Adopting Edtech Tools Into The Classroom

Published on January 10, 2022 by THiNKtech

James Ryan – Sweet Home CSD

Please share a little about yourself.  Your name, what grade and subject you teach, where you teach, and how long you have been teaching.

I was lucky enough to teach at Sweet Home High School for ten years.  I taught Global I, US History & Government, & AIS.  I transitioned into a teacher leadership role at our MS about 6 years ago as a Dean of Students TOSA.  Following that experience I was appointed building principal at Maplemere Elementary School.

Your passion for teaching is well known, what is it about incorporating edtech tools into your classroom that drives you to use digital teaching tools with your students.

The single greatest indicator of teaching and learning is engagement.  Technology should not be used as a “tool” but rather a mechanism for facilitating collaboration, providing meaningful feedback, and extending the classroom beyond the traditional school hours and building.  

The edtech movement is here and moving rapidly as schools adjust to the massive adoption of technology in this post pandemic era. What are the benefits that you see with your students that could not have been possible 5-10 years ago?

Students have access to learning at their own pace and from any space.  Students who may have been medically excused from school can now continuously keep pace with their peers through flipped learning experiences.  I believe that students are now able to critically think and problem solve through new mediums that the traditional classroom setting/discourse.  

Social emotional learning, growth mindset and student leadership have all gained incredible traction in the past 12 months. Do you incorporate any of these into your teaching and if so, how do edtech tools assist you in these efforts?

We have spent a considerable amount of time embedding the 7 Habits into our school culture.  We use the language, the academic framework of Leader in Me, and promote student leadership wherever possible.  We use edtech tools to empower student voice in our curriculum, school programming, and to collaborate amongst our leadership action teams (in building & district). 

What is one edtech tool you couldn’t live without and why?

ThinkTech.  I believe it is the greatest platform with the most diverse range of tools for student learning.  I believe ThinkTech offers learning experiences for all of our students (including exceptional classrooms), and have seen the benefits within our therapies (SortIT & CheckIT) and non-traditional classroom settings. 

Do you have any advice for teachers out there that are struggling to adopt edtech tools into mainstream teaching?

My advice is be a risk taker.  The traditional practices of teaching will always be able to deliver instruction, however, if you are trying to create a learning experience where the kids are the center of the learning and understanding you need to integrate meaningful edtech tools.