The Tech Edvocate

Top Menu

  • Advertisement
  • Apps
  • Home Page
  • Home Page Five (No Sidebar)
  • Home Page Four
  • Home Page Three
  • Home Page Two
  • Home Tech2
  • Icons [No Sidebar]
  • Left Sidbear Page
  • My Account
  • My Speaking Page
  • Newsletter Sign Up Confirmation
  • Newsletter Unsubscription
  • Our Brands
  • Page Example
  • Protected Content
  • Register
  • Request a Product Review
  • Shop
  • Shortcodes Examples
  • Signup
  • Start Here
    • Governance
    • Careers
    • Contact Us
  • The Edvocate
  • Topics
  • Write For Us
  • Advertise

Main Menu

  • Start Here
    • Our Brands
    • Governance
      • Dr. Lynch’s Personal Website
      • Careers
    • Write For Us
    • Contact Us
    • Books
    • Edupedia
    • The Edvocate Podcast
  • Topics
    • Assistive Technology
    • Child Development Tech
    • Early Childhood & K-12 EdTech
    • EdTech Futures
    • EdTech News
    • EdTech Policy & Reform
    • EdTech Startups & Businesses
    • Higher Education EdTech
    • Online Learning & eLearning
    • Parent & Family Tech
    • Personalized Learning
    • Product Reviews
  • Advertise
    • Request a Product Review
  • Apps
  • Tech Edvocate Awards
  • The Edvocate
  • Pedagogue

logo

The Tech Edvocate

  • Start Here
    • Our Brands
    • Governance
      • Dr. Lynch’s Personal Website
        • My Speaking Page
      • Careers
    • Write For Us
    • Contact Us
    • Books
    • Edupedia
    • The Edvocate Podcast
  • Topics
    • Assistive Technology
    • Child Development Tech
    • Early Childhood & K-12 EdTech
    • EdTech Futures
    • EdTech News
    • EdTech Policy & Reform
    • EdTech Startups & Businesses
    • Higher Education EdTech
    • Online Learning & eLearning
    • Parent & Family Tech
    • Personalized Learning
    • Product Reviews
  • Advertise
    • Request a Product Review
  • Apps
  • Tech Edvocate Awards
  • The Edvocate
  • Pedagogue
  • Universities Use Blockchain To Streamline Student Services

  • Top 7 Education Apps for the Classroom

  • Should Parents Also Know How to Use E-Learning Platforms?

  • Advances In Text-To-Speech Technologies Help Computers Find Their Voice

  • Campuses Have Used IoT Projects to Promote Convenience, Security, and Comfort for Students

  • Home-based Learning Tips For Parents: 6 Tips For Effective Learning

  • K–12 Leaders Get Creative to Make the Case for Network Upgrades

  • Network Segmentation Boosts Wi-Fi Performance And Security For K-12 Schools

  • The IoT In Higher Education Has Big Potential If Devices Are Kept Secure

  • How Schools Are Recruiting New Teachers Virtually

Uncategorized
Home›Uncategorized›7 Reasons to Use a Digital Assistant (like Alexa) in Your Classroom

7 Reasons to Use a Digital Assistant (like Alexa) in Your Classroom

By Matthew Lynch
September 3, 2018
Spread the love

We have come a long way from chalkboards and gradebooks. When you take a look at today’s modern classroom, you will find edtech taking over – Smartboards and mobile devices are becoming commonplace in the classroom. And, now, teachers are embracing another form of technology: the digital assistant.

We are using digital assistants, such as Siri and Alexa, in our daily lives, so why not use them in the classroom? Just as they help us navigate our lives with reminders and directions, they can help our students navigate lessons. Still unconvinced? Here are seven reasons to use a digital assistant in your classroom:

  1. Easy to Use

First, digital assistants are easy to use! They are designed that way. Anyone can ask a digital assistant a question and receive a response. Aside from the ease of use, they are always affordable and use little technology. For instance, the Amazon Alexa Echo Dot is under $50, the speaker can carry throughout a classroom, and it only requires electricity and Wi-Fi.

