Everyone Needs More Apps and Links, Right?

[Timothy Gangwer]

Rubrics in the Gifted Project Based Classroom

Everyone Needs More Apps and Links, Right?

February 13, 2014

This afternoon, I was cleaning out my Google Drive of some old documents and things I no longer needed and came across a presentation that I had planned on presenting sometime back. I didn’t get the chance to because of some reason I don’t remember. So I decided that I would go ahead and post here.  I wanted to also share it below. Just click on the picture below and it will take you to the presentation.

One thing that I love to do in my classroom is introduce new technology to my students when the opportunity presents itself. Whenever I can use technology to enhance my teaching I will, but using technology without context isn’t good teaching. Having more apps and websites in your repertoire doesn’t necessarily mean you a good teacher. Technology is just a tool we use to help teach our children. Don’t let technology mask bad teaching. Just use it like anything else. Don’t force it.

Here is a few things I found that works when using technology in the classroom:

• Introduce new technology to students by giving them some examples of what it can do, and explain how the new technology works.
• Give students a little bit of time to explore how the new app or website works.
• introduce the new app or website in the context of what they will be doing.
• Just don’t introduce new technology just to show it off.
• Don’t introduce multiple websites or apps at the same time, unless your students are very tech savvy.
• Always give context to how the new technology will be or can be used.
• Review some previously learned apps and websites
• Keep a running list of apps and websites that students have used in the past on projects. (Use can use QR codes to link to the website or app

I hope this helps. I believe that as technology becomes more and more integrated into our culture it will be important to use those skills they learn in our classrooms in their future careers. Being versatile and using prior knowledge is going to be a huge asset as our students progress in life. This is evident in the Common Core College Readiness Standards for Writing. If you look at standard number 6 it states:

• Use technology, including the internet to produce and publish writing, and to interact and collaborate with others.

So, to conclude, technology isn’t going away. It is going to become more infused in our culture at school and in the workplace. What are you doing to prepare your students with technology skills they will use in the future?