Here's how you can stay ahead of the curve in integrating technology into your teaching practices.

Embrace change is the drive to stay ahead of the curve in integrating technology into your teaching practices. Being flexible, open minded, and lifelong learner allow you to keep an updated experience of fast evolving technological tools. In this area, it is good to: 1-Have active accounts in such platforms 2-Check regular updates in such platforms by getting notifications via the platform or via your email. 3-Get engaged in any workshops or PDs organized by such platforms not only to be certified but also to become familiarized with the latest updates. For instance, Nearpod and MagicSchoolai deliver new PDs regularly. 4-Attend virtual webinars to learn from the experience of other educators on the globe on how best to use such platforms.

The first step in integrating technology into the classroom is to embrace it! Technology is advancing rapidly, and there are countless ways to incorporate it into teaching. For example, a local school district recently updated its policy to include oversight of AI usage by trained educators. This is a significant development, especially considering that AI is here to stay. To get started, build your understanding of the technology, consult with those who are already using it, and continue evolving as an educator. I’m always exploring new tech for my classroom—whether it's a Cleartouch board, tools like magicschool.ai, or AI games like Semantris. I also collaborate with colleagues and foster a community focused on tech in education.

As technology evolves, so should you! This school year, my district offered a summer AI training, and I eagerly participated. Embracing new advancements and leveraging them to our advantage is crucial in today’s rapidly changing world. I delved deeper into AI this year, and although I was initially hesitant—especially after hearing about ChatGPT from my athletes and student teacher—my visit to the Ron Clark Academy changed my perspective. Listening to educators like Mr. Korey Collins and Mr. Michael Bonner introduced me to two AI tools: Magic School and Semantris. I researched these tools and incorporated them into my classroom, finding them to be incredibly valuable.

During the 2023-2024 school year, my students fully embraced Semantris, turning it into a competitive challenge to surpass their own high scores as well as mine. This game helped them link words with various clues and build their background knowledge. They also engaged with Magic School AI, which greatly enhanced their writing clarity and made research as easy as a click of a button. The tool allowed them to edit and revise their work, especially with tone, while I monitored their progress. In the 2022-2023 school year, my students quickly adapted to using Snowflake and the ClearTouch boards, following my specialized training. They enjoyed the gamified classroom environment and found it highly engaging.

While Kognity is one of the richest platforms in my area that are created by experienced DP Physics teachers, I still regularly evaluate its impact on my classroom by: 1-Examining my students' interactions with Kognity's built-in videos/simulations (in its digital textbook) to see what to use and what to clarify 2-Collecting students' feedback directly and indirectly (by checking their progress on Kognity assigned formatives/homework in the generated report) to identify whether the level of complexity of the questions meets the needs of my students 3-Reviewing Kognity's notes regularly and reflecting on its alignment with my teaching objectives. Also, any concerns can be communicated with Kognity's customer advocacy representative.