USE OF TECHNOLOGY IN MY CLASSROOM

In the world we currently live in, technology is a vital factor. With each passing day, new software or gadgets are being brought into the market that improves the lives of teachers and students. I believe using technology in the classroom is a great way to reach the diversity in learning styles and provide students with the chance to interact with their classmates more by encouraging collaboration. 

When I started my career in teaching back in 2009, technology was not the most used tool in the classroom for teaching and learning. Not everyone could access technology at that time. I was also not equipped to use technology in the classroom. Using an old school system of teaching makes the classroom boring for students. They always want to have fun and learn new things using technology. Bringing technology into and out of my classroom allows students to learn and will enable me to enhance classroom activities and use it to improve my students' theoretical and practical skills. I believe as a teacher, it's essential to teach in the class the way students wish to learn more effectively. According to Shyamlee and Phil (2012), utilizing technology and multimedia creates a more vivid, visual and authentic environment for learning, stimulates students' initiatives and economies class time and increases class information. 

I dived into this beautiful opportunity to use technology in the classroom and decided to find some app that would help me give fast feedback and teach in a more advanced and effective way. Since then, I have started using different LMS in my classroom and getting good results. "The use of technology has become significant in the teaching and learning process in and out of class. Technology opens a window of improvement in language learning. Not only that, technology allows teachers to enhance classroom activities and language learning process". ( Ahmed & Reza, 2018:nHashim, 2018. 

My experience with technology as a Physics teacher gives me a diverse way of assessing my students of Keystage 3,4 & 5 to improve their skills in writing external examinations. Here are some technologies I have been using in my IGCSE and A-Level classes since I introduced myself to technology. 

1. PLICKERS: It is a classroom response app that teachers can easily use without having devices for each student. IGCSE and A-Level students have to write multiple-choice papers. This application helps me improve students' time management and accuracy while answering questions. 

AIM OF INITIATIVE:

1. Engage students in a productive way

2. Enhance students' exposure to digital technology

3. Assess students' understanding of specific learning outcomes on a day to day basis.

4. Use a technique as a plenary to have instant feedback for my student's learning during the lesson.

5. Use the techniques as a starter to recall the previous lesson.

6. Instant feedback on the day's learning to students and identifying areas of improvement for them.

HOW DOES IT WORK:

1. Each student is given a card with a unique QR code. 

2. The code had four sides, each labelled A, B, C and D.

3. The students hold the card so that the letter they have chosen as their answer appears at the top of the card.

4. After that, I scan students' responses using the app installed on my phone.

    

FEATURES OF THIS TECHNOLOGY:

1. I can upload questions specific to my learning outcomes anytime and as much as possible.

2. I can add as many classes as possible, even edit students and students anytime. 

3. Live View screen synced with my phone and enables students to view and respond to questions.

4. Students' responses can also be revealed as a graph so that students can see where they stand in the class. This also helps me to evaluate how well students have understood a concept.

5. I can view the reports and analysis of each question and identify students who need help with a particular concept. This helps me support individual students or re-explain an idea for the whole class if needed.

6. I can view the class's progress on a topic/concept. This scoresheet can be exported as an excel sheet

7. I can print these reports for each student, and they can use them for future reference and review.

HOW HAS IT HELPED ME :

1. It has to enhance my student's engagement level and focuses

2. My students are motivated to learn since they can track their progress through plickers.

3. It helps me ensure 100% inclusiveness, and every student participates without feeling shy.

4. I can instantly identify learners that need support

5. It helps me in classroom management.

2. QUIZIZZ:

Another application that I use in my classroom as low stake assessment to determine how well students perform on the current topic. It is a player-paced educational gaming application used by teachers to monitor and assess students' application of learned information. Quizizz plays a vital role for me as a physics teacher to record students' understanding of the topic in a particular and short period. Modern teaching system, students are well equipped with technology and devices, and they learn more effectively using some multimedia or any technology in the classroom. Students are always excited at school. Whenever I mention, "ok, students, it's time to log in to your quizizz." and excitement of students goes from 

Quizizz has many community resources that are made by an experienced teacher. Teachers can use quizizz shared by the teacher or create their own.

I am teaching IGCSE and A-level students. After finishing the syllabus to have a quick recap and revise the topic, I use quizizz and get detailed reports of students in each question in graph format and percentage. I can then set my lesson to cover students' issues to struggle to learn. I  use Seneca learning and give my students to learn at home and answer questions.

 

HOW TO CREATE A QUIZ ON QUIZIZZ:

Teachers can create their own quizizz or begin a live game. It is also possible to develop PowerPoint to revise a topic in quizizz, and after each slide, a quiz can be made. The quiz can also be assigned as homework by sharing a code with the class. 

After completing the quiz, I can see the average class scores and individual reports. This report gives the accuracy and time spent to answer the question. I can also share the reports of students by email and print the report for students' portfolios.

ADVANATGES OF QUIZIZZ:

1. It is user friendly and can be easily accessible on any device (Mobile, tablet..)

2. Teachers can monitor track progress of students during the quiz.

3. Quizizz can be used as quick and simple to use as a formative assessment and plenary. 

4. Reports can be imported into excel and keep the record of each topic quiz.

5. Quizizz can be used as homework that is marked online.

6. Reports can be shared with parents by email. 

DISADVANTAGES OF QUIZIZZ

1. Non-serious attitude because of the game interface

2. Cannot be used as a differentiation tool in the classroom. 

3. Students may get disconnected because of an internet problem.

Quizizz is an essential tool for introducing learning theories like social constructivism and connectivism.

Constructivism: 

Quizizz allows peer to peer interaction that is led by the teacher. It will enable real-time playing between students in the classroom. It creates peer to peer interaction. It motivates students to learn when results are compared and shared on the leaderboard with students.

Connectivism:

Technology plays a significant role to give opportunity to people to learn and share information from everywhere in the world. Quizizz allows students to search sites for quizzes from specific grade levels and topics for their learning. It will enable students to take quizzes created by educators around the globe that will allow students to work with diverse cultures and points of view.

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Reference: 

Ahmed, K., & Nasser, O. (2015). Incorporating iPad Technology: Creating More Effective Language Classrooms. TESOL Journal, 6, 751-765.

https://doi.org/10.1002/tesj.192

Shyamlee, S.D, & Phil, M. (2012). Use of technology in English language teaching and learning: An analysis. In international conference language, Media, and cultures (Vol.33, pp. 150-156)