A lecture is only as good as the lecturer – but thanks to new technologies, from VR to interactive whiteboards, good lecturers and teachers all over the world can be even better and engage their students in new ways.
Here is our choice of 3 innovative strategies and tools to deliver an amazing lecture!
#1 Use VR, AR and MR in the classroom
Virtual, augmented and mixed reality can enhance the learning, creating and immersive experience. There are successful examples of using these technologies in education from elementary schools to pilot training, medical studies, engineering and more. Imagine if the students could go on field trips to the Great Wall of China, Machu Picchu, Buckingham Palace or even Mars without leaving the classroom. It’s just one of the countless possibilities.
Challenges of using more VR, AR and MR in the classrooms, as with the most other things, usually have to do with the funds, as the technology is (still) costly. However, simpler and cheaper solutions like Google Cardboard can also bring a lot of fun and value to the table.
If you are able to, we would definitely recommend trying VR, AR or MR in the classroom.
#2 Remote Labs for Doing Science
Modern technology enables us to control laboratory experiments or telescopes, and this can be great for student’s motivation as well as understanding of a certain topic. Originally developed for university students and scientists, remote access to this type of specialized equipment is now more and more available to school students as well.
Remote labs consist of different equipment or apparatus, along with robotic arms to operate it and cameras for real-time streaming of the experiment as it happens. They enable teachers and students from different schools to use a lab for an experiment, in a way making it easier for more schools to take part in these experiments (as a single remote lab that can be used by numerous schools, it is also more affordable than having a traditional science lab at each of those schools).
Most of the remote lab systems come with very user-friendly interface, appropriate support and text materials, so it’s a unique possibility for both teachers and school students to learn something new. In many cases, they are bringing new possibilities to classrooms – otherwise it would be almost impossible for students and teachers to use a high-quality, expensive lab equipment, as well as even being able to observe the night sky during daytime, by connecting to a distant telescope in a timezone where it is night from their classroom.
#3 Create Classroom Magic Easily With Interactive Whiteboards
Interactive whiteboards might not be as new and groundbreaking as remote labs or VR, AR and MR sets, but they are really useful for having a great and interactive class. The first whiteboards appeared in the beginning of the nineties, but they became a hit after 2000. They are basically a combination of a dry-erase whiteboard and an LCD projector, powered by an intuitive and easy-to-use software.
Anything you can do on a computer monitor, you can do it on the interactive whiteboard. They can be used for multimedia lessons and presentations with audio and video, collaborative problem solving, pre-recorded lessons that can be used by a substitute teacher and more.
Bonus: Use CollaboraZon to Work With Students and Parents
CollaboraZon lets you share files, give feedback and collaborate wherever you are.
It makes it easy for parents to follow their children’s performance and activities, for students to collaborate in groups and for teachers to share lessons, schedule events like tests, give feedback and more. It’s a single program you’ll ever need to take everything to the next level – and you can try it for free.