7 Tech Hacks for Every Teacher to Use
Education
COVID-19
Technology
Summary
The shift to online education due to the Covid-19 pandemic has posed challenges for teachers and students. This article offers technology hacks to streamline workflow, create engaging content, and manage classrooms efficiently.
Key insights:
Google Slides: Use Slidesgo.com to download custom Google Slides presentation themes, saving preparation time.
Canva: Utilize Canva templates for worksheets, lesson plans, class schedules, and more, tailored for various subjects.
DIY Document Camera: Create a makeshift document camera using a pencil and CD to display items during Zoom sessions.
Pedagogue: Connect with global educators, organize materials, and conduct classes using Pedagogue's social learning management system.
Google Docs Sharing: Share Google Docs with students by replacing 'edit' with 'copy' in the URL to prevent changes to the original document.
Class Management Software: Use platforms like ClassReach, Canvas, ClassTime, and iGradePlus to manage assignments, grades, attendance, and lesson plans.
Slack: Communicate with students through Slack, creating private channels for classes and sharing assignments and quizzes efficiently.
Introduction
Are you a teacher who has had to shift to online education as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic?
Don’t worry you are not alone. Millions of teachers have made this sudden jump to teaching virtually, which has proved to be a new yet challenging aspect for both teachers and students.
We have compiled a list of technology hacks to help you manage your workflow, create presentations and quizzes, conduct exams with the assistance of these 7 secrets!
1. Create Google Slides on the Go
Preparing a presentation on Google Slides, and designing the theme is quite a time-taking process.
Well, no more! Thanks to ‘Slidesgo.com’ which allows you to select and download a custom Google slides presentation theme.
2. Use Canva for Classroom Workflow
Canva provides you with templates for Worksheets, Lesson Plans, Class Schedules, Classroom Kits and Certificates.
On top of that, templates are available for different subjects such as Mathematics, Science and English.
3. No more Problem if you Don’t have a Document Camera
This creative teacher shared how she overcame the problem of not having a document camera by taping a lead pencil at the back of her laptop.
A CD is then passed through the Pencil, and to hold the pencil down a light object such as a coin is placed on the other side of the CD.
In this way, the camera on Zoom will display the reflection of any item that will be placed beneath the CD.
This will enable you to easily display the contents while teaching.
4. Connect with other teachers around the Globe
A social learning management system called Pedagogue allows you to organize your materials and conduct classes in one central location.
Its added features like online groups, chats, and live streaming give you even more resources of information.
Therefore, you can connect with teachers from all around the world to get inspiration for your online teaching experience ideas while staying relevant during constant communication with your students.
Moreover, you can join groups of your choices, create polls, send messages and share educational resources with other educational professionals.
Similarly, you may ask other teachers for feedback on your assignments or exam questions.
5. Share your Google Docs without losing any changes to the original document
If you want to share your Google Docs such as an Assignment Sheet or Question Sheet with your students while making sure that no student makes changes to the original document, here’s how you can do it.
When you open your Google Docs, click on the ‘Share’ button in the top right section.
Then Click on Copy Link
Now paste the link in the URL section
Replace the ‘edit’ in the URL with ‘copy’
Now, share this link with your students. Once they open the link, Docs will prompt them to make a copy of the Document before opening it. In this way, your original document will not be changed.
6. Use Class Management Software
Are you stressed out by grading assignments and quizzes, tracking attendance, sending assignment reminders, scheduling classes and more?
Well, Class Management Software are here to help you! Multi-purpose platforms like ClassReach, Canvas, ClassTime and iGradePlus are quite convenient to use software that enables you to manage assignments, assessment reports, calendars, lesson plans, and grades.
Using this tool, you can create customized forms, printable reports, grading periods/parameters, student information, attendance and arrange lesson plans.
7. Use Slack for Communication with Students
Slack is a communication platform for chatting with teams through direct message or in a group (channel).
You can attach files, initiate conversations and share documents conveniently. Slack makes this method of communication even more simple as students are already used to communicating with their friends in chat format.
You can create a separate class workspace by creating a private channel. You can engage the students by asking questions in the channel.
If you feel a particular student needs more attention, you have the option of direct message as well. Similarly, you can share assignments, quizzes and other documents in Slack.
Who Are We?
Walturn is a Software Consulting Agency and we specialize in custom software development for numerous industries including the educational sector. We have worked with educational institutions like NYU to build scalable web apps.
Do you have a Project idea in mind and would like to discuss it? Reach out to us and we’d love to get in touch with you.
