Engaged learning: leveraging ICT tools in education

Maintaining classroom motivation, engagement, and enthusiasm during teaching can be quite challenging. This is where the significance of ICT tools like apps and web platforms comes into play. These tools are crucial for facilitating effective communication, knowledge transfer, and sustaining students' undivided attention. In today's educational landscape, having a grasp of interactive learning is vital to provide students with unconventional and engaging learning experiences.

The new edition of the course “Integrating ICT and new technologies into teaching and education​” took place in Tenerife from 06/08/2023 to 12/08/2023. The participants came from all across Europe, with Nicola from Liceo Nervi - Ferrari in Italy, Iwona, Piotr, Regina from Publiczna Szkoła Podstawowa w Marwałdzie in Poland, Palma from Gobetti in Italy, Ingrid from VIK Vocational Institute and Secondary Grammar School in Hungary, Mónika from Budapest III. Kerületi Krúdy Gyula Angol-Magyar Két Tanítási Nyelvű Általános Iskola in Hungary, Kristóf from Budapest XXII. Kerületi Budai Nagy Antal Gimnázium in Hungary, Munkhjargal from Munich School Foundation in germany.  

Throughout the course, participants acquired comprehensive knowledge about a wide range of technological tools and their effective integration into teaching methodologies.​

Initially, they explored user-friendly tools for image and video editing, which have remarkable potential for educational purposes. These versatile tools serve many functions, from creating multimedia content and introducing new subjects to summarizing previous ones. By incorporating student-generated designs, these tools foster creativity and engagement. In particular, video presentations have emerged as a dynamic method to reinvigorate students' focus and capture their attention.

In addition, participants acquired the know-how to work with various online tools, which can help create content even in shape collaboratively. Guided by this course, they gained hands-on experience with Padlet, I love PDF, Monkey QR, Jamboard, Mentienter, Baamboozle, Lyric training, Learning apps and Wordwall.

As traditional education has given way to virtual classes and online classes in recent years, this course has naturally explored essential applications for effective online teaching. Virtual whiteboards have emerged as a tool to create engaging and interactive virtual classes, enhancing collaborative learning experiences.

The group delved into the world of technology in a practical way through exercises that ranged from presentations, virtual quizzes, creation of content for social networks, graphics, posters and collages. This interactive course facilitated peer-to-peer learning, allowing participants to gain insights from shared experiences.

Armed with new insights into interactive learning and a skills toolkit, participants left equipped to transform their classrooms. This approach is poised to elevate students' creativity, engagement, attention, and motivation, effectively transforming the learning process into a dynamic and enjoyable enterprise!

Discover more about this course here.