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a.) What Are the Most Effective Ways to Introduce Children to AI?

https://elearningindustry.com/what-are-the-most-effective-ways-to-introduce-children-to-ai

b.) This website was helpful with how to promote AI to students in an ethical way. It can be a great learning tool as well as promote creativity.

c.) The part that stuck out to me the most was how students can use AI for art, music, and poetry purposes. It offerers a variety of features that can be good resources for inspiration, as well as a starting point to get students' imaginations going.

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What Are The Most Effective Ways To Introduce Children To AI?

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Artificial Intelligence is here to stay! Read this article to learn how to introduce children to AI so that they are prepared for the future.

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a.) 9 Tips for Using AI for Learning (and Fun!)

https://www.edutopia.org/article/using-ai-for-learning-fun/

b.) This website offers a variety of suggestions on how teachers could use AI in their classrooms for all grade levels and interests.

c.) I was most interested by the idea of bringing student drawings to life. This could be a great resource for encouraging students to think imaginatively. They could create a story based on the movements of their drawing.

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Artificial intelligence (AI) tools exploded onto the scene in the last school year. From textbots like ChatGPT to image-generating platforms like Stable Diffusion-and the dozens of AI products marketed specifically to teachers-it's difficult to keep track of what's out there.

Even harder is finding the time to evaluate which of these tools are actually useful.

What does seem clear is that AI is here to stay, and today's students will enter a world where they'll be expected to engage with it. So it is critical for students to understand the capabilities-and limitations-of AI tools, even as those capabilities rapidly evolve. With teachers' help, students can learn not to rely on AI, but rather to use it in a responsible way that supports their learning process, and teachers can request transparency and accountability whenever students use these tools on their own.

Teachers are already integrating AI into the classroom in fun, engaging, and academically rich ways-by having students fact-check ChatGPT's responses, for instance, or by using AI images as writing prompts in English or discussion starters in history class.

Here are nine AI-based lesson ideas to try across different grade levels and subject areas.

ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Courtesy of Meta AI Research
1. Bring Student Drawings to Life: Young kids love to sketch, and AI can animate their sketches-and introduce them to the power of the technology in the process. During a presentation at the 2023 conference of the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE), learning coach Doug Sanders encouraged teachers to check out the Animated Drawings tool from Meta AI Research. Simply take a photo of a student's latest sketch and upload it to the site, and the AI can quickly have it perform dozens of different actions-walking, dancing, throwing out some boxing jabs, and more.

Encourage students to craft a story around the animations. Why, for example, is their drawing running wildly across the room? What is it running from? For the tool to work, the drawing must be vaguely humanoid, so be sure to guide students toward drawing humanlike figures.

Brenneise asks students to write about what the image makes them see, hear, touch, smell, and taste. From there, students can dig deeper and spend some time writing the image's backstory. (How did a goat get to the beach in the first place?) To better connect this activity to content learning, ask students to include recent vocabulary words in their writing-or prompt the AI to include relevant concepts in the image itself, like "fossils," "crystals," or "migration."

3. Use AI Responses to Spur Scientific Thinking: AI language models typically do a decent job of answering basic questions about science. But their accuracy rate is far from 100 percent, which can be a good way to engage elementary students in critical thinking.

In a full-class session, teachers can pull up ChatGPT and ask students what questions they have related to the current unit. For example, if a student is still confused about cloud formation, the teacher could prompt ChatGPT: "Please explain how clouds form to a third-grade audience." Next, the class can dissect ChatGPT's response as a group with questions like "What did it leave out? What are people still confused about? And what parts of the answer might not be accurate?"

To investigate further, encourage students to spend time searching through class resources or reputable online sources to confirm or deny ChatGPT's scientific claims. "By allowing students the opportunity to assess the products that AI generates, we can prompt their learning and their development of critical thinking skills," writes educator Sunaina Sharma.

MIDDLE SCHOOL

4. Find the Faults in AI-Generated Historical Images: AI image generators can help students envision what historical scenes-like the signing of the Constitution or Lincoln's Gettysburg Address-might have looked like, suggested educational technologist and history educator James Beeghley at this year's ISTE conference. But Beeghley noted that these images are likely to be full of inaccuracies.

Unreliable AI images can be a great jumping-off point for a fun history class activity. On the class screen, pull up an AI image generator like Bing's image creator, Craiyon, or Canva, and type in a prompt related to the time period you're covering in class, like "Sacagawea guiding Lewis and Clark"; then switch the "style" setting to "photograph" for maximum realism. (Since AI image platforms can take a couple of minutes to produce an output, try doing this before class.)

Ask students to analyze the output using what they've already learned or have them do additional research to identify elements of the image that have no basis in reality-like anachronistic clothing or technology or a biased presentation of particular groups.
Courtesy of Microsoft Bing
5. Use AI Math Tools to See All Sides of a Problem: Many math teachers know-and curse-the name Photomath, a powerful AI-based app that can scan and solve a math problem from a photograph. But there are ways to use Photomath to engage students in deeper learning, according to Valerie Bennett, an assistant professor of STEM education curriculum and instruction at Clark Atlanta University.

One option is to have students compare their approach to solving problems with an AI approach, Bennett told EdWeek. Teachers can give students a set of problems and ask them to use pen and paper to solve them first, before feeding the problems into Photomath. Because Photomath runs through the steps to reaching a solution, Bennett said, students can contrast the tool's process-and results-with their own.

"Did the platforms come up with different answers? Different methods? Which is most efficient?" Answering these questions will help students think more deeply about different approaches to solving problems and help them refine their own methods.

6. Learn About Voice From ChatGPT's Imitations of Famous Authors: Help students better understand the concept of voice in writing, and how well-known writers cultivate one, by asking ChatGPT to attempt to imitate authors' styles.

For example, ask ChatGPT to write two poems about your school's mascot in the style of Shakespeare and Maya Angelou or two speeches about the impact of climate change by Abraham Lincoln and Martin Luther King Jr. Ask students to contrast ChatGPT's imitations of various authors and dissect the ways that word choice, narrative techniques, or literary devices like alliteration are used by specific writers to help craft a distinct voice. You can also challenge students to find any stylistic choices in the output that the original author probably wouldn't have made.

