Technology is becoming a tool used more often in the classroom and Tom Daccord, director of EdTechTeacher, highlighted the “3 Things Great Teachers Do With Technology,” in an article on ESchoolNews.com

“Too often, we see teachers putting the proverbial cart before the horse,” says Daccord. “They find an app or tool they like, so they introduce it in their classroom. The students might find it cool and engaging—but if the teacher hasn’t defined why they’re using that tool, its integration has no clear, educational purpose.”

A best practice for teachers would be to first figure out the topic and the learning goal for it. Their next practice would then be finding an app that matches the agenda other than doing it the other way around.

In his list of “3 Things Great Teachers Do With Technology,” Daccord highlighted “Empowering Students Through Creativity” and “They Connect Learners.”

To highlight the empowerment of creativity Daccord used Shawn McCusker, a high school social studies teacher involved in an “iPad pilot program.”

“Shawn has a YouTube channel, and he likes to provide his students with an option to publish to an authentic audience,” reported Daccord. “When Shawn’s student opted to post this particular video on YouTube, it garnered several hits. The student was so excited that she asked her teacher, ‘Can I work on this project some more? I’d like to improve my video.’ (How many students typically ask, ‘Can I write another essay?’)”

Students who are eager to learn often let their teachers know through questioning and excitement. Getting a child to be eager and excited to learn is not an easy task but technology has made the task less troublesome.

Daccord insisted “great teachers will connect their students to other audiences.” He used Kristen Paino, a New York teacher “who has helped develop a Global Book Series.” Her book connects students and teachers from around the world all compiled in to benefit the global effort in education.

“By creating these global books,” Daccord reports, “Kristen wants to demonstrate how classrooms around the world can come together to publish something unique and creative and learn from each other at the same time. One fascinating aspect of the project is that it has redefined the teaching of geography. As students hear from their peers in other parts of the world, they start to ask questions, like: Where’s Russia? Where’s Mexico? How do those countries compare to mine?”

A widely connected global society helps students and teachers learn from one another making for a more efficient and interesting way to learn. Technology has been a driving force in that matter as Daccord reports in his article. 

Read the full story and comment below.

Article by Navindra Persaud, Education World Contributor