Mastering the Art of Classroom Technology for Super-Engaged Kids

Kids love tech. And while it’s good to wean them off their screens before bedtime, these addictive machines are primed for fun, activity-based learning. Engage even the most challenging of children by embracing technology in the classroom. 

But how DO you harness technology in the classroom? How do you prevent the tech from becoming a big distraction? And how do you monitor activity when everyone’s staring at a screen; not at you?

This article is about mastering classroom technology to ensure your pupils are engaged, challenged, and measurably learning. 

Let’s go!

What are the barriers to integrating ICT into classroom teaching and learning?

According to research at RMIT University in Australia, the most prevalent obstacles to integrating tech into the classroom are:

• Lack of confidence
• Lack of competence
• Lack of access to resources

After all, we’ve all tried to log onto a computer in front of a classroom full of rowdy kids and struggled. So, perhaps, over the years, we’ve learned to avoid basing our teaching content on machines. 

But remember: 

Technology has improved remarkably over the past couple of decades, and academics such as Yelland argue that you can’t properly prepare children for the future workplace without technology, insisting that computers are vital tools for developing numeracy skills. 

How do you control a class when everyone’s looking at a screen?

When kids are continually glued to their screens, it’s often refreshing to get them to look away and engage in activities in the real world. Because social interaction is an integral part of teaching and learning. 

So, integrating technology into the classroom is about finding the balance between screen-based activities and tasks that encourage actual interaction. 

But:

Not all technology-based learning requires a device with a screen. Indeed, many tech-influenced activities encourage children to engage in real-life problem-solving activities in the classroom. 

Learning about algorithms

Algorithms are lists of instructions that computers follow to complete predetermined tasks. But they also feature heavily in everyday life — for example:

• Following a recipe 
• Building flat-pack furniture
• Finding your way from map directions
• Leaving the house in the morning
• Doing your shopping

All of these involve a list of actions that the do-er must complete in a specific order. For example, if you bake the pastry before filling the pie, you’ll have a rather unappetizing meal. 

People who write algorithms for a living are simply determining a list of operations a computer should follow to complete a task. Indeed, learning about algorithms is about developing logical and computational thinking. 

But there are plenty of logical thinking and problem-solving exercises your pupils can complete in the classroom. Check out our blog about algorithm exercises for kids that involve classroom activities away from the screen.  

What are tech-based subjects?

You could say that almost all subjects on the school curriculum could engage technology in one way or another. We’re not just talking computer science and technology-based design — consider:

Learning Music with Technology

There is a plethora of apps and Digital Audio Workstations (DAWs) that help students create musical compositions and performances, such as GarageBand, Logic, Cubase, Ableton Live, and Reason. Indeed, the world of touchscreens has transformed how pupils interact with sound. 

These applications often employ keyboards and other “traditional” instruments, but essentially, the inability to “play” an instrument is no longer a barrier to a pupil’s creativity. 

Students are no longer held back by music theory — they can program instead. And we’re not just talking about electronic music here — DAWs and music apps are also ideal for capturing audio from live performances.  

The best applications for “non-musicians” to interact with music, I think, are:

• Ableton Live — offers a super-powerful, user-friendly interface for interacting with audio samples that promotes creativity without needing to understand music theory. 
• GarageBand — available for free on most Apple products, including iPads and iPhones, GarageBand offers an amazingly user-friendly way of interacting with professional-sounding instruments.
• Korg Gadget — an excellent platform for professional-sounding electronic music that rivals anything you’ll hear in the pop charts. 

Learning languages with technology

Language learning is about getting understood in foreign tongues, and there’s no substitute for conversation practice in the classroom. 

But hundreds of apps are available, such as Duolingo, Babbel, Busuu, and Mindsnacks, to help students learn at their own rate. Some are accessible on smart devices like phones and tablets, while others use web apps through internet browsers. 

But how do you follow a student’s progress?

Some applications, such as the free Duolingo for Schools, allow teachers to create gamified, app-based assignments that employ AI to help guide students through curriculum-based content, testing them as they go. 

And teachers can follow student progression through an insights panel that gives real-time updates on each student’s development. 

