the lookout for seminars, webinars, or PD in order to stay abreast of new tools, tricks, and technology that could help you better than what you are using today. (I believe this is the reason our district has hired STEAM coaches in order to keep track of all of the new and innovative ways to use tech tools.)

9. Did you know that you can file bug reports for software?  If you find something isn’t working then reach out to the creators of the tool.  If they don’t know it's broken they won’t know that it needs to be fixed. (I have utilized this more than once since becoming aware of it. My husband is in software and suggested it as a tip he wishes more consumers would know. I know that I will lean harder on OPAC customer services when I have an issue.)

10. Just as we tell our students learning a new skill takes time, patience, and practice.  Don’t expect to be a master right away and don’t be afraid to try new things.

Good Luck and remember that we are all in this together!