Professional development is critical for educators, especially with the rise of distance learning. Digital education that supports traditional Continuing Education Courses are one of the best ways to enhance instruction skills, and drive student achievement. A prime example of one of these digital education resources would be a digital organizational tool kit, which gives teachers the means to maximize their time and provide more focus on classroom learning.
Digital Organization Is Crucial for Today’s Teachers
The shift to an online teaching environment will most likely continue to be the norm well into the 2020-2021 academic year which means traditional ways of staying organized may no longer translate since the majority of administrative, management, and academic work will be performed virtually. The digital transition also includes students and parents communicating through email with teachers, in-person meetings are shifting to video calls, and attendance will be measured through engagement, not physical presence. These shifts to the traditional teaching routine can be enough to throw organization out of whack. Having the right tools in place can definitely help, but if you don’t know how to make the most of them or are one of the many teachers who have never taught online before, they can prove to be ineffective.
The primary benefit to utilizing digital organizational tools is to ensure students get the most out of their classes. Teachers will be more organized and focused on lessons instead of administrative work—resulting in quality teacher-student engagement. Teachers will also be equipped with the tools and resources they need to prioritize their time and energy to prevent burnout.
Digital Organizational Tools Are Essential for the Digital Transition
Worksheets, calendars, lists, and priority plans are just some examples of the digital organizational tools that teachers can use for the best results. These tools help teachers manage emails, paperwork, and lesson planning to allow for more time spent engaging with students instead of worrying about administrative work.
Organizing simple tasks such as when and where to check and respond to emails is a key example of how to save time. With homework now either emailed or loaded into your online learning platform, you can set a specific time of day to check your emails and respond when needed. Make your students aware of assignment deadlines and when their work will be accepted. Setting boundaries takes the pressure off accepting late assignments and allows teachers to focus on their teaching throughout the day. Checking emails intermittently can potentially create a cycle of checking and responding to emails in an unproductive manner.
Utilizing the Benefits of Digital Organizational Tools
Instructional technology shorts, like the ones produced by Clerisy, can enhance educational practices by giving teachers insight and information about the latest digital organizational tools available to them. While these online instructional development courses may not count towards Continuing Education Credits, they do provide solid lessons on how to best utilize resources like digital organizational tools that can ultimately help teachers support students in achieving better educational outcomes.
Participating in online instructional development workshops that highlight emerging digital trends can be essential to building your teaching arsenal. You ca pair PD workshops on instructional best practices and course content design and implementation, with instructional technology shorts to create a personalized professional development plan that supports your growth within the field of teaching.
As teachers make the digital transition this new school year, it’s imperative that they have guidance on the right tools and resources to use that will support effective methods of organization. With technology bridging work and homelife, setting boundaries also plays a big role in preventing the typical teacher burnout from ensuing.
Learn more about digital organizational tools that can support your teaching practices and drive student engagement at ClerisyPD.com—an online continuum that empowers teachers through innovative, diversified, and robust professional development including, on-demand workshops, peer-to-peer discussions, and classic instructional best practices tailored for the virtual learning environment.
Find more tips on how to stave off teacher burnout!