Similarly, you can have students contrast a ChatGPT-generated "rousing, 272-word speech in the style of Abraham Lincoln about the lives lost on the battlefield" with the genuine Gettysburg Address. The AI's imitation, in most cases, will be much less impactful than the real author or speaker, and you can ask students to identify the literary techniques that made the original piece so masterful (and ChatGPT's version so "meh").

HIGH SCHOOL
Courtesy of Hello History
7. Chat With Historical Figures: To resurrect dead historical figures and attempt to approximate what they might have said in conversation, educational technology professor Maureen Yoder encouraged teachers to check out Hello History during a presentation at 2023's ISTE conference.

The ChatGPT-powered app lets you chat with dozens of historical figures, from Cleopatra to Einstein. Hello History is free but has a 20-message daily limit, so try using ChatGPT itself for longer conversations. Have students prompt it: "For the rest of this conversation, role-play as [historical figure]," then ask it a variety of questions.

You can expect the outputs to be full of inaccuracies-either outright biographical mistakes or misrepresentations about what the historical figure really believed. Challenge students to take what the chatbot says and analyze it carefully. What did the AI get right and wrong about the figure's life and beliefs? They can answer this based on what they've already learned in the class or perform independent research to verify ChatGPT's claims.

8. Speak With AI in a Foreign Language: When learning a new language, students might feel self-conscious about making mistakes and avoid practicing as much as they should. But many language learners are turning to AI chatbots for help, the BBC reports, since "a chatbot won't judge you" and "you can speak about things that are interesting to you." According to the BBC, research suggests that these chatbots can also be useful for "vocabulary development, grammar and other language skills, especially when they offer corrective feedback."

Language teachers can have students carry out a conversation with ChatGPT. Start with a prompt like "I want to practice my Spanish. Can you speak to me in Spanish at a ninth-grade level, with short sentences?" There are also AI chatbots specifically for language learning, like LearnLingo and Tutor Lily, which both have free versions; these can be adjusted to various levels of fluency and offer text and audio conversation options. Teachers can ask students to interact with these language platforms at home and print out the results as homework or try chatting with them during an in-class session.

9. Ask Students to Grade ChatGPT's Writing: Many students' biggest temptation is letting ChatGPT write their essays. One fun and engaging way for teachers to work around that desire is... to sometimes let students do exactly that. Instead of assigning students an essay analyzing Of Mice and Men, have students type that essay's prompt into ChatGPT instead.

Then, have students take on the role of the teacher: "In groups, students should collaboratively read the ChatGPT response and assess it using a rubric that the teacher has provided for them," suggests Sharma. Have students mark up ChatGPT's response and come up with constructive feedback that they can deliver in their next prompt. (For example, "Your paragraphs lack topic sentences. Try again.") By taking on the role of an editor, students can actively develop a better understanding of what makes an essay successful.

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9 Tips for Using AI for Learning (and Fun!)

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These innovative, AI-driven activities will help you engage students across grade levels and subject areas.

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a.) 10 Ways to Use Nearpod in the Classroom

https://nearpod.com/blog/nearpod-in-the-classroom/

b.) This website offers different ways that you can use Nearpod to engage you class. The presentation creator includes different approaches so that all students can find something they are interested in.

c.) I enjoyed the interactive activities and modeling the most. I believe that these components can heavily engage students, making learning become more of a game!

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Nearpod helps educators make any lesson interactive, whether in the classroom or virtual. The concept is simple. A teacher can create interactive presentations that can contain Quizzes, Polls, Videos, Collaborate Boards, and more. You can access thousands of premade K-12 standards-aligned lessons or upload your existing lessons and make them interactive using Nearpod in the classroom. Nearpod makes teaching easier with the interactive tools, resources, and content teachers need, all in one place. You can sign up for a free account today and learn 5 ways to use a free Nearpod account.

The students can access a teacher's Live Participation presentation through a code, and the teacher then moves the class through the lesson and lets students interact with the media as they go. Teachers can also opt for Student-Paced mode, where the student controls the flow of the lesson. This mode is perfect for remote learning, hybrid learning, sub days, homework assignments, or independent work. The app is web-based and works on any device with an internet connection.

10 ways to use Nearpod in the classroom

Below are just ten simple ways you can utilize this multiple-solutions-in-one tool:

1. Simple presentation delivery

At its most simple, you can use Nearpod as a substitute for other presentation tools. Instead of running a Powerpoint or Google Slides, you can utilize Nearpod and make the lesson more interactive. You can even 'drag and drop' your existing Google Slides, PDFs, and PowerPoints into the app for it to instantly create a Nearpod presentation. Then you can select from countless interactive activities and formative assessments. The presentations will be beamed to each student's device in the classroom. You also do not have to rely on students being able to see the board.

2. Personalized provision and differentiation

Following on from the idea of using Nearpod as a simple presentation tool, you could isolate the use of the app to one student or a small group. It could be that you are beaming extra teaching provisions to particular pupils during a starter. This could be the missing link that provides more support for a child with visual impairments. It could provide that extra bit of help for a low attainer in your class. You can also duplicate the lesson and modify to deliver differentiated content to your students. You can edit these lessons with personalized formative assessment activities, collect feedback, and inclusive accessibility.

3. Distributing student resources

Using the app to distribute resources is another simple way of using it in the classroom. You can fill your presentation with images or worksheets and ask the students to use the Students Notes feature to save the presentation to their drive to access the information later when studying for an exam or completing homework.

4. Live formative assessment

The app can become even more useful if you insert one of Nearpod's many formative assessment activities into your presentation. As a teacher, you can create customized Quizzes, Polls, Open-ended Questions, Matching Pairs, Draw It activities, and more. Use these tools to view their responses and check for students' understanding in real-time. The teacher can instantly gain insights into the classes' overall understanding and make adjustments on the fly.

5. Interactive gamification and activities

One simple way to implement Nearpod into your daily instruction is to have students do an interactive activity. Add interest and excitement into everyday learning with Drag & Drop, Draw It, Time to Climb, Matching Pairs, and Collaborate Board. To review a unit use the gamified multiple-choice quiz, Time to Climb. With Collaborate Board, teachers can host classroom discussions with students using an interactive board to share ideas in real-time.

