Twitter gives shy students a voice

Distractions seem to be everywhere, with students of younger and younger ages having access to internet-enabled devices, even when they’re in the classroom. But for many ICT evangelists, mobile technology is not inhibiting students’ focus in class but instead helping to raise engagement and enhance teaching and learning.

Enrique Legaspi, a middle school teacher in Los Angeles is one such proponent. After attending a seminar in San Francisco on the uses of social media, he began to trial examples of real-world best practice within his own classroom.

How to implement a 'Bring Your Own Device' (BYOD) scheme

As schools throughout the UK struggle to keep up with the costs of digital learning technologies many are initiating their own Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) programmes, encouraging students to bring their own tablet, laptop or smartphone device with them into class.

Generally speaking, there are three main reasons why a school would adopt a BYOD scheme: 

1. Student familiarity
2. Bridge between formal and informal learning
3. Cost savings

Yet while digital learning and the prospect of students bringing in their own devices is gathering increasing exposure and support there is also growing concern that BYOD programmes are further expanding inequalities between low and higher income families as well as encouraging new forms of bullying.

Tips on taking control of the classroom

You may be an NQT in your first teaching position or possibly a Year-1 teacher responsible for your first form class. Whether you’re just starting out or have a few years of experience behind you, feeling nervous is more common than you may think.

Building a presence in your classroom and exerting authority may not be something you’re used to. And developing a style that is authoritative but approachable may seem like a challenging prospect.

‘While you should be firm, it’s important not to be distant, a bit of warmth doesn’t go amiss,’ explains Julian Stanley, Chief Executive of the Teacher Support Network.

To achieve this balance you will have developed your own techniques and classroom strategies but here are a few that our teachers’ network has recommended.

Will flipped learning replace traditional lesson techniques?

One of the hottest topics in education at the moment has prompted educationalists throughout the UK to consider the application advantages of reversing the traditional lesson structure. Commonly termed ‘flipped learning’, it has quickly become a trending theme at networking events, conferences and throughout social journalism circles.




In this article we offer guidance and support to teachers who want to implement flipped learning into their classroom.