It seems everywhere you look you see articles on how to use technology in the classroom. Just as important though, is how to avoid the pitfalls that come with trying to integrate tech. I have to admit, I’ve jumped head first into trying to use technology – and the results haven’t always been successful. So in hopes of helping you avoid some of the traps I’ve fallen into, I wanted to share this article on the 10 technology mistakes you want to avoid making in the classroom.
Here are a few of the biggies to avoid (along with some of my own experiences):
**Don’t use technology you are not very familiar with. This can lead to confusion and frustration – from you and your students.
**Don’t use sites that are blocked at your school (or at locations where your students access the internet).
**Don’t use technology for the sake of using technology. Use it to support your lesson plan and learning objectives.
**Don’t forget to account for students who have little or no access to the internet.
**Don’t use sites that require students to create accounts (or at least don’t use these sites without thinking it through carefully). There are many sites with great content that do require students to create accounts. Just be sure you weigh the pros and cons. Be aware that creating accounts can eat up a lot of class time and students commonly lose their usernames and passwords. It can be argued that this is part of living in an online world and working through these issues helps better orient students to digital literacy (if they aren’t already more digitally literate that you areJ). Also be aware of any potential privacy issues involved in asking students to create accounts and post content.
Another thing to consider that isn’t mentioned in the article is that your classroom will likely be very multilevel in terms of digital literacy. It’s possible you will have students who are digital natives, and others who don’t have email accounts and have never used a mouse. So don’t forget to account for this when planning your lesson.