6. Self-assessment

It is common practice in Primary and Secondary schools for students to assess themselves and evaluate their own confidence levels. This is usually achieved through a traffic light system that children are encouraged to draw in their workbooks. Red indicates a poor confidence level, amber indicates a fair understanding and green indicates a very good understanding of any given learning topic.

Nearpod contains the option of inserting a 'Poll'. In this situation, students' opinions are questioned. This makes the 'Polling' tool a perfect feature to use when 'traffic lighting' in the classroom. The information is then saved in the aforementioned reports!

The app also has a feature called ' Draw It' that can be built into your presentations. This beams an interactive whiteboard to the students' devices. The teacher's device will display all of the students' 'drawings' and the teacher can then 'share' individual whiteboards with the entire class. Hitting share will cause the chosen 'drawing' to appear on every device. This enables teachers to share good work and model good progressions.

8. Open-ended tasks

Nearpod in the classroom allows for creative flexibility. The 'Open-Ended Questions' feature allows the teacher to pose a question or set up a scenario for the students to respond to. With this tool, you can facilitate creative writing tasks. As a result, the advantage of using something like Nearpod for this kind of activity is that the 'Open-Ended' answers are then automatically logged in the reports.

9. Setting homework

All of the above examples revolve around the idea of using Nearpod in a Live session, but students can also engage on their own time. You can provide a Student-Paced code and they can access the Nearpod lesson at home, or anywhere with an internet connection.

10. Sharing and using pre-made resources

One way of using Nearpod involves almost no work at all. Once you log on, tap on the ' Nearpod Library ' button on the left side and it will take you to a library of pre-made Nearpod lessons. You can find interactive presentations on almost anything for K-12 made by reliable subject experts. Near down your search by using the filters on the left side, typing into the search for, or browsing around our featured content. You can search by lesson type, standards, subjects, grade levels, and keywords.

Get started using Nearpod

The customizable nature of the app means that it can be applied to any age range and teaching context. It saves you time with real-time formative assessment and session reports and helps build a connected culture in and outside of the classroom.
Sign up for free!

Interested in downloading a PDF version of this resource? Download to access at any time and share with colleagues!

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Nearpod is a student engagement platform that can be used to amazing effect in the classroom. It's as useful as it is simple to use.

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a.) 5 Interactive Presentation Ideas that Will Engage Students

https://www.viewsonic.com/library/education/5-interactive-presentations-ideas-that-will-engage-students/

b.) This is a useful website for digging deeper into the ideas of whole class engagement, which can be very difficult. It gives a variety of resources that teachers can incorporate into their lessons that are likely to interest students.

c.) The aspect that I was most interested in was incorporating discussions and group breakout sessions. This is a valuable concept that pushes students to fully think about the information that they are learning.

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Interactive presentations should always be an educator's goal. Dry, teacher-centered lectures lose students' interest, while interactive presentations grab and hold attention. Getting students involved improves retention, understanding, and enjoyment. And it's remarkably easy to involve the audience with just a few easy principles (especially with the right technology at your disposal).

So start creating interactive presentations with the tips and tricks below.
Students today expect the classroom to be both educational and enjoyable at the same time. Interactive presentations help engage students by having them participate in the lessons instead of passively listening to lectures. This reduces boredom and gives students a sense of responsibility to be attentive.

A Gallup Poll of about 3,000 schools shows that around the 5 th grade 74% of students feel they are engaged in school, but by the 10 th, 11 th, and 12 th grade that numbers fall to the 30% range. It is important for educators from K-12 and on to higher education to recognize that keeping students engaged in the classroom is important and the adoption of interactive learning environments can be a key driver.

Millennials and Generation Y students are especially accustomed to being a part of the lessons and not just a spectator. Students are encouraged to talk and offer their ideas to create a collaborative atmosphere where both teachers and students are sources of knowledge and insight. The teacher plays more of a facilitator role in moving the lesson along and encouraging students to participate in their own learning outcomes. Students offer their own input, additional information, and give examples of how they would apply the key concepts.

The learning task is the central aspect of the interactive presentations (instead of the teacher's energy level and hold on the students' attention spans) and the lessons evolve around it. Even though the teacher is normally, the 'presenter' in most cases the 'interaction' part comes in a verity of ways to get students participating in the lesson. Many activities, games, role-plays, quizzes, and discussions can be integrated into the presentation flow and the lessons will take different directions from there. We will discuss later many examples of tools and techniques to encourage collaborations.

Technological Aid in Interactive Presentations

Although interactive presentations can be done without technology it is greatly aided with the adoption of tools designed to facilitate the learning process. For example, a quiz is given in the middle of the presentation. On one side, traditionally a teacher can write the quiz before the lesson starts, print out copies for all students, pass out the quiz, and collect answers. To provide feedback for the exercise the teacher will also need to grade and start a discussion on the results before moving on to the next topic. This process is time-consuming and restrictive.

With technological aid such as an interactive digital whiteboard or a classroom quizzing application on individual devices, the students and teacher can come up with the quiz questions on the spot. This digital quiz can be administrated wirelessly to all students and within seconds, the results can be shared with all participants to discuss. This greatly increases the spontaneity, variability and class involvement of a simple quiz.

5 Interactive Presentations Ideas and Corresponding Technology Aids

1. Storytelling

The teacher does not have to be the only star. The glory of the presentation can go to all participants who have a story to tell. The main concepts can be discussed and students should be given time to come up with a personal example. This exercise helps students relate to the subject matter and getting to listen to other students' examples will drive home the concepts further. The need for the teacher to plan extensive examples and be the only one talking during the presentation is reduced. Teachers can also judge by the stories shared how much the students are understanding.

Storytelling with technology: Many digital whiteboards have Cast and Throw functions that will allow students to work on their own examples on their devices and send this to the whiteboard when sharing. This allows students to quickly go up and share their stories without sending files by email, wires, or USBs.

2. Non-linear presentation

Presentations that do not follow a strict order but organically flow from topics to topic base on the audience's feedback is a great way to engage participants. Once prepared the presenter can flow from one topic to the next by asking questions, polling, or receiving requests at the end of each key point. This allows the audience to 'build' their own presentation on what they want to hear not in a rigid manner as with traditional slide-based presentations.

