Top tech tools to keep students focused

Classrooms are bound to be full of commotion. Kids, by nature, are lively and curious, and with 20 together in one room, the opportunities for distraction are endless. Every moment they have to absorb lesson content is precious; however, teachers lose as much as 30 hours a year just repeating instruction that students didn’t see or hear the first time, according to a recent survey by Logitech and the EdWeek Research Center. 

As a classroom teacher and current technology specialist, I know all too well how small interruptions can chip away at the day and prevent educators from getting through the material they intended to cover. However, using technology strategically can restore instructional time by resolving difficulties with seeing, hearing, and using devices. With students’ attention constantly being pulled in different directions, these are the top tools I use to minimize downtime and maximize learning.

5 tools to maximize learning

1. Tablets and styluses 

A tablet paired with a stylus is one of the most versatile and impactful resources in my classroom. I like to give my students opportunities to step outside traditional assignments. So, rather than write an essay, for example, they might write a graphic novel on their iPads, which allows them to develop verbal reasoning skills and stretches their artistic muscles. 

For this project, whether students choose to draw the panels of the novel themselves or design them with images from the internet, a stylus is a major help since so much on-screen manipulation is required. I equip my students with styluses with long battery life, quick recharge capability and auto-connect at first tap. This ensures we don’t lose valuable minutes waiting for accessories to power up. These tools allow students to create content faster and more comfortably on the tablets, making their learning experience smoother and allowing more engagement time. 

Eighty-five percent of educators agree that hardware accessories give back instructional time by making devices easier for students to use. I’ve witnessed a noticeable improvement in classrooms with styluses compared to those without — fewer interruptions and more time for collaboration, discussion and exploration.

2. Tablet case and keyboard combos

Tablets are a centerpiece of most teachers’ tech sets but are also relatively fragile and expensive. More than two-thirds of educators in the survey reported increased disruptions when these tools lack appropriate accessories. Tablet cases with attached keyboards can increase the versatility of such devices while reducing the risk of damage from bumps, spills or drops. My students use their iPads, equipped with a Rugged Combo keyboard case, throughout the school day for everything from note-taking during science lessons to accessing language learning apps. If you have the budget, features like pluck-proof keys are a must. No matter what, cases are an investment in uninterrupted learning that can help eliminate distractions caused by missing or malfunctioning components.

3. Content cameras and monitors

Ensuring every student can see the material being presented is critical. Seventy-seven percent of educators in the survey said projectors and monitors reduce the time they spend repeating visible demonstrations. I like to use cameras paired with three TCL classroom monitors. This setup gives students a clear view of all kinds of content, whether at home or at the back of the classroom, eliminating the need to pass materials around or repeat demonstrations multiple times. I can even record material for students to rewatch later, perhaps as they study for a test.
4. A projector

For the same reason, I regularly use an Epson projector to magnify content from my computer screen so that the students in the back can get a good look. Sixty-six percent of educators in the survey called projectors a must-have technology, and I agree. My students and I often use this solution to go through collaborative, whole-class activities such as editing exercises, where they offer feedback on a piece of writing so that we can discuss it together and make changes on the whiteboard. 

5. Microphones and headsets

Hearing challenges are the most prevalent lesson disruptor of all. Ninety-seven percent of teachers stop instruction at least twice a day to repeat information students didn’t hear the first time. To avoid this, I use a classroom microphone system to pick up what I and my students say, along with headsets for individual work or testing. The headsets we use have replaceable ear cups and cables, which allows me to sidestep the most common headset problems reported in the study: broken or worn cables and headpieces.

Find your essentials

From enhancing communication and visibility to increasing the flexibility of other technologies, these tools provide benefits that I find essential for optimizing my time with my students. Investing in technology that supports rather than hinders instructional time allows educators to deepen learning, foster curiosity, teach more effectively and make every moment in the classroom count.

Opinions expressed by SmartBrief contributors are their own.

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