Some ways to enhance lesson planning with technology

Have you ever thought about people that have lived in the 70s? They have lived without computers and technology hasn’t been developed as it is now. Since that time, computer technology has expanded in leaps and bounds.

So, let’s take a look at how you can make the most of technology in your classroom. Firstly, many schools now have a way for teachers to connect their computers to a projector. Some even have smart boards. Below I will give you some ways you can use this technology to enhance your lessons:

Firstly, computers help you better organize and present your information. Typing up your notes in Microsoft Word or Google Docs, or creating a PowerPoint presentation, helps you focus less on how you’re going to teach and more on what you’re going to cover. During class, you can project those notes onto a big screen to give students an indication of where the lesson is going. If you do have a tendency to take rabbit trails, or if your class is especially proficient at finding them, it’s easy to refocus and redirect when the lesson content is neatly organized on screen.

Secondly, visual aids are very important and useful. For example if you are teaching about weather you can show your students relevant pictures so they can better understand the topic. Pre-selected images can also be projected or shown on individual computers to reinforce the lesson while you talk. At the very least, you can print pictures off of a personal computer and show them to the class.

The third ones are videos. A short, entertaining, instructional video is a great way to get students excited about learning. Some of my favorite sites for this are Brainpop, National Geographic Kids, and National Geographic on YouTube. You can use these videos to quickly introduce a subject, supplement your own lessons or review the material before the exam.

Another one is smart board. I love SMART boards — with this technology, you can easily project your computer screen onto the board while still retaining the functionality of a traditional classroom whiteboard. This means that you can display any pictures, notes, or practice work from your computer and then write all over them as you discuss different elements of the lesson. Students love coming up and writing on this board, too; this makes practice work for subjects like math, grammar, and languages especially fun. If you don’t have access to a SMART board but do have access to a computer and projector, you can achieve similar results by simply projecting the image from your computer onto a whiteboard.

I hope you find this blog useful :)