Non-linear presentation with technology: There are non-linear presentation applications like Prezi which helps presenters build presentations on easy to customize templates. They offer zoomable canvas (not slides) to help people share knowledge, stories and inspire audiences to act. The canvas shows relationships between points and offers a recommended flow but not a set path to follow.

3. Polls, surveys, and quizzes

One of the most recognizable and used tools in the classroom to get a fast reaction from students are polls, surveys & quizzes. For Polls, simple questions that have limited answers are used to gather a consensus. This could be in the form of a raise of hands, ballots, or having students form groups. Surveys would require printed-paper with multiple choices, scales, or short answers to gather opinions. Quizzes are used to quickly test a student's knowledge on what was just covered so the class can identify weak areas and crystalize main concepts.

Polls, surveys, and quizzes can be anonymous or not. By openly requiring students to share their ideas on results such as a debate or open discussion would increase the interactives of the activity. Students can also be tasked to create questions and grade their own surveys and quizzes for an added layer of participation within the presentation.

Polls, surveys, and quizzes with technology: Many classroom management software such as Google Classroom has built-in tools to create polls, surveys, and quizzes along with assignments, communication, and other educational features. Once submitted the collection and grading is instantaneous. The results can be shared easily to the student both individually or as a group.

4. Games

What student of any age does not like a good game, contest or competition? Adding a small game into a presentation breaks up the normal lecture format and gets the audience to think critically to help their team win. There are many versions and adaptions of basic educational games. Teachers can take games such as Pictionary, Jeopardy, Casino, and Bingo then adapt it to their needs.

Gamifying your interactive presentation: By integrating into the presentation links to applications like ClassCraft or Kahoot a teacher can quickly launch an interactive digital game. These applications help teachers tailor their own games by adding their questions, facts, and materials for individuals, small teams or the whole class to participate.

5. Discussions and groups breakout sessions

Having the class only listen to a lecture is the death of any interactive presentation. By adding sections where students can have an open discussion or breakout sessions can help students learn from each other, share insights, and have an opportunity to ask questions to their peers. It is also an opportunity for the teacher to take a break from talking and help small groups or students individually as the rest of the class converse.

Taking the discussion online for interactive presentations: Live discussion applications like NowComment allow students to markup and discuss a text in real-time which is great for peer-review activates and gather student input into one place quickly. Alternatively, Yo Tech is great for teachers to create and moderate real-time chat rooms. Students can send text-like messages, reply to other messages, and share pictures and drawings. Online chat groups are a great way for large groups of student to collaborate and interact in one place while keeping the noise level down in a classroom.

Tips for Creating Interactive Presentations

Here are some tips when creating a presentation that has interactive components:

Reminders

Add in places within your lecture notes or presentation slides reminders for you to engage the audience. This could be a small image or phrase. When using digital whiteboards or other display technology you could also use a sound, empty slide, or pop-up link to prompt you to start.

Time Limits

It is great to keep going a good game or discussion in the class where everyone is really engaged. However, keep the maximum amount of time you can dedicate to these activities in mind. Have a watch or a timer on-hand and keep things moving. Give enough time for students to get engage without overdoing it. Spread out chances for students to talk and share. When it is time to move on to the next topic prepare a transition to the next part of the presentation.

Sharing

Think of ways to let all students have a chance to share. You can select students randomly or have them take turns in some kind of order. Remind students that this is a learning activity and not everyone will get it right the first time. The interactive activity should be open and inclusive. For students who are introverted have activities that can be done without going to the front of the class or involve public speaking.

Benefits of Having Interactive Components in Your Presentation

Retention: Actively having students engage with the concepts of the presentation in different ways and hearing it from different people (besides the teacher) helps with long-term retention.

Personalization: Students are given the choice of where the presentation is heading and participate in their own learning outcomes.

Fun: Having a break from the routine, getting a chance to move around, developing teams, and sharing are all much better than sitting silently and taking notes.

Feedback: Adding interactive activities into a presentation gives you instant feedback about students' comprehension.

Vocalization: Having students actually vocalize their ideas helps them internalize the concepts.

Summarization: Students review and summarize their own main points while doing the activities so there is less need for repetition.

Build Your Own Version of Interactive Presentations for Your Next Lesson

Bring in the interactive components and increasing the engagement of your presentations will both help you as a teacher and your students. Make presentations both educational and entertaining; Edutainment! With or without technology consider incorporating some new ideas into your next interactive presentation.

Get more insights about education and education technology at our education portal.

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5 Interactive Presentations Ideas that will Engage Students | ViewSonic Library

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Interactive presentations should always be an educator's goal. Dry, teacher-centered lectures lose students' interest, while interactive presentations grab and hold attention. Getting students involved improves retention, understanding, and enjoyment. And it's remarkably easy to involve the audience with just a few easy principles (especially with the right technology at your disposal).

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a.) Augmented Reality in the Classroom

https://www.discoveryeducation.com/solutions/augmented-reality/#:~:text=By%20placing%20a%20stage%20on,science%20and%20nature%2C%20and%20more.

b.) This website introduces different apps that use AR technology. It is a valuable tool that can make students much more connected to the concepts they are learning.

c.) I would use these apps in my classroom to allow students to experience places they may never get to see. AR apps can take us to so many places, even into space, which makes it a valuable tool for teaching. It makes concepts feel more realistic to students, instead of just an idea about something they have never even seen before.

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a.) Using Augmented Reality in the Classroom

https://www.educationcorner.com/augmented-reality-classroom-education/

b.) This website discusses the benefits of AR in the classroom and well as how teachers can easily integrate it. AR can provide a deeper understanding of concepts, meanwhile keeping students engaged.

c.) I was most interested in how it can be used to teach safety. Equipment such as lab tools and precautions can be scanned by a student, having lessons about how to properly use the equipment.

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Augmented reality has quickly become one of the most popular trends among software and hardware developers. Augmented reality allows people to interact with their real-world environment in an enhanced way.

Using different kinds of technology, the environment is augmented by the technology. This can occur in many ways. On the more complex end, users can get feedback through their sense of touch, their sense of smell, and their sense of sight and sound.

The technology being used changes the user's perception of the real world. This is not virtual reality, because virtual reality attempts to replace the real-world environment with a digital one.

