Technology Use in the Classroom
Because I spent 4 years working with the Infusing Technology Academy program at the WV Center for Professional Development, I have a very solid understanding and working knowledge of the technology available to my classroom. There are a few programs that I have become very familiar with and which I intend to use as I begin my teaching career.
SocrativeThe easiest-to-use program I like is called Socrative. This program is great for formative assessment or classroom polls. As a teacher, I set up the quizzes before class, and students can answer the questions on their devices. I can see with a glance at the results screen which students are struggling or which topics are giving students the most trouble. I used this program extensively when I taught at WVU, and it enabled me to instantly tailor my lessons to better help with students' specific needs.
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QuizletI am also a huge fan of the website Quizlet, which is a vocabulary flashcard website that also includes some games. I have used this websites and its games with several levels of students to great results. I also like this website because it gives students another outside-of-school tool that they can use to study for my classes or for any other class.
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DesmosMy favorite math app and website is Desmos, which is a free but very powerful graphing calculator. Students are able to graph any type of equations instantly, as well as discover properties of particular equations using the built-in manipulation tools.
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Google DriveI have also recently discovered the amazing versatility of Google Docs and Drive, and have started collecting all of my work there. I love that it saves my work automatically, that I can access it from anywhere, that I can share my work with anyone, and that I can collaborate with anyone. I am excited to use this type of technology with students to better their collaboration skills.
RemindRemind has been around for a while, but I think it is one of the best tools out there for communicating with parents and students. Because this system works over private text message, parents and students do not have to check their email or other accounts; it meets them where they are - on their phones! I have used this with several classes of students and have had nothing but success. Many students have appreciated the extra support it gives them.
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EdPuzzleEdPuzzle is a new tool to me, but I really love the possibilities. With this program, I can take any YouTube video and insert questions at any point. That way, students are not just mindlessly watching the video - they must pay attention and be able to answer the questions (which can be multiple choice or open ended). This is a great tool for flipping your classroom, and I hope I can use it a lot in the future.
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SymbalooMy last favorite tech tool is Symbaloo, a visual bookmarking site. I use this site in several ways. First, I bookmark the places where I can gather quality resources and ideas for my math classroom. I also use this site to gather resources for students, either for the whole year or for a unit. Then, students only need to go to the Symbaloo page to have access to all of the sites they will need to use - no need to type in those long pesky URLs!
To see my Symbaloo of math resources, click here. To see a sample Symbaloo used for a unit, click here. |