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Technology within the classroom applied.

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Technology within the classroom applied.

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Integrating technology into the classroom has completely changed how teachers teach, and students learn. Teachers are learning how to teach with emerging technologies such as tablets, Smart Boards, digital cameras, and computers, while students are using advanced technology to shape how they learn. By embracing and integrating technology in the classroom, we are setting our students up for a successful life outside of school. The mini-lessons below will give you an idea of how I plan to use technology to enhance the lessons in my classroom.

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With the rapid advance of technology, teachers are being encouraged to use educational apps and devices to supplement their instruction. This may cause educators to feel a range of emotion: "Great, I love technology!", "Ugh, that is a lot to learn and I don't have time!", "No way! I am sticking to pencil and paper." Regardless of your response, technology has become a crucial part of our everyday life, so how do we incorporate it in the classroom?

When I entered the classroom, I was overwhelmed and the thought of adding technology into my lessons was daunting. However, my campus had a technology initiative, so I learned about some amazing educational apps that increased student engagement, and made my lessons more fun. One of the most interactive and engaging tools I used was called Nearpod.
What is Nearpod?
Nearpod is a free shared presentation and assessment tool. The app's concept is simple. A teacher can create presentations (similar to PowerPoints), which can include quizzes, polls, videos, images, drawing boards, web content, and more. The interactive presentation is then shared with students on their devices[1].
How does it work?
To start, teachers create a free account on nearpod.com. They can then import presentations they have already created, create a new presentation within Nearpod, or use one of the thousands of already created lessons housed within the website. Traditional slideshows can be spiced up with polls, quizzes, virtual reality field trips, drawing boards, fill-in-the-blank questions, open-ended questions, web content, and 3D objects.

Once a presentation is ready to be shared, the teacher can "launch" it from the Nearpod website. This will give your classroom a code and allow students to sign into the lesson from their device. That's when the fun begins! Students will have your presentation on their screens and be able to follow along, answer questions, and actively participate throughout the entire lesson. While students are answering questions, the teacher is able to see responses and address any misunderstandings or share exemplary answers directly with the class on their devices, making Nearpod a great tool for formative assessment in the classroom.
For more on how Nearpod works, check out this short video.
What are its benefits?
Not only is Nearpod free and easy to use, it has other features that make it a beneficial resource for educators. This app works in any classroom, no matter the subject or grade level. No complicated student login is required, so students don't have to remember any passwords, saving valuable instructional time and eliminating potential confusion. Because students uses their own individual devices, it is possible to ensure 100% participation and allow students to take ownership of their learning in a new way. Nearpod also makes it quick and easy to assess individual students and class performance on standards, which immediately informs teaching.
How do I start?
To avoid feeling overwhelmed, it's best to integrate Nearpod into lessons slowly. This may mean trying it out for one lesson a month, or even one lesson a week. Do not try to overcompensate and do too much. It's far better to gradually build up your Nearpod activity as you feel comfortable / as it is appropriate. In fact, this is true for any new technology you want to add to your class.

Nearpod's mission is to empower educators to create learning experiences that engage and inspire millions of students around the world[2]. I would love to hear how you use this resource in your classroom!

To learn more about Nearpod and how to incorporate it into your classroom, click here.

Chelsea VanBuskirk
TeachBeyond: School Services Department Facilitator
TeachBeyond, Global

Photo Credits: Tablet. Secretaria Municipal de Saúde de Porto Alegre Flickr via Compfight cc. Nearpod public lesson screenshot, C VanBuskirk.

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Using Technology in My Classroom - TeachBeyond

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With the rapid advance of technology, teachers are being encouraged to use educational apps and devices to supplement their instruction. This may cause educators to feel a range of emotion: "Great, I love technology!", "Ugh, that is a lot to learn and I don't have time!", "No way!

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The Cool Tools workshops have come to an end. The 2018-19 school year was the last year the workshop was offered. The website content will remain relevant for some time, but won't be fully updated after 2020.

It's been an enormous pleasure working with so many dedicated, enthusiastic and innovative educators over the many years I've been coordinating this workshop. Close to 1,000 librarians, classroom teachers, administrators and more have participated over the years. Thousands more have benefited from the content shared here and by workshop participants taking ideas back to their schools.

Thank you for all you've taught me! Never stop learning!

Workshop Topics

Cool Tools 101 - for first time participants

If you're a first time participant, please make sure you do the Thing 1: Getting Started lesson first. Beyond that, these first 10 topics might be of most interest to you, though you can also pick from any of the topics below. You choose, it's your learning experience!
Before you start: READ THE FAQ PAGE!
More Cool Tools - for anyone

Topics from earlier workshops

These topics are still relevant and very interesting. The content was updated for the 2017-18 workshop and is still be available if you want to explore any these topics. You could use these as the basis for the Thing 30: DIY - You Pick lesson

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Welcome to Cool Tools for School - Cool Tools for School

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The Cool Tools workshops have come to an end. The 2018-19 school year was the last year the workshop was offered. The website content will remain relevant for some time, but won't be fully updated after 2020. It's been an enormous pleasure working with so many dedicated, enthusiastic and innovative educators over the many years ...

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Kristen Laky

Last Updated 04/13/2020

kristen.laky@smail.astate.edu

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Acceptable Use Policy Advocacy Announcements Digital Citizenship FAQ Parent Information School Information Student Information Teacher Information Technology © Kristen Laky Last Updated 04/13/2020 kristen.laky@smail.astate.edu