  1. Serves as a Reference Desk

Imagine if your students did not have to come to you with all their questions! You could get so much more done! But, more importantly, it will serve as a hub where your students can ask questions and receive factual answers. Instead of asking the teacher and having the teacher search for the answer, Alexa can provide the answer instantly.

  1. Helps Students Review, Study, and Check Work

Digital assistants, like Alexa, can do basic computations, as well as spell. For example, if you give kids a spelling test, they can check to see if they spelled the words correctly using Alexa. Or, if you are studying certain topics, they can use Alexa to review and study.

  1. Develops an Understanding of How to Use Digital Tools

Our students are already using digital assistants outside of the classroom, so we should take time to teach them how to use it correctly. For instance, to get the correct responses, students must learn to ask the right questions and enunciate.

  1. Reads Audiobooks

For auditory learners, digital assistants are life savers! They can read aloud text and audiobooks. If your class is reading a novel, you can have Alexa can connect to the Audible narration during the class reading time.

  1. Provides News and Other Relevant Information

One of the best reasons to have a digital assistant like Alexa in the classroom is because it provides a wealth of resources. For instance, Alexa connects to several news sources and well as Tune In, which is home to many educational podcasts.

  1. Engages Students

Finally, digital assistants engage students in a new way. In addition to the resources they offer, Alexa offers fun games, trivia, and more.

Digital assistants are designed to make our lives easier – so let’s allow them to do the same in the classroom.


Spread the love
Previous Article

Using Microsoft Products in the Classroom: What ...

Next Article

Why Edtech Companies Need to Win Over ...

Matthew Lynch

Related articles More from author

  • Uncategorized

    Trailblazers in Edtech: Robert Romano

    August 20, 2017
    By Matthew Lynch
  • Uncategorized

    Three Tips to Ease Implementation of New Edtech

    February 28, 2019
    By Matthew Lynch
  • Uncategorized

    How the Empowered Education Leader Approaches Digital Learning

    August 24, 2018
    By Matthew Lynch
  • Uncategorized

    A Digital Future: K-12 Technology by 2018

    January 25, 2017
    By Matthew Lynch
  • Uncategorized

    4 Ways to Measure the Impact of Digtial Learning

    March 13, 2018
    By Matthew Lynch
  • Google ClassroomUncategorized

    Leveraging the Amazing Mobile Features of Google Classroom

    September 20, 2018
    By Matthew Lynch

3 comments

  1. What Google and Amazon Mean for the Future of the Classroom | Industries 28 January, 2019 at 10:23 Reply

    […] smart assistants including Alexa, Google Assistant, and Siri can help busy teachers in a number of ways. Teachers have begun to use smart assistants to perform simple tasks, like […]

  2. Jacob Varney 7 February, 2019 at 13:35 Reply

    Digital assistants would be a great tool for mediating student conversation. A teacher might be able to use various assistants as channels for each student group and tune in or review logs recorded by speech recognition software to see where they might want to intervene. Identifying various voices would give the teacher a means to gauge participation and personalize learning to individuals within the group.

  3. What are 21st-century skills? - Classcraft Blog 14 November, 2019 at 10:21 Reply

    […] If you do only the things you cannot fail at, you’ll never grow — and neither will your teachers or their students. We must accept challenges and take risks. That can mean adopting technology we don’t yet understand, whether it’s smartphone use in the classroom or artificial intelligence as an instructional assistant. […]

Leave a reply Cancel reply

  • EdTech Startups & Businesses

    Amazon, Google, Apple, and Microsoft Continue to Fight for the Education Market

  • Google ClassroomGoogle Classroom Tips

    How Do I Send Learners Emails in Google Classroom?

