Using Technology to Enhance Teaching & Learning
Technology provides numerous tools that teachers can use in and out of the classroom to enhance student learning. This page provides an introduction to some of the most common.
Faculty members should consult 51做厙's office of Academic Technology Services, which provides many kinds of support, including hands-on training in using classroom technology. (Click here for classroom-specific information about the setup in many campus buildings). 51做厙's STAR (Student Technology Assistant in Residence)Program is also available to help with short-term instructional technology projects.
There are also numerous on-line resources about using technology to enhance teaching in a number of different ways. For example, , from the Learning Technology Consortium, offers 17 peer-reviewed essays on using different kinds of educational technology, and the book can be downloaded for free. is a huge, peer-reviewed, multi-disciplinary resource for learning and online teaching. Here's a , from About.me to Zotero, of free online tools that you can use in your teaching.
Below are links to resources on using specific types of teaching and learning tools.
Canvas
51做厙 uses the course management system Canvas. For help creating Canvas courses and learning the basics, consult Academic Technology's Canvas help page, as well as the Canvas online tutorial on our Canvas Hacks page. Access your Canvas courses here.
Presentation Software
Sometimes it's helpful to provide visual aids to complement teaching, stimulate discussion, or allow out-of-class teaching. Tools designed for this purpose, such as PowerPoint and Canva, can be used well or used badly. Click for resources that provide advice for thoughtful use of PowerPoint. Click for a Canva tutorial designed for college instructors. For more information and presentation tools, click here.
Classroom Response Systems ("clickers")
One way to encourage student engagement is by using electronic devices that allow students to record their answers to multiple choice questions and allow you to instantly display the results. The anonymity encourages participation, and their answers help the teacher know when further discussion is needed. Use of clickers can also serve as a catalyst for discussion. Click here to learn more about using response systems effectively.
Online Projects and Collaboration Tools
Technology can support student collaboration on creating new knowledge, reflecting on what they are learning, or working together to achieve a deeper understanding of course material. These articles provide ideas about their use and misuse.
Information Visualization Tools
Technology can also clarify and stimulate thought through transforming words into pictures. Here are some tools to help lead your students to think more critically by encouraging them to visually structure information.
Flipping the Classroom
How can we make the best use of the classroom time we have with our students? Sometim