Technology in the Classroom - Six Easy, Inexpensive Ways to Use Technology in Your Curriculum

Educators worldwide have been issued the same challenge: integrate technology into your curriculum. Still, teachers are hard pressed to find concrete suggestions for using technology. Never fear. There are many ideas on this page. What follows are six easy ways to integrate technology into your curriculum. These suggestions will make your tech use organic to your classroom and user-friendly for you and your students.

1. Appoint a Librarian. During readings and discussions, appoint a student as the class librarian. This student can use a computer to access online encyclopedias, dictionaries, author websites, and other references. As unknown references come up, have the librarian do quick research and then report back while the class moves forward. Appointing a class librarian is a great way to increase understanding without interrupting the flow of the lesson.

2. Add Commentary. Have students submit writing assignments to you as email attachments. Then, use the Comment function in Microsoft Word to post responses on student writing. Save each draft to create an electronic portfolio for each student. You can refer to this portfolio in parent conferences, specialist meetings, and student meetings. You can also use these comments to help with your progress report writing.

3. Go Over Their Heads. Use an overhead projector or an LCD projector instead of handouts. This is especially useful for pop quizzes, directions to activities, or short whole-group reading passages. Using an overhead projector instead of paper is also a great start towards a greener classroom.

4. Refer to the Text. Use text messaging to send quick reminders. Imagine a text to students about important projects or homework assignments. Imagine a text to parents reminding them about permission slips or parent-teacher meetings. Texting is greener, quicker, and more reliable than paper notices.

5. Fan the Flames. Start a Facebook fan page. Use this page to post discussion questions and website links. This page can also be used to initiate conversations about books or current events related to themes and activities in your class.

6. Add Hype with Skype. Skype is an Internet service that offers free calling and video conferencing between computers. Imagine facilitating a discussion with students from a school across the country, or across the globe, about a novel or a current event. Many authors offer free or inexpensive online book chats. Use Skype to bring experts into the classroom without the hassle or expense of airfare, hotels, cabs, or other scheduling nightmares.

Integrating technology in the classroom need not be frustrating or gratuitous. Moreover, using technology does not require that you teach at a school with millions in endowment or Ivy-League-level resources. The above strategies will help you incorporate technology into your classroom in ways that are easy, valuable, and inexpensive.