How can you use tech in your curriculum design?

While planning any curriculum, it is essential to keep emotional intelligence and context of the students as a priority. Any behavioural or attainment change is directly related to these. Accordingly a tech tool should be introduced for Curriculum Enrichment to ensure effective implementation of various pedagogical approaches to cater to different teaching and learning styles. Any tech tool which is not relevant to the context of the students will only confuse or distract from actual teaching/learning process.

I believe it is so important that if we want to use tech in a classroom, we should should avoid the one time use scenarios. Even special trips to the VR lab or innovation lab should be carefully tied in. Tech needs to be purposefully woven into the course. I teach Spanish and a Design class at a school with a one-to-one MacBook program. I use flip classroom model of lessons from that I wrote for Spanish and my friend Tim Shabanawitz and I wrote for the Design course. The videos are self produced as well so the students experience seemless continuity through the course. Our assignments are videos the students make to grow their skills and mirror what we do. Typically during class, the laptops are stored so they aren’t a distraction too.

I think it is important to ensure the plan for technology is purposeful. There is no benefit to use technology just to use technology. Technology can be transformative, but if the goal is to replace paper, then are you really utilizing it to its full potential? When planning for technology, consider the SAMR model; Substitution, Augmentation, Modification, & Redefinition. For example, if the task was to write an informational paper, S= type the paper, A = conduct online research for the paper, M = create a video presentation or podcast about the research, R= publish work online or create informational website about the research. Setting a purpose can avoid “technology for technology’s sake.”

Introduce educational games or gamified activities that make learning interactive and enjoyable. Use platforms like Kahoot, Quizlet, or educational apps that offer gamified learning experiences.

Utilize VR and AR technologies to create immersive learning experiences. Students can explore historical sites, dive into the human body, or interact with 3D models to enhance their understanding of complex concepts.

The increasing use of AI to provide feedback on drafts of student work enhances the self reflection by students and also their final submissions.

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Utilize adaptive learning platforms like Khan Academy, IXL, or DreamBox to tailor learning experiences to individual student needs. These platforms offer personalized lessons, practice exercises, and feedback based on each student's progress and abilities.

Using tech to promote curiosity and innovation is critical to students as learners. Our students are expert learners and tech plays a big part in building that expertise. We don’t always know how that happens. As educators we need to give students the opportunity to share with us how they use tech to build their expertise. Then allowing students to build their own background and expertise in the areas we need them to academically in ways they choose will be a game changer in schools.