Exploring Educational Technology: Trends, Tools, and Favorites

Exploring the ever-evolving landscape of educational technology is one of my passions and hobbies; which developed further into my current professional obligation as an instructional technology coach. In my commitment to fostering impactful learning experiences, I always strive to match the learning goals of teachers and students to tools that best fit the person or the situation to promote learning as naturally and joyfully as possible. 

I actively seek out trends and tools in a variety of ways. Attending conferences such as Seesaw, Ditch Summit, and TCEA helps me evaluate the potential impact of emerging technologies in real-world educational settings. I also subscribe to newsletters from reputable websites such as ISTE, FETC, and TCEA, (to name a few) that are full of articles, videos, webinars, etc. These inevitably lead me to authors that lead me to more learning (too numerous to mention here). Additionally, I love to go on social media ("X", Instagram, and TikTok specifically) to see some microlearning of tools and applications. Furthermore, going into teachers' classrooms and seeing how students or teachers use technology is my absolute favorite. I feel my approach is a good mix of research-based theory and also practical/current from a variety of different people, places, and purposes. This ensures I not only identify emerging trends but also grasp the nuanced issues associated with integrating technology into education.

When I'm evaluating tools I am looking at a variety of things, but digital safety, security, and privacy are at the top of the list for children. Then, I look into accessibility-how could ANYONE use this tool? Then come the practical questions: Is the tool able to be used on any operating system? Can I use it more than one way? Is it open-ended? Does it promote creativity and discovery? Does it promote collaboration and community? Is it intuitive or nuanced? (If it takes too many clicks to get to where we need to be, chances are slim it will be used.) Can I "app-smash" with it? How do I share what I've done digitally with others? 

I love to explore a variety of digital tools and "get clicky with it", as my colleagues say. In my current work setting, I support PK-grade 12 and all the people that accompany them. I would say whichever tool I am using currently is in direct response to a purpose behind it. For digital classroom environments, I love our learning management systems of Canvas and Seesaw. If I'm looking for a digital workspace, I am using iWork, Google Suite, or Microsoft Office. The list goes on for engagement (Nearpod, Pear Deck, Lumio, Figjam,), media (Adobe, Flip, Canva, Studio), gamification (Quizizz, Blooket, Gimkit!), assessment (H5P, Formative, Edulastic, eduphoria), etc. I find I learn and retain the learning quickly on a variety of digital tools. The more tools I'm familiar with, the easier I can match tools to help learners achieve their goals. I love to participate in the online "challenges" put on by Adobe Education Exchange, Seesaw, etc. and then brainstorm how to apply that learning to educational purposes. 

If I had to narrow down to one tool that I use in my workplace that I could NOT live without, it would be a simple one called Microsoft To-Do. It is more than a checklist and reminder tool, and it works seamlessly with Outlook Calendar. If I wasn't able to keep my coaching life organized with some type of structure, I wouldn't have the cognitive freedom to creatively explore and learn all the other tools.