How Can Teachers Incorporate Modern Technology into Their Lesson Plans?

With the recent explosion of technological development, particularly with AI, it’s more important than ever that teachers, educators, and parents keep pace with students.

The COVID-19 lockdown was incredibly challenging for schools and educators, with a very swift transition to online learning. I very quickly brushed up on my computer skills, learning how to teach online lessons that could deliver the same learning outcomes as if my students were in front of me. I was lucky - years tutoring online meant that I had a good understanding of the basics.

The following is some of my ideas regarding how to use best utilize technology in the classroom (and distance teaching) to enhance learning, followed by some suggested resources for maximizing productivity and technology in the (Mathematics) classroom:

Preparation Comes First

Prepare and master the best tools for success with technology. “Teaching with tech” requires practice and at least a certain level of digital literacy. Like everything we do as educators, we should prepare in advance by testing the equipment. Don’t wait until your class walks in to realize that you don’t have the online tools working properly, or that you haven’t shared the correct code for the interactive quiz.

Embracing AI

I for one am so excited about the endless opportunities that AI presents, both for our students and teachers. I have already embraced Chat GPT when it comes to writing reports, lesson plans, creating questions for lessons and composing challenging emails. The difficulties come from students using AI to "cheat". It's an excellent tool for conducting research, but students must be made aware of the fact that simply using AI to complete their homework is both a complete waste of time and also violating many exam boards rules. They risk penalties and even disqualification from examinations!

Quality Over Quantity

There are so many different apps and teaching platforms online that it can sometimes be hard to distinguish between them all. I would advise identifying a handful of outstanding digital learning tools and understanding how to use them completely, over semi-understanding a lot of them. My favorite websites and tools that I use as a Math teacher can be found below.

Inspire a Love of Learning

One of the best ways to get students excited about learning (Mathematics!) is to show them some real-life applications for the subject. I routinely supplement my lessons with YouTube videos, on everything from James Bond’s winning hand in Casino Royale through to the landing of the Mars Rover. See below for my student’s favorite YouTube channels.

Teacher Blogs

You should identify and read excellent teacher blogs, with a focus on modern technology. There are a number of outstanding educator blogs I use to keep up to date with technology in education. Free technology for teachers, ask a tech teacher, and teacher tech are some of the best blogs online.

Digital Field Trips

One of the ways I’m experimenting with using technology in the classroom is through the use of Google Streetview and Google Maps. I’ve used Streetview to explain patterns in fractals and how to draw a plan of the school, and used the 3D Google Earth model to explain why airplanes don’t fly in a straight line on a map. Virtually experiencing different locations around the world gets students excited and extends learning beyond the classroom.

Reduce Your Workload

Limit marking whilst gathering feedback! Online games (see below for examples) can take the place of formative assessments in your classroom. They offer real-time feedback to students and yourself, resulting in less marking.

Increased Organization

I use Google Classroom for everything in the classroom from setting work to giving feedback. Students can access everything online which has the additional benefit of reducing printing and paper waste. I like the fact that students who are absent can still access the work from the lesson, and you can set homework online. Google classrooms can also link to a self-marking quiz!

Suggested Resources

Here are just some of the absolutely fantastic resources I routinely use as a Mathematics teacher:

Summative Feedback Kahoot - An interactive quiz where students compete against each other for the top prize. Each question is shown on the teacher’s display and the answer appears after each meaning you can offer explanations and instructions. Quizzizz - Similar to Kahoot, but questions appear on student’s screens. Answers are not provided straight away, but summative feedback at the end of the quiz is excellent. Diagnostic Questions - A great way to assess student’s learning and understanding of a topic. Each question requires students to explain why they selected each answer, allowing you to identify shared misconceptions. Mathematics Platforms Kognity - Digital interactive textbooks which are aligned with the International Baccalaureate, GCSE, and IGCSE exam boards. Also offers the option for assignments to be set (self-grading) which are excellent as well. Myimaths - An interactive online teaching tool and homework subscription website which provides a range of different activities and explanations for every level from KS1 through to IB and A-level. Desmos - A very useful graphing calculator and some great investigations for students. Check out the polygraph and will it hit the hoop investigation lessons. Autograph - An incredibly powerful piece of free software that makes graphing easy. Particularly useful at IB/higher level of study for visualizing vectors and movement in 3D space. Geogebra - A free online math tool for graphing, geometry, and 3D visualization.

Mathematics Resources TES - A wide range of teacher-submitted resources for primary and secondary school students. The first place where I look for resources and planning any lesson. Resourceaholic - An extensive website with free resources and ideas for teaching secondary school Mathematics. Exam-mate - An excellent exam preparation tool containing a bank of past papers questions for Math, Economics, Science, History, English, and many more subjects. Mathsbox - A great place to find differentiated resources, treasure hunts, and bingo games specifically designed for individual areas of Mathematics.

YouTube Suggested Channels Mark Rober - A former NASA scientist and Apple engineer who takes you inside the engineering process in a light-hearted but educational way. My favorite videos include the rocket-powered golf club, drinking swamp water, and feeding Bill Gates a burger to save the world. Smarter Every Day - An American engineer who explores the world using science. My favorite videos for the classroom include how astronauts train to land on Mars, the backward bicycle, and surviving hypoxia. Numberphile - An excellent collection of interesting videos explaining the world of numbers. Tom Scott - An entertaining channel with lots of varied content. For example - how Zero-G planes fly. TED-Ed - A youtube channel that creates hundreds of worthwhile videos. For example - can renewable energy power the world?