We have all been there. Teachers spend time and energy finding the perfect app to organize lesson plans and search for the ideal online activity to engage and inspire interaction in our students. In this era of online learning, there are many applications and sites to choose from. Keeping students involved in their education and focused on their objectives is one of the most important things to look for. No learning occurs if the student is alone without interaction, and the gaming becomes rote. According to Vertinnan et al. (2021), engagement comes from attachment to others (teachers, peers, and family) and is two-fold with behavioral and affective engagement. Both are similar; however, behavior is related to preparedness, completion of assignments, and truancy. Cognitive is associated with the level of ownership the student feels at school. How involved are they? Do they have friends?
Research shows that classmates in proximity to each other significantly affect their academic outcomes by motivating or demotivating the student’s engagement (Gremman et al., 2018). It is much deeper than being distracted by chatting or inappropriate behaviors. Proximity’s effect on engagement relies on the other’s actions and classroom habits. If their team members are diligently working and earning positive feedback, then the team will also work to engage in the behaviors. This is where the interaction and competition fall into place. The students use gaming to motivate themselves through competition.
When selecting and introducing new digital applications, weighing the advantages and challenges associated with innovative technology is essential. One advantage of using technology in education is motivation, as gaming is a student favorite. Not only learning with games but as important and valuable as creating gaming applications (Denner et al., 2019). Of course, we cannot look at benefits without addressing the challenges. Having the teachers and staff professionally trained in applications and web-based programs is a problem. Important is the support available for any problems one may encounter. I found all sites had helpful tutorials and were quick to aid when a request was sent. Sometimes, even the technical team has trouble keeping up with the newest and best programs. There is always some resistance to change and recognizing the need for appropriate technological uses.
With additional staffing and resources, these can all be addressed. However, that dives into the issue of budget. Devices could be unreliable and have poor network reliability (Patel, 2021). In my experience, there seems to be truth to the fact that many people resist such changes, which I believe is primarily due to their inexperience with technology and the fear of doing something wrong. Once staff became adequately trained on what to look for and how to select programs best suited for their students, there seemed to be much less resistance. Despite all that, I will share my three favorite sites for use in the classroom. Some things I look for are easy to personalize, student engagement levels, and interaction levels. There are many; however, these are some of my favorites.
My first go-to webpage is Thnglink. It works well with all operating systems and can easily be shared with students via a shared link. The students can also create unique projects using ThingLink. There are both a free version and a paid version. It is much easier to share your creation with the paid version. The free version is limited. There is an extensive library of interactive field trips, tutorials, and anything else you may want to liven up your presentations. All of which can be edited to suit your needs. The site is easy to manage and creates new interactive visuals. Videos, comments, and links can be easily incorporated into your chosen graphic. The tags are designed to fit in with your graphic and share when an element has been added.
The second site I use quite frequently is EdPuzzle. EdPuzzle has many options for video lessons available. You can also add your videos to share. There are teams you can set up and share your videos with other educators on your team. All videos show how long the students spent watching, where they paused and had to rewind, and where they may have skipped or tried to skip parts of the video. One of my favorite parts is that the teacher can stop the video at different points and add questions for the students to answer as they watch the videos. The available onsite library has resources from grades K-12. Most of the videos are five to ten minutes; as mentioned, you can load your own video. I have always been able to find a video, no matter the subject and level. Having a team page to share with other teachers is especially useful.
NearPod is another wonderful site for educators and students alike. Again, there is an extensive library of lessons to choose from. Catering to grades PK-12, there is nothing you cannot find. It is a free site with an option to purchase additional platforms. Like EdPuzzle, you can add questions within the lesson. However, the difference is that Nearpod allows you to add many interactions. You can throw in multiple choice, drag and drop, label, short answer, or anything you can imagine. Nearpod had a lesson planning area and a portion where you can place sub plans. The instructional videos for teachers showing how to launch and create lessons and add an activity to a lesson are user-friendly and easy to follow.
Without a doubt, there are unlimited resources for educators to choose from. None of which can replace a teacher’s role in the classroom. As such, teacher preparation programs must ensure that teachers are prepared for technology integration, not as an extracurricular but as a necessity. Chui (2022) categorizes teacher technology integration into two categories. The first is low-quality, direct instruction, and the second is high-quality, fostering student-centered learning through self-direction. In a nutshell,
The use of devices should not replace meaningful non-tech activities. Students still need time for face-to-face discussion, hands-on creativity and building, journaling, and many other “analog” classroom activities. Varying activities will engage students and help keep them more focused when using tech (K., J., November 26, 2019).
It should come as no surprise that students need a variety of activities to keep them engaged in their studies. Not only is face-to-face instruction necessary, but a teacher’s role does not lose its value even with technology. Technology is the tool of the century, and you are hard-pressed to find any business that does not rely on technology. Including it in teaching is not optional; it is essential. The role of the teacher is not optional, nor are they replaceable. Technology is one of those tools that must be in every teacher’s toolbox. It places the world at our fingertips. I remember my class teamed up with an orphanage in Uganda. We shared our cultures and had three Skype visits a year with the children. They showed their orphanage and the animals they had to care for, and our students showed their classes and talked about their chores and daily lives. It was a remarkable experience, and the kids loved it. Technology gives us limitless options, and our students deserve every opportunity to experience all the world has to offer. All it takes is appropriate technical training and guidance. It does not replace teachers but will undoubtedly enhance their learning opportunities.
References
Chiu. (2022). School learning support for teacher technology integration from a self-determination theory perspective. Educational Technology Research and Development: ETR & D., 70(3), 931–949. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11423-022-10096-x
Denner, J., Campe, S., & Werner, L. (2019). Does computer game design and programming benefit children? A meta-synthesis of research. ACM Transactions on Computing Education 19(3) 1–35. https://doi.org/10.1145/3277565
Gremmen, M. C., van den Berg, Y. H., Steglich, C., Veenstra, R., & Dijkstra, J. K. (2018). The importance of near-seated peers for elementary students.’ academic engagement and achievement. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 57, 42–52. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appdev.2018.04.004
K., Jamie, Common Sense Education, (November 26, 2019). Teacher’s Essential Guide to Teaching with Technology.
Virtanen, T.E., Raikkonene, E., Engels, M.C., Vasalampi, K., & Lerkkanen, M. (2021).Student engagement, truancy, and cynicism: A longitudinal study from primary to upper secondary education. Learning and Individual Differences, 86.101972. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lindif.2021.101972