STEM K12 USA
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Tech
Examples include Google Drive, Edmodo and Showbie.
PROS:
Paperless classrooms save teachers time as well as money by slashing paper and printing costs. Since homework is delivered digitally from a cloud-based system, educators can use a range of metrics to track student progress. Students can log in and access homework at any time, and they can digitally collaborate with other students.
CONS:
Students need steady, reliable internet connectivity, as well as a device such as a computer or tablet, to access assignments. Older educators who’ve used printed exams and markup in red ink for decades may balk at implementation of paperless digital systems.
Paperless Environments
There are many tools out there to prevent plagiarism. One of the most widely used is Turnitin, which launched in 1997. Turnitin’s plagiarism feature compares student work to other student works, as well as to academic journals, publications and periodicals to detect plagiarism.
PROS:
Fosters development of original content in students, and since it is Internet-based there are no paper costs. Also allows instructors to provide feedback, and comes with many additional tools to help students write better and with more confidence.
CONS:
Does not tell educators if students copied work – instructors must make that determination. Can cast negative impression on student integrity.
Plagiarism Detection Tools
Screen sharing allows a computer user to mirror his or her screen to the screens of devices in remote locations. Examples include TeamViewer, Skype, ezTalks Meetings and join.me.
PROS:
Promotes increased collaboration and shared ideas between educators and students. Maximizes student engagement.
CONS:
Limits face-to-face interaction. Screen time can be interrupted by connectivity or bandwidth issues.
Screen casting
There are many different paid and free apps and web sites in this space. Examples include Socrative and Formative. Formative assessment during the learning process, while summative assessment takes place at the end of the learning process – providing feedback after a test, for example.
PROS:
Since formative assessment happens in real time, teachers can adjust instructional and delivery methods to increase student understanding. Formative assessment also is extremely timely and can lead to higher student achievement.
CONS:
Time – students may not be able to always completely and accurately flesh out their concerns or issues in the middle of a lesson or test.
Formative and Summative Assessment Tools
Web conferencing services, such as Cisco’s WebEx for Education, allow teachers to host live broadcasts for audiences in scattered or remote locations. It’s ideal for educators whose students live far from campus – like those in Montana, or the remote reaches of the Navajo Nation in northeastern Arizona.
PROS:
Educators can reach a much larger number of students. Enhances educational delivery options with reduced costs.
CONS:
Students need high-speed internet access and compatible devices.
Webex, Web Conferencing
Mural is one of the most widely used tools for online collaboration. It’s an online visual workspace students can use to brainstorm solutions to problems. Alternatives include Slack and RealtimeBoard.
PROS:
Students work together in real time on projects either in class or at remote locations. Encourages individual contributions and shared ideas for solutions or ideas for team projects.
CONS:
Cost and access to cloud-based software.
Collaborative Tools/Remote Brainstorming in Real Time
From K-12 through college, online tutoring services can help students gain necessary mastery over difficult coursework and subjects. Examples include Chegg Tutors, TutorMe and MindLaunch.
PROS:
Tutors often are accredited teachers. Students can request tutoring services on demand for small or longer tutoring sessions. Tutors provide live one-on-one help.
CONS:
Students can use these services to simply solve difficult problems without actually learning the material. They also can be quite expensive.
Online tutoring
Benefits of Technology in the classroom
Virtual Learning Environments and Learning/Course Management Systems
K-12 schools and colleges use a variety of learning and course management systems to deliver online content. These systems are becoming an integral part of the educational experience as colleges and schools incorporate more distance education curriculum and degree programs into their 21st educational offerings.
There’s overlap between the terms “learning management system” and “course management system.”
Blackboard
Off-the-shelf educational web-based server software that allow educators to create virtual classrooms, manage courses online, or supplement on-campus course offerings with online materials. Often used to delivery completely online course material as well. Instructors can create learning modules of different lessons for students complete in order to advance in the class.
Canvas
Cloud-based Canvas is used by more than 3,000 universities and school districts around the world. Like Moodle, Canvas is an open-source platform. It’s hosted on Amazon Web Services and allows students and teachers to access resources from many different sources. It’s compatible with mobile devices, tablets and web browsers.
D2L
Formerly known as Desire2Learn, D2L is another cloud-based LMS that allows instructors to add courses, content and materials for online and blended classes. In addition to storing and managing class content, educators can track student success and quickly identify at-risk students. Allows for easy collaboration of group work with shared documents, video chat and other features.
Google classroom
Google Classroom is growing in popularity primarily because it’s free for schools, non-profits and Google users. The web service allows educators to set up an online class where they can share assignments, announcements, communicate with students and organize class materials into folders on Google Drive. It’s supported by all major web browsers, as well as Android and iOS.
Moodle
Designed to support both educators and students, Moodle provides an all-in-one learning platform that can be accessed anytime, anywhere on any device due to its mobile-compatible interface and cross-browser compatibility. Moodle is free open-source software that has more than 90 million global users. The software has been translated into more than 120 languages. Moodle is widely used because of its low cost of implementation compared to fee-based LMS services.
Good reads
Computational thinking
Preparing the next generation of problem-solvers
Computational thinking (CT) — an essential literacy for all students combines four pillars — problem decomposition, pattern recognition, abstraction and algorithms. It involves expressing solutions as a series of steps to automate a process.
Although CT is the foundation for fields such as programming, data science and machine learning, students who pursue other careers will need these skills to:
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Design solutions in all disciplines.
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Create new tools.
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Communicate with those who automate computer-supported solutions.
In order for all students to put these skills into practice, educators of all subject areas and grade levels need to be confident and competent computational thinkers themselves.
Technology tools in school
What Sets Us Apart
Increased implementation of technology will increase students' comprehension of content and development of skills in such areas as analytical reasoning, problem solving, information evaluation, and creative thinking.
How technology can help improve education
It can save money
It offers more opportunities for project-based learning
It introduces more “teachers” to the classroom
It provides handy tools and opportunities for teachers
It helps parents stay connected and help their children
It helps students learn more (and better)
