There are a lot of traditional teaching methods that will stay relevant forever. But you cannot rely wholly on these old ways. Modern technology has created exciting new ways to engage and educate students, while also helping to create handy shortcuts when it comes to things like lesson planning. Below are just a few examples of ways in which you can integrate digital technology into your lessons to make them more fun and productive.
Integrate YouTube videos
YouTube contains a vast library of free educational videos. While you probably don’t want to spend the whole of each lesson watching YouTube, it could be worth integrating videos into your lessons now and again to spice things up. Spend time looking for short documentaries, video essays, animated explanations, educational songs, tutorials and demonstrations. If you’re teaching young kids, make sure to create a Kids YouTube account so that you can easily find child-friendly content to use.
Print online worksheets
There are many sites that have huge selections of printable worksheets as well as other online learning tools to download/print. You can search by subject and age range and choose from a large range of activities such as labelling exercises, word puzzles, multiple choice quizzes and fill-the-gap exercises. Some of these will cost you money to access, while others may be free.
Incorporate online learning games
Most kids love playing video games. So why not incorporate video games into your lessons? There are thousands of internet-based educational games aimed at kids that can be a great way to liven up lessons. This includes games that incorporate spelling, math and science. Check out platforms like Kahoot! and Quizizz for inspiration. You can rent out the computer room at school to play these games or use laptops.
Use an interactive whiteboard
Got an interactive whiteboard in your classroom? Modern interactive whiteboards allow you to view videos and webpages, while also having touchscreen features or laser pointers. You can also annotate information using specialist markers and play drawing games like hangman with the class. Overall, there’s very useful tools that you shouldn’t neglect if you have one handy to use. Don’t have an interactive whiteboard? Consider asking the headteacher to invest in one.
Join online teacher forums
There are online forums and subreddits designed for teachers to discuss various educational topics. These can be great places to look for lesson plan tips and ideas. Examples of forums to consider include r/education, UNESCO IITE E-Teach and Proteacher. Even if you don’t join these forums or contribute anything, simply browsing them can be worthwhile for getting some inspiration.
Go on virtual field trips
You don’t have to hire a school coach and travel across the country to enjoy a field trip. Why not consider taking your class on a virtual field trip? What is a virtual field trip? This involves using 360 degree virtual tools to explore museums, historical sites, national parks and even outer space. You could use an interactive whiteboard to do the tour as a class or you could allow students to individually explore locations virtually using their own computers. Integrated into this virtual tour could be activities that require students to find information on certain exhibits or landmarks.
Utilize educational apps
There are many free educational apps that you can encourage students to download to carry out learning activities. Such activities could be set as optional homework. This is something that may only be possible with older kids and younger kids may not have their own devices to download apps onto. That said, you may still be able to get parents to download certain apps to access educational resources on their phone or on a tablet.
Encourage online collaborative tools
A number of platforms like Google Docs and Slides use cloud technology, allowing multiple users to access and edit the same document at once from different locations. Such tools are excellent for group projects and presentations – students can collaborate on them in the classroom from different machines or collaborate at home. This post lists a few non-google collaborative tools that could be worth recommending to add variety.
Plan lessons with AI
Generative AI has become a controversial tool within schools. Students are already using it to write essays and complete tests, while teachers are using it to mark exams. While some of these uses are not particularly ethical, there are many ways to use AI that are helpful without sacrificing learning or teacher integrity. One example is using AI to play lessons. If you need to teach a topic but are struggling for ideas as to how to teach it in a fun way, consider asking a generative AI tool to help you create a lesson plan. Within your prompt, you can mention certain activities or subjects that you’d like to include so that you’re not getting an entirely generic answer.
Learn from educational bloggers and vloggers
There are several bloggers and vloggers who are teachers that post about education. Reading these blogs or watching these blogs can be a great way to discover new lesson plan ideas or tips on how to deal with certain types of students. Consider following some of these blogs by subscribing to their mailing lists or following them on social media and regularly check in.
Conclusion
From YouTube videos to teacher blogs, there are many digital tools that you can incorporate into planning and carrying out your lessons. Don’t be afraid to try new technology that you have never used before. If certain technology is a success, make sure to keep incorporating it into future lessons, but don’t rely on it too heavily to the point that it becomes predictable and tiresome for you or your students. Variety is key to making lessons engaging, and fortunately there are many different ways to use technology in order to achieve this variety. At the same time, make sure to still embrace some traditional methods of teaching so that you’re not constantly interacting with screens or relying on wi-fi.
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