  • Early Childhood & K-12 EdTech

    The Changing Role of the CTO (Chief Technology Officer) in School Districts

Search

Login & Registration

  • Register
  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.org

Newsletter

Signup for The Tech Edvocate Newsletter and have the latest in EdTech news and opinion delivered to your email address!

  • Recent

  • Popular

  • Comments

  • Universities Use Blockchain To Streamline Student Services

    By Matthew Lynch
    January 22, 2021
  • Top 7 Education Apps for the Classroom

    By Matthew Lynch
    January 21, 2021
  • Should Parents Also Know How to Use E-Learning Platforms?

    By Matthew Lynch
    January 20, 2021
  • Advances In Text-To-Speech Technologies Help Computers Find Their Voice

    By Matthew Lynch
    January 19, 2021
  • Campuses Have Used IoT Projects to Promote Convenience, Security, and Comfort for Students

    By Matthew Lynch
    January 15, 2021
  • 20 Top Virtual Reality Apps that are Changing Education

    By Matthew Lynch
    March 11, 2017
  • 7 Ways Technology Is Impacting Modern Education

    By Matthew Lynch
    March 4, 2017
  • Why Mobile Technology Enhances Instruction

    By Matthew Lynch
    December 14, 2016
  • What is the Future of Online Learning in Higher Education

    By Matthew Lynch
    April 2, 2018
  • 7 Roles for Artificial Intelligence in Education

    By Matthew Lynch
    May 5, 2018
  • Campuses Have Used IoT Projects to Promote Convenience, Security, and Comfort for Students - The Tech ...
    on
    January 15, 2021

    9 Examples of the Internet of Things in Education

    […] Institutions with campus-wide ...
  • Home-based Learning Tips For Parents: 6 Tips For Effective Learning - The Tech Edvocate
    on
    January 14, 2021

    The 3 Types of Interaction During Online Learning

    […] providing students with ...
  • A Bad RAP – SAM P LENOX
    on
    January 13, 2021

    Cyberlearning vs. Elearning – Is there a difference?

    […] in learning more about ...
  • Network Segmentation Boosts Wi-Fi Performance And Security For K-12 Schools - The Tech Edvocate
    on
    January 12, 2021

    5G Networks Promise to Make Instructional Technology Better

    […] already mentioned, there ...
  • Creating Powerful Learning Experiences in Google Classroom – MarkerSpace America
    on
    January 12, 2021

    Creating Powerful Learning Experiences in Google Classroom

    […] Read full Story ...

EdTech Policy & Reform

  • EdTech Policy & Reform

    How Much Bias Is Okay in Your School?

    Spread the loveThe algorithm has proven itself to be a handy tool when it comes to solving education problems. It’s also not without bias.  You may be wondering how some ...
  • EdTech Policy & ReformFeaturedFresh

    Edtech Should Complement Good Pedagogy, Not Attempt to Replace It

    Spread the loveThe newest generation of edtech is downright amazing; it’s no wonder that various education stakeholders might be a little excited about its potential to transform education. However, edtech ...
  • EdTech Policy & ReformFeaturedFresh

    How to Teach Kids to Communicate in This Digital Age

    Spread the loveWhen even the youngest children are spending the equivalent of a full work day looking at screens, it is perhaps no surprise that parents are wondering how to ...
  • EdTech FuturesEdTech Policy & Reform

    3 Reasons Why India Will Be A Leader in the EdTech Industry in the 21st ...

    Spread the loveAccording to a joint report by KPMG and Google, the online education industry is expected to grow at a healthy rate of 8 times to become a $1.96B ...
  • Early Childhood & K-12 EdTechEdTech Policy & ReformFeaturedFresh

    How Does Technology Immersion Shape the Brain?

    Spread the loveDo you wonder what all of the screen time we have is really doing to our brains? As edtech continues to rise in prominence throughout the world, this ...

