Implementing tech in the classroom can be a learning process even for professors at the higher education level. It can lead to frustration and misuse of the devices, particularly when professors aren’t well trained. As a result, many mistakes might be made with the new tech that can significantly impact learners. Here are four of the mistakes that professors often make when it comes to using new tech.
Not Making Use of Tech
Many universities and colleges have plenty of tech at their disposal. From laptops to tablets, there are many options to choose from. Unfortunately, most professors will continue to opt for traditional teaching methods and ignore the availability of tech. This can cause most learners to miss out because tech caters to almost all learning styles. Ensure you know what is available to you, and then find creative ways to incorporate it into a lesson plan.
Reading Lessons to Learners from Tech
How many times have you attended a presentation where the lecturer read from each one of their slides? Tech isn’t just a new way for you to broadcast your lecture notes from the front of the room. You should be finding ways to utilize it. Show videos or play trivia games. These are more interactive options than forcing learners to sit through a dry lecture where a professor reads to them.
Sending Paper Notices
Many professors have noticed how frequently learners check their text messages and emails as they come into class. Despite seeing this, most educators are still using paper notices to send out info to learners. You can stop wasting paper and opt for a more environmentally-friendly way of reaching your learners. Send out memos via email where learners constantly have access to them instead.
Using Tech Just Because
Although you may have lots of tech available to you, that doesn’t mean that you should use it just because you can. All of the tech used in the classroom setting should serve a tangible purpose. Determine what needs each item can meet before deciding whether it is the right fit for your classroom. By choosing your tech wisely, you can make things less overwhelming for learners and more effective for the classroom.
