It appears that the trend of incorporating digital devices and edtech products into the classroom is here to stay. Learning how to use technology in the classroom is quite a process for many educators, and they make some mistakes along the way. Without the proper training on how to handle their new devices and incorporate them into the classroom, teachers might be guilty of making these five common mistakes with their technology.

1. Paper Notices Instead of Emails

Parents are more apt to keep track of your classroom events and notices if they are available right at their fingertips. Emailing your notices or sharing them on the cloud can be a more effective way of sharing classroom details. It’s time to start saving more paper and stop sending home paper notices to parents.

2. Forgetting Students Who Don’t Have Computer Access at Home

Does it seem odd to you that not everyone has a computer at home? Unfortunately, there are still many students who don’t have access to technology or the internet at home. Educators need to be aware that this population of students exists instead of assuming otherwise. Make sure to provide plenty of time for these students to complete classwork during school hours in order to negate the need for a computer at home.

3. Treating School Computers Like Personal Property

Almost all teachers are guilty of using their school computer for some personal activities. They might check social media accounts or send personal emails during their off hours. These activities can be monitored by the school and could result in further action being taken. However, it can also be a problem on a daily basis. Teachers can sign in to so many different websites that send notifications directly to their desktop, allowing students to see how they spend their spare time.

4. Forgetting to Back Up Data

You spend a lot of time working on your lesson plans and creating content to share with your students. Remember to protect the time investment you made by backing up your data. Ideally, you can store this in the cloud or on a portable hard drive. Without protecting the data on your computer, you could lose everything in a computer crash.

5. Giving Students Too Much Freedom

How much freedom do your students have once the devices come out? You might feel like your classroom is protected because of filters and blocks that the school puts on, but kids can find a way around them. Tech-savvy students can always find a way to get around the restrictions that are set on the devices. Be certain to continue monitoring your class for mischief while they are working.