By Ivy Max
2020 has been a challenging year for teaching staff. We now need to adapt to a digital classroom, with smaller student numbers, at more frequent times of the day. The world is watching us home school their children, and there is a pervasive belief that this is going to become the new normal.
With so many vast changes on the horizon, it is time to look at the newest ways to educate, and to explore some of the ways we can adapt to these massive changes in as fluid a motion as possible.
Teaching Equipment 2020 has made Necessary
What products are doing well despite the year being a curse? We took a peek to find out…
1 – Mouldable Rubber
Sugru Mouldable Glue is a sticky solution for a wealth of problems. It is like putty or clay when first taken out of the packet, but after 24 hours it sets hard and strong. This means it can be used for any manner of things that need to be set strong. The solution is much like a silicon rubber, allowing you to mould any shape you need, fix a cracked screen, or even use it to protect your digital goods. Definitely a 2020 product no teacher should be without.
2 – Google Workspaces
Consider introducing your students to the G Suite, if you can afford the subscription. Some say that it is the primary teaching tool they use to get through to their class in an interesting and informative way. Better yet, it is a secure online space where you are given access to everything that Google can fit into an app… which is most of their software… making the Google Workspace entirely worthwhile for any teacher.
3 – Videos as Tools
You can use any online video to create a teachable moment in your online classroom. To make the best of any given video, take it into an editing suite and chop and change it to what you need. There are several programs for doing exactly this, but we like edPuzzle since it works with most browsers.
4 – Engage More
Pop quizzes in class would prompt a groan from any but the most prepared of students. However, when you put their quizzes online in a multiple choice test – they lap it up. For some reason, any test with a tick-a-box answering system makes them perk right up. There are numerous sites that will let you put these together, too. All you need to do is find the time and patience. Check out Quizlet for a reliable, safe, and quick way to make up some tests.
5 – Keep Evolving
As we move forward through 2020, we can only guess what sort of things are coming next. From murder hornets to a third wave of coronavirus – anything could happen. What’s important is that we continue to evolve our teaching abilities until we have solutions enough to solve new problems as they emerge. Otherwise, it is all we can do to keep up the good work in providing a solid base of education, come what may.