Depending on how sophisticated the technology, augmented reality can display visuals over the real world, provide artificial audio feedback that's not actually present in the environment, and give various types of feedback through a user's different senses.

If this sounds complicated, that's because it can be. Advanced augmented systems include visual headsets and complicated controls for interacting with the enhanced real-world environment. However, there are much simpler ways of implementing augmented reality.

This simpler version of augmented reality can be accessed using the same tools that most students use every day - the modern cell phone. Smart phones, specifically, have the ability to create an augmented reality experience.

As documented by Forbes, there are multiple ways that augmented reality has been brought to life over mobile phones. The Gatwick app connects terminal beacons to mobile phones to help passengers navigate the area. Meanwhile, IKEA's app lets people scan their rooms and redesign them on their mobile screens using Ikea furniture.

Sephora's app lets people scan their faces and try different looks by combining different facial products. These are just a few examples of how reality can be enhanced using augmented reality apps. However, how can augmented reality help in the classroom?

Augmented Reality in the Class

In a piece developed for EdTech magazine, author Meghan Cortez noted that augmented reality had the power to transform the classroom. The possibilities, Cortez argued, were vast. Augmented reality was being integrated into medical training to help medical students simulate surgeries.

In primary and secondary schools, augment reality was used to help deaf students by delivering interactive flashcards that operated using sign language to interact with the students.

Teachers should be aware that the application of augmented reality has, thus far, leaned heavily toward science, humanities, and the arts. These are topics where augmented reality lends itself most easily toward interactive experiences.

On the other hand, the least integrated topics were in areas of health, welfare, agriculture, and teaching training. This divide suggested that augmented reality might not be ideal for teachers of all subjects. However, it can provide an important, hands-on experience that helps to increase the level of engagement students feel with their materials.

Benefits of Augmented Reality

Augmented reality can promote interactive experiences with coursework, encourage collaboration between students, improve motivation, and increase learning gains. These benefits all rely on effectively implementing augmented reality into the class. When integrated poorly, augmented reality faces several limits, including too much focus on virtual information and intrusion of the technology onto actual leering gains.

There are other benefits to adding augmented reality to the classroom as well. For instance, as covered by the Tech Advocate, there are plenty of ready-made resources that teachers can draw upon to more easily integrate the technology.

Several books have already been released that are designed to work with augmented reality, and the only thing that students need to bring to the lessons are their smartphones.

Teachers only have to provide the books and students can scan the book pages, bringing them to life on their phones. This means less prep times for teachers. With regard to resources, the availability of resources means that teachers only have to print out enhanced worksheets if they want their students to take the augmented experience home. Pre-made augmented reality sheets can be printed out by the teacher, which makes it easier for teachers to make augmented reality into their preparations.

The staff of Cypher Learning, which develops the NEO learning management system, also reviewed some of the benefits of using augmented reality in the class. When properly integrated, it can increase enthusiasm for the materials among students and increase their motivation. Augmented reality often presents a new way of learning for students that's easy for them to become enthusiastic about.

At the heart of what drives this increased motivation is the novelty of augmented reality, but also its interactivity. Students can directly manipulate enhanced elements of their environment, which can contribute to deeper learning among students. It's more likely that students will remember their materials for the long term because they will be able to directly interact with their materials in fun and innovative ways.

Designing an Augmented Classroom

When it comes to implementing augmented reality technology into the classroom, there are a few design principles that instructors should keep in mind. As discussed by researchers Robert Miller and Tonia Dousay, the first duty of a teacher is to ask why. Why are they implementing the technology and how do they intend to use it to support learning goals? Haphazardly introducing a technology just for the sake of using it won't lead to improved outcomes.

The best role for augmented reality is as a supplementary tool, rather than as a primary method of delivering content. So, while teachers can use it to bring lessons to life, they also need to maintain a focus on more traditional ways of delivering content. Augmented reality is best suited to enhancing those traditional lessons rather than acting as stand-alone methods of instruction.

It's also important for teachers to know their classrooms. If their students don't possess a certain level of technological knowhow, they won't be able to work with augmented reality effectively. If teachers are hoping to use such technology, they should probably gauge their classroom at the start of the year first. This is important because Miller and Dousay suggested that trying to use this technology among students who didn't have a certain level of technological competence would only detract from meeting learning goals.

Augmented Reality Apps

One of the difficult aspects of integrating augmented reality into the classroom is settling on the right apps to use. There are more than just a few apps teachers can draw upon to enhance work in the classroom. Here are just some of the most popular for students of all ages.

Popar Toys. This app changes the way that students engage with stories and puzzles. The books and puzzles that can be used with the app come to life with animation and readalongs as the children make their way through the stories. This app brings stories to life, which can help children become more interested in a range of topics. They c an even engage with interactive books about the world and the solar system, helping bring science to life.

Augment Education. Augment Education is targeted at an older crowd than Popar Toys and is best used by high schoolers. Students can use this tool to create presentations in augmented reality and create three dimensional designs. The ability to make models in augmented reality can bring lessons to life in classes that range from health to architecture. Teachers can also create lessons in 3D, making Augment Education one of the most innovative and helpful apps for educators.

SkyMap. One of the most interesting augmented reality apps is Google's Sky Map. Specialized specifically for classrooms, this app helps students learn more about the solar system. The interesting part about this app is just how hands-on it is. When students direct their devices upward and to the sky, the app finds planets and stars that are in that direction. The app's ability to find stellar bodies lets students identify different parts of their universe. Besides showing various constellations, the app challenges students to find certain planets and displays high quality images of interesting locations like the Orion Nebula.

Fetch Lunch Rush. Yet another app that has appeal for a younger audience, this PBS produced app used printable cards to aid the augmented reality experience. With this game, kids are asked to feed a movie crew, but they have to solve math problems to do so. Kids spread out their cards across the game board and kids have to move from piece to piece, using the cards to bring to life unique problems for them to solve.

Human Anatomy Atlas. One of the most intriguing augmented reality apps for education is the Human Anatomy Atlas. The atlas bring to life three dimensional representations of the human body that students can interact with. Besides providing models that students can interact with, the app also includes descriptions of different types of disease and injuries and even questions that students can use to test their knowledge. This is yet another app that's fantastic at the high school level and is obviously perfectly suited for health classes.

