Teachers
know there are plenty of education apps and websites available. The question is
whether those tools actually help students or merely look cool.
“Putting
technology ahead of pedagogy” is a common pitfall, according to Steps to Mobile
Learning, a guide published by the Consortium of School Networking. That can be avoided if
teachers understand what they are teaching and how they plan to teach it, pick
a set of technology skills students need to learn and stick with it, and find
the right tools to use, according to Eric Patnoudes, an instructional
technologist.
“Whether
you’re new to integrating technology into the classroom or you’re looking to
use your time more effectively, keep teaching and learning at the forefront of
your planning,” Patnoudes wrote in an article for EdTech. “I’ve found that this approach relieves teachers from feeling
overwhelmed by the sheer number of cool tools available. Consider it
just-in-time learning for teachers.”