The first time I stepped into a classroom, I vividly remember the day when I received the classroom keys. At that time, it was a portable building that was situated at the border of a playground. When I started my first year at BCM school, I was relieved that I would be so far away from the building I used to live in… I was terrified that I would not measure up right out of university. It took me a week or so, but I began to feel rather lonely and isolated. In an effort to keep up with my fellow teachers, I wanted to know exactly what was happening in their classrooms!
We get our teacher fire from teacher blogs, Teachers Pay Teachers, YouTube, Pinterest, Facebook, and Instagram. Now I’ll take advantage of social media to learn new methods and techniques that I’ve never encountered before. From my previous class, I learnt about so many apps such as Canva, whiteboard, Feedly and many more, that am also using right now!
The time has long passed when school learning primarily consisted of using blackboards, chalks and textbooks, and they are long gone. Mobile phones and tablets have become a very popular tool for students inside and outside of the classroom due to the wide adoption of these devices. I have been able to research a wide range of information instantly and use apps which simplify subjects and make them easier to digest due to such devices. In the same way, the rapid rise of tech has relieved teachers from having to provide accurate information, facts, graphics, and statistics during lessons. Thus, schools have spent an astounding £900m a year on educational technology because of the benefits of these technologies.
I love using technology to my advantage and interactive practical lectures fees much better than blackboard written lectures. I am supplementing the same by running masterclasses with simulation of the information presented. These simulations put a visual picture in the mind of learners, thus help the students to learn more and get better grades. I have personally found that students grades have increased since the use of technology began in classroom too.
Teaching can be challenging, but with the help of technology, it can be more interesting and interactive. With the help of technology in our day-to-day life, it’s great that teachers are collaborating now! Everyone is on the same page, and it’s making a huge difference. Bloggers, social media users, and Pinterest addicts are most likely to get lost in summer. Moreover, it is a great way to communicate outside the routine life with your teaching colleagues. Have a relaxing day with your family or friends by the pool!
Make your own environment with technology. Imagine your ideal work environment. Are you comfortable there? Are you organized? Is it stimulating? Do you have all the resources you love? What makes you want to spend time there?
Very interesting post-Lovepreet, I like the way you stated the uses and advantages of having technology in our day-to-day lives. I agree with your statement that we all are on the same page. Our lives revolve around technology, it is everywhere and in today’s scenario especially because of COVID-19, people are more into this tech world. However, as it has proven that everything has its pros and cons, so does technology also have; with the huge amount of advantages, it has some issues as well. But, yes we spend a lot of time in our daily routine with technology, and surviving without it is impossible now.
Great post, Lovepreet! The rise of technology has definitely made teaching and learning more interesting and interactive compared to the “old school” teaching of writing notes on the blackboard, and hoping the students retain the information provided, no matter how dull it may be. That is boring, and does not work for many learners. Being able to use technology has made it much easier to communicate and form positive relationships with students families, which has helped build trust between caregivers, students, and educators. Keep up the great work, Lovepreet!
Technology has made things a lot more interesting for sure, but I still feel strongly that there is a place in learning for more traditional learning as well. Technology is great when it enhances learning, and makes our lives easier. However, we also need to know how to function when technology isn’t working the way it should be or the way we would hope for it to be. Great post, lots to think about!