In today’s world technology is used as a vital source for sharing information. The classroom has evolved into a digital environment. Many students are familiar with technology and use it in their everyday lives. As educators we must incorporate emerging technology into our lesson plans. This does not mean that any technology is valuable. We must be able to sort through the hundreds, among thousands of software, gadgets, etc… that is available to us, and see which benefits our students' best interest. There are many factors to consider, and as a public school teacher, cost is one of them.

The internet (World Wide Web) offers many useful tools that are free to use for teaching. When using the web we must always check our sources to make sure they are credible and legal for classroom use. It’s always important to list your sources to your students, therefor teaching them early on how to distinguish a credible source from a non-credible source.

Of course, when evaluating any aspect of a lesson plan you want to assure that it is age appropriate, and that it correlates with the general lesson. Doing extensive research will be useful when you can show the students an educational game, or software that they have never used before. Also, speak to parents and let them know you’re open to suggestions. Chances are they can recommend some useful games, apps, gadgets, etc…

 

As a teacher in the 21^st century, I am accustomed to using technology in my everyday life, not just my classroom. I can easily connect my devices and use them in both my professional and personal life. For example, I use several Google Gadgets at home, and in class. My favorite Google Gadget is simple- The Google Calendar. I can synch it to my phone and check it anywhere, anytime. I mark all the school activities in my calendar, student’s birthdays, and my lesson plans for the day. Another gadget I commonly use is the Google Chart. You can basically make a chart for anything, and they have loads of options for mathematics, geography, reading, and custom templates for a variety of uses.  Below are a few examples of my calendar and charts/presentations I've put together:

 

 

The options are endless. Being an educator in today’s world is very exciting; we have more information available to us, than ever before. It would be wise of us to take advantage of these resources and use them to our student’s advantage. Thank you for reading my blog, and please check in often for more information regarding the digital aspects of teaching.