Many language-learning applications integrate with Google Classroom and other classroom-management tools, making monitoring student learning a cinch. 

STEM learning with technology

If there’s one area of educational learning that’s most suited to technology, it’s the STEM subjects (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics).

For example, apps like the free Toca Lab offer interactive activities and experiments that simulate real-life physical properties that help students safely learn about science (without the danger of burns, explosions, and poisoning!). Available on iOS and Android.

Science for Kids is an excellent platform offering a broad array of science activities, interactive videos, Q&As, stories, and lessons based on the national curriculum. Running exclusively on iOS, this app is great for schools or kids with iPads. 

Additionally, CodeMonkey offers game-like modules and full teacher plans that teach children how to code using real-world programming languages in a super-fun, colorful gaming environment. 

Learning arts and humanities subjects with technology

You’d be surprised at the array of learning apps available for arts and humanities subjects, such as history, native language subjects like English, and even philosophy! And integrated with Learning Management Systems (LMS), such as Google Classroom, you can keep track of progress while drip-feeding new content to engage the more advanced children. 

Virtual museums

For example, take your class on a virtual museum tour, allowing pupils to interact with exhibits by zooming in and exploring artifacts up close. Many museums offer virtual tours of their physical spaces, such as the Liverpool Museum in the UK, which offers curated virtual tours around nine of its most popular exhibitions. 

BBC Bitesize

This learning platform, developed by the UK’s BBC, offers a cross-curriculum resource of interactive learning content driven by the UK’s National Curriculum. 

Offering learning resources for early years learners and all the way to high school exam revision tools, BBC Bitesize supplies hundreds of free mini-activities, games, and lessons that help reinforce classroom activities in a fun, engaging way. 

What are the best ICT classroom tools?

While tech will never replace talented, committed teachers, it can transform classroom teaching and learning when employed appropriately.

Several commercially available classroom ICT tools make learning fun, accessible, and capable of overcoming geographical barriers to teaching and learning. 

Some of the best include:

Google Classroom

Perfect for creating interactive assignments and using a wide range of educational apps and websites to reinforce a child’s learning, Google Classroom has been designed to help teachers engage with classroom and remote students while monitoring their progress. 

Incorporate slideshows, games, and YouTube content natively, and bring dry subjects to life for a paperless classroom. 

Google Classroom integrates seamlessly with Google Drive, allowing students to access documents and files to aid research-based projects in a media-rich learning environment. All while storing attendance sheets, grade sheets, and your own research. 

It’s also possible to mark student work directly within Google Classroom so you can save time and physical resources while assessing.  

And to top that, Google Classroom has a virtual meeting facility that allows you to host parent-teacher meetings from home. 

So, whether you’re running lessons in person or remotely, Google Classroom provides excellent ways to enhance the teaching and learning experience. 

Blackboard

Ideal for higher education but perfectly suited for school learning. This web-based platform allows teachers to:

• Publish syllabus content that students can access 24/7
• Mark work submitted through the platform
• Set reading lists 
• Monitor grades and performance
• Administer interactive tests

However, one of the particular strengths of Blackboard is its ability to integrate with your school’s existing network, providing direct access to digital library resources, attendance monitoring systems, calendars, email platforms, and school handbooks. 

You can set up module discussion boards so students can share their learning, discuss the course, and access module-specific collaboration sessions with integrated video conferencing. 

Trello

Many IT companies use Trello’s collaborative platform to help manage large teams, but you’ll also find many educational applications. 

And while Trello is widely considered a project-management system, helping large teams monitor live activities, it provides an excellent platform for project-based learning. 

Create boards for assignments and tests and invite students to contribute ideas, comments, and questions. 

Trello offers an excellent way for teaching staff to monitor student progress, but it’s also invaluable for pupils to remain aware of impending deadlines. 

Microsoft Teams

Platforms such as MS Teams and Zoom saved the business and learning world during the pandemic lockdowns of the early 2020s. But Teams remains a valuable resource for the classroom. 

The significant strength of Teams lies in its Office 365 integration, helping you host meetings, chat, share documents and files, and use the Class Notebooks functionality in One Note.

