There is no question that technology has infiltrated every aspect of our lives, changing our world forever. Daily, we reap the benefits of modern technology where tasks, like stay connected with friends and family, banking and even shopping, are completed faster and more efficient. In our personal lives, we embrace technology with open arms, however, when it comes to infusing technology into our classrooms, it’s often a different story.

In today’s classroom, technology is enabling educators to go beyond traditional linear learning, making it easier to engage all learning styles within the classroom.  After all, today’s student is more tech-savvy than ever before, I guess you can say they thrive on technology.  So, how do we infuse technology into our curriculums?

Creating a technology-infused classroom can be accomplished by creating a balance between traditional classroom resources such as lecture, hands-on demonstrations, and group discussions and pairing them with a variety of technology resources.

Try-on these tech resources to help you create balance:

BYOT “Bring Your Own Technology” – Try having your students bring their own technology, whether it be their smartphones, tablets, or laptops that they already own, into the classroom for educational use.

Education Apps – There are so many amazing educational apps available to help make the learning experience for students more interactive, experiential and engaging.  Education apps range from “skill-based” apps that teach students how to do something, to “content-based” apps that provide students direct access to knowledge, to “creation-based” apps that allow students to apply what they have learned into their own unique thoughts.

Tech-Based Review Games/Activities –  Turn review time into a fun learning enforcement activity.  What better way to review content and keep students engaged than playing a fun game!  Apps such as Kahoots, Quizizz, and Heads Up! can help keep your students engaged while they are learning and having fun.

Whether you find yourself approaching technology in the classroom with arms-wide open or arms-closed, it’s possible to find a comfortable balance between the traditional classroom and a modern tech classroom to meet the needs of both the educator and today’s student.