Educational Technology Resources for Teachers

Below are a list of resources for teachers who are interested in learning more about technology and integrating it in their classroom.  These resources are non-grade/class specific and many can be used by any educator.

1.  Tech Tips from Ask a Tech Teacher Blog: Click on the link below and you can sign up for a weekly tech tip.  This is an easy way to increase your technology skills without being overwhelmed.  On Tuesday, a tip will be emailed to your account.  It can take a few seconds or a minute or two to learn. An example tip would be how to use the insert or print screen button on your keyboard.  These tips will help you maneuver around the keyboard easier while increasing your confidence with technology.  Click on Tech Tips to sign up.

 

2.  Technology Lesson Plans:  Also from the Ask a Tech Teacher blog, here are some great lessons that utilize technology in the classroom.  These are student centered lessons that will bring your science, language arts, or social studies classroom into the digital age. Lesson plans are design grades K-8 and can be used for science, math, social students, language arts, grammar, spelling, and more.

 

3. Teaching Generation Text: As your technology skills become more proficient and you are serious about creating a digital classroom, consider reading the book, Teaching Generation Text.  This is a book written by the creator of the blog: The Innovative Educator.  The book will help you bridge the gap between your classroom and the digital age and give you good, effective methods of integrating technology into the classroom.  One of the major methods is how to use a cell phone as an important classroom aid!

 

4.  Differentiated Instruction & Technology:  Here is a five step workshop that will help you as educator learn how technology can help you differentiate your instructional methods in the classroom. It will guide you through the daunting task of learning about technology by helping you explore webquests, concept mapping, and making a website.  It will provide numerous ideas and more importantly how to use them effectively in the classroom.

 

Software/Web 2.0 Help & Demostrations: Here are 3 helpful guides or tutorials on three major software programs – Photoshop, Mindomo (concept mapping) & Prezi

5.  Photoshop can be a great program to use on a variety of projects.  Here is a site that will help you learn how to use the program and many of the important features that go along with it.  There are 50 different tutorials on this site that will help you go from beginner to master at Photoshop.

 

 

 

6.  Mindomo.com is a web 2.0 tool that is free and very similar to the software program Inspiration.  This is a mind mapping tool that helps students and teachers to organize their thoughts or key ideas of a unit.  It is simple to use and easy for student and teachers to learn.  You can use it make a graphic organizer, organize main ideas of a chapter, or even brain storm with.  See the example and interface below:

7.  Prezi.com is a presentation software that is different and unique from any other presentation software that you have seen.  Prezi is a cloud based presentation software that uses zoom functions to provide a unique perspective on any topic.  This is a great alternative to PowerPoint and students love to learn and use it on any project as well.  See below for a tutorial on Prezi and click on the Website Evaluation tab above to see a presentation created using Prezi.

 

Below are a few resources that can be used in any social studies class from -12

8.  National Archives Digital Classroom is a great website full of primary sources that can be printed and used.  Documents range from the colonial period through the 21st century.  The site also provides Analysis worksheets for the variety of documents such as photos, maps, cartoons, artifacts and many more.  Days could be spent looking through the number of great teacher resources.

9. Social Studies Central Blog is completely dedicated to articles, lessons, and other resources that can be used in the social studies classroom.  This site also offers a weekly tip that you can sign up for, lesson plans that range from k-12 and other very helpful articles.  Click here for an article about how to engage your students better!

10.  Mr. Carmichael’s Social Studies Podcasts has lectures, notes, and important facts from World History, American History, and World Geography.  These podcasts can be great for teachers to freshen up on areas of history they may have forgotten or even used in the classroom.  These podcasts are more appropriate for middle to upper grade students.  See the example below about the writing of the U.S. Constitution: