Education in the 21st century is becoming entrenched in technology intended to engage and empower the classroom. And as educational technology becomes an important tool in a teacher’s toolbox, educators now need a whole new set of skills to help them.
We’ve compiled a few beneficial technology skills that would benefit any teacher thinking of incorporating digital learning tools in their classroom.
Know How to Search the Web Effectively
Google and other search engines can be a great tool to help find useful apps, programs, blogs, and research material. However, if you use vague search terms, it could take you quite a while to find reliable information. Using specific and varied search terms can help speed up getting good results for your classroom.
Practice Good Online Safety & Security
Between computer viruses, spam emails, phishing that captures more information than you would normally post online, and sharing too much personal details, knowing how to navigate the Internet safely is the best way to protect yourself. And if an educator has trouble, it will be hard for them to teach their students how to keep themselves safe when they go online on their own.
Be a Wiz at Microsoft Office
Microsoft’s Office suite of programs have been the default for education in recent years. From Word to PowerPoint, many students quickly become familiar with how to navigate these programs to write essays and create presentations. Educators should also strive to be fluent in Office products so they can build and present their own materials, as well as help students who might need assistance with their projects.
Use Multimedia Content to Engage and Stimulate Students
Adding photos, infographics, and other visual stimuli appeal to visual learners and can help pique a student’s curiosity. With a growing wealth of educational channels and videos on YouTube and other video streaming services, more educators are finding good, engaging content to show to their classes. Finding videos and other multimedia can enrich a teacher’s lesson, and the ability to find and know where to add these items in a lesson can be very useful for an educator.
Be Willing to Learn New Technology
Educational technology will always be a step or two ahead of your budget, but taking the time to stay tuned to what new technology, apps, and features are coming out, and how to use them, is one of the most useful tech skills an educator can have. Not only will you be able to help guide students and answer questions if they obtain those tools, but you can also put up a strong proposal and defend requests to bring those tools into your school.
What technology skills do you find useful in your classroom?
