Technology in the Classroom

Last week, we highlighted the importance of mentors and the impact they can have on students.  At Aroostook Aspirations Initiative, we also value the use of technology in education.  We believe technology innovation in the classroom is crucial to helping students build workforce skills.  Technology can be easily integrated into the classroom as early as Pre-K and can help keep students interested and engaged in their learning while, giving them access to technological developments in the world outside.

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At our Night With the Stars Gala, Presque Isle High School English teacher, Dr. Jennifer Bourassa, received the 2105 Innovative Educator award sponsored by MMG.  Ben Greenlaw, the principal at PIHS said this about Bourassa:

“Jennifer Bourassa is constantly honing her craft and strives to meet the ever changing needs of her students. She makes herself available to students via email and her Moodle site to students and is quick to respond. Jennifer supports her students through the use of technology and models the anytime, anyplace learning experience that technology provides. Jennifer Bourassa also regularly utilizes a “flipped classroom” model in her AP classes. In this model, the teacher videotapes or makes a screencast of the class lecture for the student to watch at home.”

We found these strategies intriguing and wanted to learn more about what new technological techniques are being used in classes. We asked our social media community what they thought was the best technology resource being utilized in today’s classroom.  The results are in! We’ve got the Top 3 Technology Resources for Classrooms!

3.  TED-Ed: TED talks are a great resource for learning new information. Now there’s TED-Ed! Designed for teachers and students, TED-Ed provides short instructional videos that can be used as a stand-alone lesson or as an enhancement to a pre-existing lesson plan. TED-Ed video topics range from art to math, and even include topics like philosophy and technology.
2. Glogster: Glogster is an interactive storyboard that is sure to engage students in the classroom, especially the ones who may not be the best crafters. Instead of plugging in the glue guns and gathering the glitter, students can create an online, interactive poster, complete with YouTube videos, voiceovers, descriptions, and images. Teachers can also use Glogster to create visual aids for lesson plans. The best part? The basic plan is FREE!

1.  Kahn Academy: Kahn Academy is a non-profit resource that believes in a free education for everyone. They offer a wide variety of learning topics and students can to learn at their own pace. With proficiency-based learning, this website is a great way to keep kids engaged and learning at an appropriate level. Kahn Academy has over 2,400 instructional videos. Kahn Academy is also free and has learning levels for all ages, even adults!

Do you have an innovative tech-tool for learning that’s not on this list? Do you know a tech-savvy educator? Comment below!