Students can complete tasks in individual notebooks, allowing the teacher to monitor live progress and provide real-time feedback. It’s also possible to run examinations, store and distribute handouts and quizzes, and set and mark homework — all within Teams. 

So, if you’re looking toward a paperless learning environment, Teams could be a good choice. 

How do you teach kids about technology?

Of course, most kids could probably teach the teaching staff a few things about technology because today’s generation of learners are digital natives. 

So, it’s not so much teaching kids about technology; it’s about creating a positive environment around technology. 

Principally, it’s about teaching pupils the value of face-to-face interaction and how to use tech to reinforce their social and educational learning, not replace it. 

Stopping the phubbing!

Phubbing is a portmanteau of “phone snubbing”; in other words, ignoring those around you because you’re giving your attention to your phone. And while kids might use online chat platforms to interact live, there’s no replacement for actual face-to-face activity. 

So, it’s wise to integrate face-to-face time into tech-based classroom learning, where pupils are encouraged to engage in activities in the real world. 

Set rules around technology use, such as defining times away from devices and encouraging Q&A discussions in the classroom. 

Encourage positive tech behaviors and explore how to stay safe on the internet. 

Make technology a reward

Making learning fun is key to classroom engagement, so you could use online gaming or coding exercises to reward good behavior and attainment.

Ideas for using technology to teach a lesson

We’ve looked at a few examples of subject-specific tech integration, but there are many ways to incorporate accessible technology in the learning environment. 

Consider:

• Virtual field trips — Google Cardboard VR headsets are less than $15, making VR field trips a distinct possibility. Explore landmarks, such as the Empire State Building or The Grand Canyon. Or you could bring language learning to life by visiting a virtual Paris or Madrid. 
• Putting pupils in control of their behavior — Too Noisy is a noise level meter that helps large classes control their own noise. Using the Chrome browser, students can see when they exceed agreed noise limits. 
• Use TeacherTube — this is an education-only version of YouTube dedicated to providing approved educational video content made by official YouTube creators. Videos are categorized by subject for easy access, helping you reinforce your classroom teaching with other voices. 
• Add multimedia to your presentations — whether you use MS Excel, Apple Keynote, or Google Slides, you can bring your content to life with images, animated graphs, podcast clips, sound effects, videos, and web content.

The pros and cons of teaching tech-based subjects in the classroom

Of course, using technology to teach tech-based subjects has pros and cons. Because while technology often naturally engages learners, it can also be a big distraction, and while tech provides students a way to interact with computers in preparation for their working lives, tech can prevent sufficient socialization. 

The key to managing student behaviors is to set clear guidelines before integrating devices into the classroom. Be clear about the resources they can use and when. 

Why computers will never replace teachers

Ultimately, technology will never replace teachers because machines lack the personal touch we bring to a pupil’s learning. Of course, any technology can be personalized, but there’s never any substitute for the face-to-face support that makes learning memorable for a pupil. 

Teaching remains one of society’s most essential roles. We make a positive contribution to our nation’s future prosperity. 

Technology can’t wipe a child’s tears when they get frustrated, and machines can’t smile when they get things right. So, make technology a positive force in your classroom, and you’ll surely reap the rewards. 

FAQs

What is technology-based learning?

Tech-based learning integrates technology platforms and interfaces within a physical or remote learning environment. For example, set pupils an assignment online or create a coding game they complete using their smartphone or laptop. Or use a platform like Google Classroom to set, monitor, and assess student work in a paperless environment. 

How do you integrate technology into curriculum-based learning in the classroom?

There are hundreds of subject-specific learning resources available online and in app form. Use PowerPoint and online games to address visual learners; allow pupils to complete homework online; keep track of student progress with online grading systems. You don’t necessarily need smartboards — use a platform like Google Classroom to give everyone access via any devices they own. 

What are examples of ICT in the classroom?

ICT (Information Communication Technology) includes anything digital you might use in a classroom, such as computers, laptops, tablets, smartphones, smartboards, printers, and projectors. It also includes software tools that allow teachers to set, monitor, and mark student engagement and work.   

Let’s share the love! 

If you’ve discovered a great way to integrate technology into your classroom that isn’t listed here, why not add a comment below, and get the conversation started? 

Thanks for reading!