Teaching with technology — a crash course

The question is never ‘should I use this tool?’ but ‘what learning problem does it solve?’ Frameworks like TPACK and SAMR keep pedagogy in front of technology.

• Start from the learning outcome and the task, then choose the tool.
• Ask whether the tech substitutes, augments, or genuinely transforms (SAMR).
• Balance content, pedagogy and technology knowledge (TPACK).

The LMS is where most students actually meet your subject. A clear, predictable space matters more than using every feature.

• Make it findable: consistent structure, clear next steps.
• Use it for interaction and feedback, not just file storage.
• Cut clutter — fewer, well-used tools beat many half-used ones.

A small, reliable toolkit — polling, short video, automated quizzes, annotation — does more than chasing every new app.

• Use polling and retrieval tools to make big classes active.
• Use audio/video and annotation to make feedback personal at scale.
• Standardise on a few tools so students aren't relearning each week.

Edtech can widen access or narrow it. Choose tools that are accessible, privacy-respecting and sustainable for you to maintain.

• Check accessibility and that it works on a phone and low bandwidth.
• Mind student data, privacy and cost (free for students).
• Pick tools you can sustain — not a new one every semester.