Technology is quickly becoming an integral part of the teaching experience. Online tools make the day to day classroom routine much easier and online games and printables make learning more fun for students. New software and tools are being developed every year that make teaching with technology an evolving experience.
Teachnology has lesson plans that incorporate technology into daily lessons. The site is searchable by subject or themes and has printable worksheets as well as tips and teacher tools. There are a number of subscriptions programs with the most basic being free.
Power to Learn has a number of articles that focus on teaching with technology. Topics include distance learning, building online courses, and how to effectively organize information.
The 4 Teachers website focuses on helping teachers use technology in the classroom. There are a number of online tools available including a fantastic interactive rubric creator, as well as tools that help teachers and students take notes, and organize research.
Scholastic has a number of worksheets that can be printed and used in the classroom or used in real time on a smart board. They also have tools to let teachers keep track of a to-do list, mark appointments on an online school calendar, and rearrange a classroom without moving any furniture.
Teacher Vision has a yearly membership fee, but can be tried free of charge for seven days. The site has printables and activities for teachers at all grade levels and for all subjects. There is even a section on classroom management that offers behavior management and assessment resources.
There are a number of websites that offer interactive experiences for students. These can be used individually on classroom computers or as a group effort utilizing an LCD projector or a smartboard that is connected to the teacher’s computer. Topmarks has a comprehensive list of websites that are easy to use with these forms of technology. The websites are searchable by subject and then level and secondary subject.
Smartboards are also known as electronic whiteboards or interactive whiteboards. For teachers new to this type of technology it may be difficult to come up with lesson plans that fully utilize the new equipment. Some school districts have developed websites that give teachers ideas and sample lesson plans as well as websites to explore that are based on their subject. This can be a great way to ease into using this type of technology in the classroom.
Digital cameras are another tool that can be used to enhance lessons in almost any subject. Many teachers may think these would only be useful in journalism or yearbook classes, however, they can be utilized in social studies, science, math, and reading with ease.
PowerPoint can also be a powerful tool in the classroom. It can be used by the teacher to make presentations and lectures more interesting and fun. It can also be used in meetings with parents to clearly explain rules and procedures. PowerPoint lesson plans that utilize the software for the teacher and for the student make putting a project together much more interesting than the more traditional methods.
