Using technology

Using technology to engage young people

There is no doubt that the idea of using technology in your teaching practice can be daunting and raises a number of challenges for any teacher. Technological change is so rapid and many of us have never been exposed to social networking, ipods, mobile apps or computer games while we were at school or university.

Even if you were exposed to computers in your teacher training there is a good chance you've not received any training or exposure to how computers can be used to enhance your work with young people and learning outcomes. The purpose of the Using technology section of the Teachers Network website is to show you how easy it can be.

The Technology trends section provides you withan overview of the latest research into technology use by young people as well as the latest education revolutions in the digital world.

The section on What are young people doing online? provides an easily accessible overview of the types of things young people are doing online and simple descriptions of the range of technologies that are being used by young people in their everyday lives.

The Demystifying tech talk section provides you with simple definitions of some of the terms that you might hear young people use when they are talking about technology.

Supporting young people to be safe online highlights some of the risks associated with technology use and strategies for reducing the chance of being exposed to these risks.