3 Online Tools That Can Reduce Teaching Time

Summary: The introduction of the Internet to the classroom has changed the way students learn and are taught. Thankfully, there are a number of online tools that can reduce teaching time and time spent in the classroom by a dramatic percentage.

How Online Tools Can Reduce Teaching Time

  1. Online ClassroomsStudents no longer have to attend a traditional brick and mortar school in order to get an education. Online classrooms are available throughout the country and rely on the student's ability to self-motivate. The job of the teacher in an online classroom is simply to grade assignments and offer help if it is needed, there is no actual teaching involved. Many of the programs, such as math and science classes, use algorithms that automatically grade the assignments. While this doesn't eliminate the need for a teacher in a supervisory capacity, it can and does reduce the amount of teaching time that each student receives. Find more in article 12 tools for online students.Online classrooms are actually ideal for anyone who is unable to attend a regular public school. Students who live in rural areas without transportation or those that suffer from chronic illnesses that keep them bound to the hospital or their own beds can benefit from free collaboration tools. In the past, teachers or tutors had to visit each student individually to make sure that school work is done and understood. Now, one teacher can assist a dozen or more student from the comfort of his or her own home.Read: 5 online tools every teacher should try in the classroom
  2. Typing LessonsThere is nothing that reduces the overall teaching time greater than teaching your students how to properly touch type. Typing lessons have been shamefully neglected in today's public schools, even though it is one of the most important skills that a student can learn. It doesn't need to be an enormous chore though as there is dozens of sites online that offer student oriented lessons for free. Sites like RataType and Type Racer help these students to learn the proper techniques to become a touch typist independently. This drastically reduces the teaching time needed for this exercise.TypingWeb is one of the most popular typing sites currently especially for students. Not only does it encourage students to practice their touch typing skills, it allows them to compete against their peers and other typists with similar skill levels. It appeals to the inherent spirit of competition that resides within all of us. Teachers can actually set up a classroom-based race for their students as well. This allows them to monitor each student's progress without having to actively teach the typing lessons.
  3. E-MailCommunication at the speed of thought, or at least at the speed of your local internet connection, has made it much easier for teachers to keep in touch with students and parents alike. This used to consist of the teacher spending time talking to the student in class, or setting up a time after school for the parents to come in and speak. Not anymore. Teachers are usually provided with an email address through their school and for those that are not, it is incredibly easy to get a free email inbox though Gmail or other similar providers.It works both ways as well. Instead of having an irate parent showing up at the school before or after classes to yell at the teacher, he or she can air all of his or her grievances over the internet without ever having to address the teacher face to face. This reduces the amount of teaching time that is needed because it may take 30 minutes to talk down and angry parent, where it will only take 5 to answer an angry email. This gives teachers more time to spend actually teaching rather than having to field questions, queries and attacks from parents and students.Read: Why teachers are against e-mails in the classroom

Online tools are being incorporated more and more heavily in the classroom, to the benefit of the students. Many are finding that this new generation that was basically raised on technology learns better when dealing with online or computer based teaching tools. This makes it much easier for teachers to instruct large numbers of students while still giving each of them equal attention.