It’s almost October, which means this is the time of year when many educators are looking for ways to increase productivity by improving engagement, social emotional learning, equity, and maybe even integrating computational skills. So, what is a good way to implement these improvements? Through technology! 

“Technology can be a powerful tool for transforming learning. It can help affirm and advance relationships between educators and students, reinvent our approaches to learning and collaboration, shrink long-standing equity and accessibility gaps, and adapt learning experiences to meet the needs of all learners.”  – US Department of Education

How Can You Increase Engagement with Technology?

Student engagement can be tricky. As a result of short attention spans, teachers sometimes feel as if they constantly need to entertain their students in order to engage them in the learning process. While engagement should be a priority, it doesn’t mean that you have to be an Oscar winning actor in order to get your students engaged in your lessons. 

Ideas for Using Technology to Increase Engagement:

• Virtual Rooms can help students explore content, so they can differentiate instruction in a meaningful way. 
• Self-Pacing Trackers are another way you can create a fun roadmap for your students to move at their own pace. 
• Interactive Boards give your students the autonomy to choose how they practice skills they learned throughout your lesson.

How Can You Use Technology for Social Emotional Learning (SEL)?

One of the primary goals outlined in the Michigan Department of Education’s strategic education plan is to support the health, safety, and wellness of all students. The MDE feels Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) is a critical component to achieving this goal. 

The MDE recognizes the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) as a best practice resource for Michigan educators. CASEL defines social and emotional learning (SEL) as “an integral part of education and human development. SEL is the process through which all young people and adults acquire and apply the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to develop healthy identities, manage emotions and achieve personal and collective goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain supportive relationships, and make responsible and caring decisions.” 

Ideas for Using Technology for SEL:

• Countdown Timers can be used to create moments of quiet for your students. Calming the mind to help manage classroom noise.
• Virtual Relaxation Rooms can serve as a complementary, on-demand resource to support curriculums and SEL goals.  These rooms can provide students with a way to redirect their attention without disrupting the whole classroom. Sample Virtual Relaxation Room
• Daily Mindfulness Journal Prompts allow students time for reflection, planning and practice using SEL skills. Educators can create digital journals using Google Classroom or specific e-journaling platforms to collect journal entries from students. Organizations like Action For Happiness can provide educators with ideas for daily prompts. 
• Social Emotional Check-Ins help educators build strong relationships with students and provide essential information related to student wellness and readiness to learn. Google Forms are a great way to add this routine to your classroom. Consider including age and developmentally appropriate ways for students to assess how they are feeling. Through these check-ins you will be able to learn what is going well and areas students may need additional support.  

How Can You Make Lessons more Diverse, Equitable, and Inclusive with Technology?

A key to creating a classroom that supports diversity, equity, and inclusion is making sure everyone feels like they belong. Students want opportunities to engage and be heard by their classmates and educators. Technology can help to give students a voice and create a learning community for all students.

Ideas for Using Technology for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion to Ensure Belonging Occurs:

• Animated Drawings and Short Videos can be utilized to let your students share their stories. They can tell you more about themselves and build a relationship with students in the classroom at the same time. This also allows students who may have differing abilities, speech impediments, and English as a second language to engage in an authentic way.
• Use Captions in YouTube to provide multiple ways for students to learn. This allows students to read what they hear. This can help students that might have hearing difficulties, or are trying to learn the English language, but it also helps to incorporate literacy into your instruction. 
• Curate Book Lists that showcase each student and their family. This is a great way to build diversity into your classroom libraries. Students can add a book to the list that reminds them of their culture or family. Other students can read books to help them learn more about their classmates. This concept is known as windows and mirrors. When we create spaces for students to see themselves reflected in the classroom, we are mirroring their identities. When students see their identities represented this creates a strong sense of belonging into the classroom community. Portraying other cultures and ways of living in the classroom allows students to see through a window and gain an understanding for others.

Why Integrate Computational Thinking into Your Lessons?

Computational thinking is problem solving. Learning computational thinking can benefit students academically through improving student engagement, motivation, confidence, problem solving, communication and STEM learning and performance. (Rich et al., 2017; Yadav et al., 2017)

Ideas for Integrating Computational Thinking Into Your Lessons:

• Abstraction can reduce the complexity of a problem by modeling your thinking for students. One way to do this is to provide opportunities for students to represent problems in ways that simplify.
• Decomposition can support critical thinking and problem solving skills by breaking down larger problems into smaller, more manageable parts. You could choose tasks for students that allow them to break down a phenomenon or object into parts.
• Questioning can be used ask probing questions throughout the lesson to help students reflect on their learning. Examples of questions you could start with include, “What if you were to..”, How could you…”, and “What other ways have you considered…” 

For more information on effectively integrating computation thinking into your lessons, see the attached PDF. 

Do You Want to Learn More Ways to Improve Productivity with Technology?

You may be familiar with the phrase “Trick or Treat” that rings out across neighborhoods the evening of October 31. This year, the EdTech Consultants at Kent ISD are starting the fun a little early! You read that right – you can kick off the fall festivities at the beginning of October with the Kent ISD EdTech Consultants as they present “(Ed)Tech or Treat”!

Every month the Kent ISD EdTech Consultants publish a newsletter that shares resources, templates, troubleshooting tips, or other tips that support teaching and student learning.  October’s newsletter is taking a bit of a spooky twist!  Check out October’s newsletter for opportunities to engage and extend beyond the (Ed)Tech or Treat exploration. Tricks include many of the ideas listed above such as virtual rooms, curating book lists, using timers, adding captions to YouTube videos, creating videos, and so much more.  

Beware!  There are hidden “tricks” (aka easter eggs) among the many treats shared this month!

You can also follow along on social media! We will be sharing one “treat” each day in October on our Facebook and Instagram starting on October 13th through October 31st. Follow us now so that you don’t miss out on any treats!

#EdTechorTreat #Engagement #Diversity #Equity #Inclusion #Belonging #SocialEmotionalLearning #ComputationalThinking #ProfessionalLearning #KentISDpd #WeLeadLearning

This blog post was written by Amanda Walma, Professional Learning Coordinator and Sarah Wood, Education Technology Consultant for Kent ISD, with contributions from Sommer Jabbar, Diversity, Equity, and Belonging Consultant; Sheree Joseph-Bos, Diversity, Equity, and Belonging Consultant; Chelsea Kittridge, Social Emotional Learning Coach; and, Keith Tramper, Education Technology Consultant for Kent ISD. This blog post was edited by Sara Sefcik, PD Hub Intern for Kent ISD.