So Much Technology, but Where to Begin?

"The World Wide Web" originally uploaded by FrankieLeon

Teachers rely on remaining up-to-date with the latest research, especially when it comes to technology. Technology in the classroom is no longer just a fad. It’s here to stay, so teachers need to embrace it. However, the question of “where do I even start?” can be a bit daunting. Taking advantage of readily-available resources is a good starting point. Often, teaching resources are a few keyboard strokes and a click of a mouse away, or maybe even closer.

When it comes to finding teaching resources, I have a variety of sources. Being enrolled in the Instructional Media Masters Program through Wilkes University has provided countless, pedagogically sound teaching strategies. I’m currently enrolled in my last course of the program, and I can say that the combination of course material, instructor insight, and class discussions have provided me with with more useful resources than anything else I’ve encountered so far. Two of my favorite teaching tools that I have discovered through my graduate courses are PollEverywhere and Adobe Spark. They have now become a staple in my classroom, and I am in the process of sharing their benefits with my colleagues. Whenever possible, whether through structured graduate course studies, or professional development trainings, teachers should expose themselves to emerging studies in education. 

I also rely heavily on other teachers for new classroom resources. Sometimes it’s as simple as having a conversation with my colleagues in the copy room about a lesson that seems particularly engaging. Other times, it involves deeper discussions, especially for courses that I teach in common with other teachers. My district also runs monthly technology-centered professional development sessions that provide us with helpful teaching resources. For example, in one of the sessions, we learned how to use Flubaroo with Google Forms to create self-grading quizzes. I'm also a member of the AP Teacher Community through College Board, which allows Advanced Placement teachers to share teaching strategies and resources. Having more exposure to other teachers is one of the best ways to increase a teacher’s toolbox.

Additionally, I have subscribed to several blogs through Feedly, but, to be honest, I don’t check them often. Unless I have to check Feedly for a course project (like responding to classmates’ blogs), I typically forget about it since I have so many other apps.  I more frequently visit educational sites through Twitter. I follow various Educational Sites such as: EdTech k-12 Magazine, Edutopia, NEANH News and EdTech Times. Edutopia and EdTech k-12 Magazine are my favorites, and they provide countless posts every day to help teachers easily access up-to-date resources.

When looking for support and research for new ideas, I also turn to the world wide web. One of my biggest downfalls is that I hate asking for help. Instead, I prefer to search for answers on my own. While as an English teacher I do not typically promote “Google searches” as effective research techniques, sometimes that’s the best way to find classroom support. Often, help forums appear with answers to the exact questions I have. I have also seen more recently that apps are starting to add instructions in their descriptions to tweet their help accounts for assistance with the app. Often while troubleshooting a problem, I even find other valuable information I would have never even considered.

Finally, I’ve learned to accept that often, with or without research, the best way to find resources that work is to try them out. Sometimes, it can seem like the frustrations outweigh the benefits, but through trial and error, I have found a few sound practices to help ease the incorporation of new resources:

1. Try the new resource before using it. Finding a new idea 20 minutes before class begins and attempting to implement it will often result in chaos. Taking the time to see how a resource actually works will help the lesson run more smoothly. Also, when possible, see what a student view would look like, especially if they will be using a different device. Sometimes, even with strict planning, I find that the directions I create for a program on my device do not correspond with my students’ devices. This happened recently with my AP students when I had them complete a project using Shapes in Keynotes (inspired by this video), and I didn’t realize that they have older versions of my iPad, so the capabilities of inserting shapes was much different for them.

2. Try to have a backup plan in mind, and be willing to be flexible. When my students could not complete the Keynote presentation as I had planned, I provided them with several options. They could download the app on their phones (if they have an iPhone) or they could create a similar project using Google Slides. The Google Slides presentations weren’t as innovative or original, but, in the end, they worked just as well for the assessment.

3. If something does not go as planned, IT WILL BE OKAY. Sometimes, new resources simply don’t work out. Just cross that resource off the list and move onto the next one. It’s impossible to know the true value of a resource without actually trying it.

I feel fairly confident with my ability to find and implement new resources, but I also acknowledge that there is always rooms for improvement. As I continue to grow as an educator, I will keep embracing new teaching resources. I would love to hear from you about your personal experiences locating and implementing new teaching resources! Which websites or blogs have you found to be helpful? Comment below.