These apps are just some examples of how educators can put augmented reality to use in a variety of topics. Augmented reality is a powerful tool because of its flexibility. It can be targeted not only at different age groups but at different education fields as well.

Using Augmented Reality in the Classroom

With all this discussion about the tools that teachers use and the benefits of augmented reality, how are teachers actually putting the technology to use in the class? Writing for Education Week Teacher, author Kate Stoltzfus listed approaches teachers should use to integrate augmented reality into the classroom. This may help you integrate augmented reality into your classroom more easily.

One of the primary ways that teachers can ease the transition to augmented reality is by adopting tools that can apply to all grade levels and skill levels. A specific example that educators used was Merge Cube. This cube is essentially a hologram that students can manipulate. Depending on the apps that are downloaded, the cube can become many things - a globe students can use to explore the world, a multi sided game that trains students in ways that sharpens their memory, an aquarium that students can use to identify various fish species, or a device for rotating projections of the solar system.

Merge Cube is just one example of a single tool that can be adapted for multiple audiences using an abundance of free apps. Tools that can be adapted to multiple audiences can help reduce the amount of resources teachers have to seek out to enhance their classes.

Another way that teachers are integrating augmented reality into their classes is by giving students ownership of the education experience. Teachers often use augmented reality to deliver content through apps. However, students can put together their own projects using apps that can then be shared with the class.

Whereas students used to put together PowerPoint presentations, they can now use augmented reality to bring presentations to life. Just one example that educators provided was the use of Google Street View.

By drawing on images from Google Street View, students created images that could be viewed at any angle. This helped them create views of the world that could be manipulated in 360 degrees. Such approaches helped to increase student engagement and get them doing hands on work in augmented reality.

Other ways that teachers have integrated augmented reality was discussed at New Gen Apps, an organization that develops mobile applications for business and education. One interesting way to help get students acquainted with their instructors can be accomplished using augmented reality.

Schools can put together a faculty photo wall where students can use their devices to scan each photo. Then, on their screens, the photos will come to life and provide different information about their teachers. This can be especially helpful the first week of school as students are first getting acquainted with their instructors. Using this approach, a novel and fun way of learning about a school's staff may help students transition into the school year.

Science teachers have also used augmented reality to provide students with a more engaging way of learning about lab safety. Using triggers around the classroom, science instructors can bring warning about lab devices to life. As students walk through the lab, their devices can scan these tags and learn about different rules they should adhere to when running different lab experiments and working with different equipment.

It's clear that there are many interesting ways that teachers are using augmented reality in the class. It can be used to teach rules and safety protocols, introduce students to their instructors, empower students to create their own three dimensional presentations, or manipulate adaptable tools that can teach different lessons depending on the app that's downloaded. However, because augmented reality remains a relatively new field in education, researchers and educators are sure to discover new ways of using the technology in the future.

Conclusion

The state of augmented reality in the classroom today is still a little bit fractured. Researchers have made significant strides in understanding some of the best approaches to integrating augmented reality, but it remains one of the newest fields in education. Because of that, educators are still finding new ways of effectively using the technology in the classroom.

Still, like all things in education, augmented reality is a tool that can be best put to practice with a little planning. Creating lessons that use augmented reality to enhance, rather than replace, more traditional instructional approaches seems to be the best approach to using the technology. This can be done by using the many apps that make augmented reality such a flexible and powerful tool for use in the classroom.

The technology also presents an exciting way for teachers to refresh their own instructional practices as well.

Similar Posts:

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Using Augmented Reality in the Classroom (In-Depth Guide) - Education Corner

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Augmented reality allows people to interact with their real-world environment in an enhanced way. Learn how to use it in education.

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a.) 3 Ways to Use Wordle in the Classroom

https://buildingbooklove.com/3-ways-to-use-wordle-in-the-classroom/

b.) This website describes different approaches teachers can use to integrate Wordle into their lessons. Wordle has been seen as a game, so it will create a captivating atmosphere for students to be engaged.

c.) I enjoyed learning how Wordle can have so many ELA benefits in the classroom. I would definitely use it to help with characterization as well as vocabulary. I was also interested in how to use Wordle to create poetry.

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Have you caved to the Wordle craze yet? Curiosity of seeing those mysterious green and yellow squares everywhere finally got the best of me, and I'm so glad it did! Wordle word game makes me nostalgic for the Words with Friends era that I played a decade ago with my then boyfriend and now husband. Plus, any game that generates thinking, builds vocabulary, and supports spelling is a win for teachers.

In our book Keeping the Wonder: An Educator's Guide to Magical, Engaging, and Joyful Learning, we talk about finding teaching inspiration from popular trends. Tapping into current pop culture can work wonders for classroom engagement, so I thought it would be fun to round up ways to use Wordle in the classroom.

3 Ways to use Wordle in the classroom:

One reason Wordle has taken off is that it's a global community building activity in a way. Everyone plays the same board and everyone must keep the secrets for the day.

Make your own Wordles: One of my online friends, and fellow Wordle player, shared a fun site that allows you to make your own Wordle board then share the link (make sure your school doesn't block it!). She sent one to her college students with her Dog's name just for fun. They loved it! You can watch her reel here: @ms.christinacosta Wordle Reel and access the Wordle maker here: Mywordle.me

Play Wordle as a group: I've also noticed other teachers using the official daily Wordle as a bellringer for the day. They report that it only takes a few minutes and is fun to all be working on the Wordle at the same time to see who can figure it out the quickest. I think this sounds like such a great classroom community builder, gamification element, and vocabulary builder.

Create kind Wordles: Lastly, for community building with Wordle in the classroom, it would also be really sweet to have students make Wordles for other students or teachers to spread kindness. For example, how cute would it be to make Wordles on Valentine's Day with a positive 5 letter word for the recipient. Making Wordle valentines would be extra special because the inventor made this game for his partner, a word game lover. If you want a list of positive 5-letter words, grab it here (though I think requiring students to brainstorm words on their own is key to brain work, but perhaps you want to the list to make special Wordles for colleagues).

For example, I made a special Wordle for you here: Dear Educator, you are a : Play to find out!

