Simple Ideas To Use Technology To Engage Students
Keeping students engaged in a lesson can be a challenge. However, the introduction of new technologies into the classroom can provide a great platform for making learning and teaching more exciting. Technology can help teachers create innovative and creative activities in the classroom, which can be beneficial for students in developing their knowledge and skills. Here are some simple ideas to use technology to engage students:
- Use Online Quizzes and Games
Online quizzes and games provide an accessible way for students to engage in learning. Quizzes can test students’ knowledge and understanding or their ability to recall specific facts. Games, on the other hand, can help hone problem-solving skills. Online quizzing and gaming sites can be an excellent way to keep students engaged while they learn. For example, one of the most popular quiz sites, Kahoot!, provides teachers with dozens of educational quizzes and games already created and mapped to specific standards.
- Incorporate Audio Visual Content
Audio and visual content can help engage students and make a lesson more engaging. Videos, podcasts, slideshows, and presentations can make a lesson come alive in a unique way. The use of visuals can also help ignite inspiration, excite about learning and make a lesson more memorable. For example, embedding a BBC video about ancient civilizations or a Ted Talk about science into your lesson plan can help students understand the material in a more dynamic and exciting way.
- Utilize Social Media Platforms
Social media platforms are becoming increasingly popular in the classroom. These platforms provide students with opportunities to engage with each other and access course material in a new and interesting way. For example, using a hashtag for class discussions on Twitter or encouraging students to create thought-provoking images around a certain topic on Instagram can provide an entirely new way of engaging students in the classroom.
- Take Learning Outdoors
Technology can help you take learning out of the classroom and into the great outdoors. For example, you can use a tablet to research local plants and explore their habitats in greater depth with augmented reality. Or take the tablet further afield to compare and contrast different layers of the soil, or learn more about the effects of erosion.
- Create Digital Learning Paths
Digital learning paths are an effective way to engage students in their learning. By creating a digital path that links various online elements—from libraries of resources to online games and assessments—teachers can create a learning experience that is tailored to their students’ needs. This allows them to create an engaging and highly personal learning experience for each student.
- Use Virtual Reality
Virtual reality (VR) can be an incredibly engaging and exciting way for students to experience and learn about the world. From using VR to explore a virtual environment of the solar system to using it to bring history to life, VR enables teachers to create immersive experiences that can ignite a newfound passion for learning.
- Use Cloud and Online Storage
Using cloud-based software and online storage can help students become more organized and make the most of the classroom technology. Online resources, like Google Drive and Dropbox, make it easy to store, share, and access data—allowing students and teachers to work in real-time. This makes collaboration, communication, and data access both secure and efficient.
Technology can be an incredibly powerful tool for making learning engaging and exciting. With a little creativity and innovation, teachers can use technology to promote deeper learning and collaboration among students. From virtual reality sessions to online quizzes and storage solutions, these simple ideas can help teachers create an engaging digital learning experience that will help foster student engagement.
