As the world of technology continues to open up new
possibilities in the classroom, teachers find themselves in a situation where
the use of this technology is no longer recommended, it’s required. With
administrations from every school asking how their teachers are integrating
technology in the classroom, I decided this would be a neat article to explore.
The following are some interesting apps and programs that give teachers a
variety of advantages in the classroom.
Blogger or WordPress
Free blog development sites like Blogger or WordPress are
perfect for educators. Not only are they simple to use, but they offer the
tools needed to communicate with your students when you’re not around. Why have
a blog? The possibilities are endless. You can conduct polls, initiate
discussion, or simply relay the day’s activities to those who missed. It’s the
perfect classroom companion.
Dropbox
We’ve entered an age where one device simply doesn’t cut it.
We may begin our work at a home computer, but then move on to school. After
school, perhaps we’re out and need to access a file on the go. That’s where
Dropbox comes in. I may save files on the computer at school or home as a
backup measure, but when it comes to everyday saving, Dropbox is where my files
find themselves. With Dropbox, you can easily save files on any device and
access them anywhere you can sign in, and best of all, it’s free! I even use it
at home just to move from the laptop to the desktop to my phone. My files are
always by my side and it’s a nice feeling to have.
The Handy, Dandy Cell Phone
Seriously, what can’t today’s cell phones do? From
messaging, to emailing, to web surfing, to… calling, yes, today’s cell phones
do everything. However, when I’m in the classroom, what do I use most on my
phone? The timer. Pretty simple, eh? With my lessons divided up into segments,
I can use my cell phone to easily transition from one part to the next without
fear of running out of time. We’re on a tight schedule, and these standards
won’t teach themselves!
YouTube
Please don’t underestimate the power of YouTube. With
YouTube, you can learn how to do just about anything. I learned how to fix my
broken dryer recently from a YouTube video, and let me tell you, my handyman
skills have a lot to be desired. With YouTube, you can easily supplement
lessons. Integrate YouTube videos with your blog posts and you can create a
full online lesson.
CommonCore App for Iphone
Oh, Lord in Heaven how can I thank you for this app? The
need to create lessons and correlate them to Common Core Standards just got
easier. Instead of browsing through the clunky PDF files available on the
Common Core website, one can simply download this app and have the standards
they need readily available at their fingertips. If you’re one of the many teachers
expected to follow Common Core State Standards, please download this app now!
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