Obviously, use this last idea with caution because it could easily go awry if students are unkind when making their own Wordles to send to others. If you are looking for more ELA Valentine's Day activities, check out this post: Valentine's Day Activities for High School and Middle School ELA Students

Build ELA skills with Wordle in the classroom

Using the make your own Wordle method mentioned above, you can tweak this to fit a number of lessons. For example, you or your students can create Wordles that reveal traits for various characters in books. They have to figure out the word first then be able to prove how it fits the character with textual evidence. Or, they have to gather textual evidence then make a fitting Wordle and see if classmates can get it.

If you want a list of 5-letter adjectives for this activity, you can grab it here: 5 Letter Words for Wordle in the Classroom

Other ideas include:

Vivid verbs - Do a series of Wordles that build vivid verb vocabulary. Here are some 5-letter verbs to replace "said" for example: utter, emote, cried, noted, jawed, piped, aired, swore, added, joked, gibed, asked.

Breakout activities - Use special vocabulary or characterization adjectives as a breakout task. For example, once they figure out the Wordle, they put it into a locked Google form or pass it to you to unlock the next task.

Vocabulary review - Round up all the 5 letter words you have studied and create a Wordle for each one. Give the definition then have students figure out the Wordle. Or, have them puzzle the Wordle then recite or review the definition.

Create poetry with Wordle in the classroom

This is another idea I came across on Instagram from @wonderingwithmrswatto , and I think it's great! You will need to swipe through the slides on her post to get the assignment for how to create a Wordle poem, but in short, students brainstorm topics they want to write about and then a big list of 5 letter words that they can sort into a Wordle-ish poetry display. I made a teacher Wordle poem for you here:

For mine, I did 5 verbs then an adjective to end it. With this idea, you could set rules around your poetry assignment to incorporate grammar as well. If you want more digital poetry ideas, check out my blog post here: Teaching Poetry in Curriculum Context

Speaking of poetry, I'm updating this post because I recently discovered Prattle A word game from the Folger Shakespeare Library. It's like Wordle except links correct words to how Shakespeare used them in his work! You or your students can challenge yourself with up to 11 letter words and see vocabulary in context. Such nerdy fun, haha!

I hope this Wordle in the classroom roundup inspires all you puzzlers to win by keeping the wonder for yourself and your students!

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3 Ways to Use Wordle in the Classroom - Building Book Love

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Tap into the trend and learn how to use Wordle in the classroom! This fun word game is perfect for community building, ELA skills, and more!

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a.) How Teachers Are Bringing the Magic of Wordle into their Classrooms

https://www.weareteachers.com/using-wordle-in-the-classroom/#:~:text=The%20rules%20of%20Wordle%20are,in%20the%20right%20spot%20green.

b.) This website discusses the many benefits of incorporating Wordle into their classes. It even gives suggested words you can use to spark discussion among students.

c.) I liked how this website suggested using Wordle for behavior purposes. I would like to have a word of the day, and each word would be a positive action or behavior. After the students identify the word, then we could have a short discussion on why it is important and how to model such a characteristic. This would be a good opener or transition activity.

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Have you caught the Wordle bug yet? The entire WeAreTeachers staff is playing the daily word game, and we can't get enough. As there are obviously some great learning extensions with vocabulary, critical thinking, and phonics, we asked teachers to share how they're using Wordle in the classroom. Here's what they had to say.

Play a super-sized version on the whiteboard (bonus points for lamination)

I found a good use for the laminator. The 5th graders are beyond excited! #wordle pic.twitter.com/9ls8lPJSoz

- Christina Nosek (@ChristinaNosek) January 24, 2022

Teacher Christina Nosek posted on Twitter that she's been playing Worldle with her fifth graders on the whiteboard. "All you need is chart paper, a marker, a ruler, and a laminator," she says. "What was really cool was all of the discussion this sparked around letter combinations, vowel combinations, and why some things work and some things don't. We had such fabulous discussion about how words are made while we played."

Don't want to DIY? Check out our printable Wordle template

You can print it big or small depending on your needs. The rules of Wordle are simple. You choose a five-letter word of the day. Your students have six guesses to get the word. Cross out incorrect letters in their guesses, circle letters that are correct but not in the right spot yellow, and circle letters that are correct and in the right spot green.

Use Scrabble tiles to add a kinesthetic element

My own third grader has been playing Wordle and likes to have an offscreen place to do some thinking-either a notepad or an assortment of Scrabble tiles, which makes it easier for him to "see" his guesses and potential solutions.

Choose your own word of the day in a digital version

MyWordle.Me is a free site that lets you choose the word and share your customized game with others. Check out this great list of other Wordle variations your students can play, too.

Try an app version first thing in the morning

Many of the adult Wordle lovers we know play to start their days, and it's a great bell ringer for students, too. "We play in homeroom every morning," says Katharine P. "I've gotten several students to download an app that plays the same game called What Word? "

Do you have other ideas for using Wordle in the classroom? Please share in the comments.
Get the Wordle Game!

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How Teachers Are Bringing the Magic of Wordle Into Their Classrooms

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Have you caught the Wordle bug yet? The entire WeAreTeachers staff is playing the daily word game, and we can't get enough. As there are obviously some great learning extensions with vocabulary, critical thinking, and phonics, we asked teachers to share how they're using Wordle in the classroom.

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a.) How Teachers are Using QR Codes in the Classroom to Enhance Learning

https://www.qr-code-generator.com/blog/qr-codes-in-the-classroom/

b.) This website discusses the benefits of QR Code usage, as well as different strategies to incorporate them into lesson plans. QR Codes are a good interactive tool that can work with a variety of engagement strategies.

c.) I would use QR Codes in my classroom for links to videos or websites. I also liked the idea of creating an interactive bulletin board that all students could add to by scanning the QR Code.

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Best Practices
Are you a teacher who is looking for ways to make learning even more fun for your students? Then try using QR Codes in the classroom! They make digital content and links easy to access, are customizable, editable, and can be used for all sorts of lesson plans. Keep on reading for examples of how real teachers have used QR Codes in their classrooms!
Why are so many teachers using QR Codes in the classroom?

QR Codes have become increasingly popular among educational institutions across the globe, especially with teachers who focus on younger age levels. With the push towards technology in our daily lives, teachers are realizing that instead of fighting it, they can use technology to their advantage.

