Teachers!

We often hear how technology can aid learning, but what about teaching? How can today’s teaching staff, who may not have been trained to know their iPod from their augmented reality, feel comfortable with technology, let alone use it to enhance their practice?

David Hughes thinks we need to emphasise how technology enhances the teaching experience, as well as the learning experience. There is a wealth of opportunity in utilising technology in teaching, yet practitioners may feel threatened by it, afraid their role may be replaced by technology or their status undermined by the rise of social media. Who needs a teacher when you’ve got Wikipedia? The problem of texting or mobile phones ringing in class may also be familiar.

Yet this technology can often enhance the role of teachers. A tutor who encourages the use of mobile phones in class, for example, can increase learner engagement with the subject through quick-fire questions, with learners finding answers instantly online and debating any discrepancies they find. See this Jisc Inform article on BYOD where tutor Colin Fallows talks about this ‘refreshing, invigorating approach’. The methods have increased Colin’s enjoyment of his job as he can see greater impact.

Similarly, Chris Holland, brickwork lecturer at Colchester Institute, gets enjoyment from engaging learners and inspiring colleagues with his development of a virtual bricklaying programme. The video case study highlights how this helps his students. Staff at Colchester Institute have since taken on Chris’s ideas and adapted them for their own area of work, developing an augmented reality app.

More tips and ideas on how technology can enhance your practice can be found on the Excellence Gateway. Or try reading this blog on creating your own app. You can also contact your local Regional Support Centre for ways to support your professional development, from providing examples of what others are doing to demonstrating the latest technology.

There is much to be gained – but don’t just take our word for it. We’ve spoken to practitioners who share with us the ways that technology has enhanced the enjoyment of their role…