How do you show the talented teacher in your life what he or she means to you? Once, a shiny red apple did the trick. Now, there are desk drawers full of identical “World’s Best Teacher” mugs. What the modern educator really needs is the gift of technology to bring their classroom up to date. A teacher wielding a Kensington Ultimate Presenter can take a lesson to the next level while showing students that there is more to technology than texting. We’ve come a long way from chalkboard scribbles and dusty erasers; today’s teacher needs today’s best devices to give his or her students the best preparation for an ever-changing world.
Technology in the Classroom is Inevitable, but Funding Isn’t
More than ever, schools from kindergarten to college are calling for new tech-driven teaching methods. On the other hand, schools can’t always back up their good intentions with financial support for teachers. When education budgets get slashed, teachers are increasingly called upon to provide even basic school supplies out of their own pockets. This leaves educators with the desire to create a twenty-first-century classroom, but not the means.
The gift of an Ultimate Presenter brings instructors one step closer to the cutting-edge classroom of their—and their students’—dreams. It’s clear that tech in the classroom is here to stay. It’s no longer a question of whether educators incorporate these new teaching tools, but how soon and how well they do.
Teach that Technology is more than iPhone Games
Students may be constantly immersed in technology at home, but that doesn’t mean they know how to use it for learning. Even students who spend the day glued to their phones still need a guide to help them learn to use digital tools responsibly. A teacher using the Ultimate Presenter to liven up a visually-stimulating lesson is doing way more than just imparting knowledge—he or she is modeling the kinds of technology-based public speaking that those students will be expected to perform in higher education and the workplace. It’s not just about getting tools into the classroom. It’s about empowering students to meet the opportunities and challenges of the technology-driven world that awaits them outside the classroom.
Transform Traditional Lessons
The quadratic formula and Hamlet’s “To be, or not to be” speech might not change, but best practices in teaching them certainly do. Today’s teachers make timeless subjects fascinating for their students by incorporating photographs, pictograms, sound effects, music, and video clips. The Ultimate Presenter lets instructors bring new life to lessons by tailoring the programmable button as something topical or whimsical.
An algebra lesson might be a little less intimidating if the pointer appeared as a prancing unicorn to guide students through each set of equations. Spice up a history class by zooming in on the nitty gritty details in those historical photographs with the magnifier function. Turning the button into a mouse lets teachers transform a boring exam review into an exciting game show style competition where students race to answer questions that pop up with each click. Creative uses of technology can change up classroom dynamics to make learning a blast.
Tech Aficionados and Newcomers Welcome
Whether a teacher is already tech-savvy or just dipping a toe into the shallow end, well-designed technology should integrate seamlessly in the classroom. No one wants the frustration of struggling with some clunky device in front of a sea of faces. Whatever an educator’s comfort level is with technology, the Ultimate Presenter’s intuitive design makes it easy to look like a pro. Its essential presentation functions are ready to go right out of the box.
Who needs eyes in the back of their head when a teacher can face the class and shift through their slides using the forward and backward buttons? And instructors can get all the customizable bells and whistles by installing the KensingtonWorks application from the Kensington website or right from the USB receiver. Bringing the right device into the classroom can help all teachers reap the benefits of teaching with technology while keeping the focus where it belongs—on the lesson.
Like any other industry, it is absolutely essential that educators keep up with advances in teaching methods and new technologies. If students are growing up in a world that expects them to know their way around technology, then shouldn’t tech be a major part of their classroom experience? Help the talented teacher in your life enliven the classroom and empower his or her students to thrive in their technologically-driven futures.