QR Codes are a perfect example of how teachers can positively integrate technology in their classrooms because they're so easy and flexible to use. Many children already have smartphones, so they can use their smartphones (and also tablets in class) and scan the QR Codes to do things like save homework, find quiz answers, and access links easier. Plus, it also saves on loads of paperwork - something highly beneficial for both teachers and parents.

The benefits of using QR Codes in the classroom

Teachers love using QR Codes in the classroom because they simplify access to complex links, make learning more fun for students, and have a wide variety of uses. Not to mention QR Codes can be customized and edited later on!

It takes mere seconds to scan a QR Code with any smartphone or tablet - whether it's with a third-party app or directly with the camera, which is why so many teachers are using them to make digital content more accessible for students. This works particularly well with links because students can scan the QR Code and automatically view the website instead of having to type it in themselves. Consider how long links can be if you need to share a specific article. It can take ages to type in manually. You can make it much easier by sharing the QR Code with a projector so students can scan it. For younger students and students with disabilities, this method especially is a whole lot less frustrating.

A QR Code provides students with easy access to links during a lesson. Source: edutopia.org

Flexible types of QR Codes save time

Whether you want to use QR Codes to share a link, videos, images, PDFs, sound files, and more all of this is possible with QR Code Generator. This not only saves you time during class because students view the correct information via the QR Code, but it also saves time for your prep work because you don't need to print out tons of copies for the same website for every student. This level of flexibility means that no matter which type of content you'd like to share, there's a QR Code that works for everything.

Enhances classroom learning

Because there are so many different types of QR Codes, there are endless ways that teachers can incorporate them into the classroom to make learning more interactive and fun. The image below is a good example because you can add a QR Code to a grammar quiz to provide a more creative way to access the related tasks. If you wanted to use QR Codes to share quiz solutions, you might want to use a PDF QR Code to create a document or use a Video QR Code for a video tutorial.

A QR Code on a quiz worksheet makes it easier to find the answers. Source: en.islcollective.com

By the way, a PDF QR Code is a great way for teachers to share any type of document with students or teachers without needing to print it. Parents will certainly thank you for not having to deal with so much paper!

Completely customizable

If you're worried about how you can adapt QR Codes to different mediums, this is no problem, because you can customize them in every way possible. You can increase the size as large as you need (such as to use them on a bulletin board) or even make them small for individual worksheets (but no smaller than 2 x 2 cm or 0.8 x 0.8 in because they become unreadable for QR Code scanners). You can also style your QR Codes with colors and edges and even custom frames. When styling your QR Code, make sure that the color contrast is readable on the design and doesn't blend into the background too much, otherwise, it becomes hard to read.

If you choose a Dynamic QR Code, then you can even update your QR Code's content later on. Say you need to change a link or even change your type of QR Code (i.e. use a video instead of images), you can do this without needing to design a new QR Code. This too saves time, because you never have to worry about reprinting due to typos or if the link is no longer available.

Ideas for using QR Codes in the classroom

To give you some inspiration for how to creatively use QR Codes in the classroom to enhance learning, here are a few examples from real teachers.

You can add QR Codes to worksheets so students can easily access video and website content. Jessica Boschen is a grade school teacher who did precisely this by using a combination of URL QR Codes and Video QR Codes to give students easy access to biographical information about important historical figures. By using this approach, she made the lesson much more interactive, because the students could independently read and listen to the information instead of just listening to a group presentation to the whole class.

Interactive bulletin boards

Bulletin boards are a great way to inspire curiosity among students. Schools can use them in classrooms and even on public bulletin boards that anyone in the school can access. The teacher who created the bulletin board in the image below used QR Codes to encourage students to learn more about famous women.

If you wanted to create something similar, you might consider using a combination of Video QR Codes, Website URL QR Codes, Image QR Codes, and MP3 QR Codes to give a variety of information about a particular subject.

An additional option here that would work for public bulletin boards around the school would be to use an Event QR Code so parents and students could sign up for things like PTA meetings or large school events. With Event QR Codes, anyone who scans them can automatically view all the event details, register, and add the event to the digital calendar.

Make reading time fun

A teacher wanted to make reading more interactive for younger students so she added QR Codes to a classroom reading station that all focused on Halloween stories for October. The goal here also was that students could do this independently, instead of needing to read with an adult. They already use tablets in the classroom so this was the perfect way to incorporate them into the lesson in a positive manner. In this case, you could use a Video QR Code if the files are on video or an MP3 QR Code if you'd like to share sound files.

Fun for parents at school

Another school got really creative with QR Codes and decided to integrate them into a fun event for parents. Each student recorded an audio file about themselves so that parents could get to know all the students and their interests. The audio file was converted into an MP3 QR Code, which was then added to each student's locker. At the event, parents could walk through the hallways and scan the QR Codes to listen to the audio files automatically.

A special offer for educational use

We at QR Code Generator appreciate how hard teachers work to make their classrooms as awesome as possible. So, we are offering a special plan for teachers who want to incorporate QR Codes into their lessons. All you need to do is send us an email at support@qr-code-generator.com and our friendly support team will assist you further.

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How Teachers Are Using QR Codes in the Classroom to Enhance Learning - QR Code Generator

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Best Practices Are you a teacher who is looking for ways to make learning even more fun for your students? Then try using QR Codes in the classroom! They make digital content and links easy to access, are customizable, editable, and can be used for all sorts of lesson plans.

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a.) 26 Creative Ways Teachers Can Use QR Codes in Their Classrooms

https://www.bookwidgets.com/blog/2023/11/26-creative-ways-teachers-can-use-qr-codes-in-their-classrooms

b.) This website gave a wide variety of ways teachers can use QR Codes to increase learning and engagement with students. It also included ways that teachers can use these codes to make their administrative tasks easier.

c.) I enjoyed hearing how teachers can use QR Codes to gain student, and parent, feedback. This would be a great way to monitor student confidence and learning growth.

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26 Creative Ways Teachers Can Use QR Codes in Their Classrooms

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Gone are the days when teachers scribbled different blackboard elements to explain complex concepts. Today, teachers and students are much more advanced and empowered regarding the use of technology.