EdTech Startups & Businesses

  • EdTech Startups & BusinessesOnline Learning & eLearning

    Using Nudge Theory in Your Corporate Online Learning Classes

    Spread the loveAfter reading this headline, you may be asking yourself, what is nudge theory? Nudge theory centers on positive reinforcement and inferred suggestions to motivate a person to complete ...
  • EdTech Startups & Businesses

    Bringing Education into the Business World

    Spread the loveU.S. businesses spent nearly $20 billion on training in 2019. That number decreased by roughly half from the year before. Companies aren’t providing fewer professional development opportunities for ...
  • EdTech Startups & Businesses

    You Must Include These 3 Things in Your Edtech Business Plan

    Spread the loveDo you have a business plan? It’s the one question you’re going to be asked a lot as you begin your edtech business. The reasons to write a ...
  • EdTech Startups & Businesses

    Edtech Marketing Ideas to Implement Right Now

    Spread the loveEven if you do have the most exceptional edtech product or service in the world, you’ve still got to market it. Your sales and your success depend on ...
  • EdTech Startups & Businesses

    How Your Edtech Startup Can Make the Leap from Failure to Funded

    Spread the loveThe best ideas in edtech are often only ideas. They never become a reality because they lack the funding they need to get off the ground. Taking an ...

Digital Equity

  • Digital EquityDigital Leadership

    How Can You Assess the Tech Needs of Your Students Outside of School?

    Spread the loveToday, I received an email from the middle school principal in Los Angeles. She explained to me that the school that she ran was in one of the ...
  • Digital Equity

    It Is Time for the Edtech Industry to Stop Denying Its Equity and Race Problem

    Spread the loveThe EdTech industry is dominated by white employees, white leaders, and white entrepreneurs. If you doubt this statement, just attend an Edtech conference. Admittedly, educators and others don’t ...
  • Digital Equity

    How OER Can Help Overcome the Higher Education Equity Barrier

    Spread the loveThe cornerstone of the American dream is the ability to succeed in life regardless of one’s family of origin. And, for most people, that requires a college education. ...

EdTech Futures

  • EdTech FuturesOnline Learning & eLearning

    IT Trends To Watch As Higher Education Moves Into a New Decade

    Spread the loveEdtech couldn’t have hoped for a better launch into the new decade than the push the industry received from COVID-19. Even the most tech-resistant institutions and individuals have ...
  • EdTech Futures

    4 Emerging EdTech Trends in 2021

    Spread the loveCovid-19 has not only changed education as we know it, but it has forced education technology (EdTech) to up its game. EdTech has been crucial since the start of this ...
  • Adult EducationEdTech & InnovationEdTech FuturesEducation LeadershipEducational LeadershipHigher EducationHigher Education EdTechThe Future of Education

    Education Technology and the Future of Higher Ed Leadership

    Spread the loveEducation Technology (EdTech) has had a more significant impact on education than anyone expected. Now its effects are reaching into the field of higher education. In this article, ...
  • EdTech Futures

    Top Edtech Trends for 2021

    Spread the loveAre you ready to look ahead? Schools will soon be reflecting on what’s been working this year and what’s not. They’ll also begin thinking about their budgets for ...
  • Early Childhood & K-12 EdTechEdTech Futures

    In the Wake of Teacher Shortages, Schools are Turning to Virtual Teachers

    Spread the loveTeaching was once a greatly respected position, and today, morally it still seems to be of high value to many Americans. Institutionally, however, teaching no longer seems to ...

About Us

Since technology is not going anywhere and does more good than harm, adapting is the best course of action. That is where The Tech Edvocate comes in. We plan to cover the PreK-12 and Higher Education EdTech sectors and provide our readers with the latest news and opinion on the subject. From time to time, I will invite other voices to weigh in on important issues in EdTech. We hope to provide a well-rounded, multi-faceted look at the past, present, the future of EdTech in the US and internationally.

We started this journey back in June 2016, and we plan to continue it for many more years to come. I hope that you will join us in this discussion of the past, present and future of EdTech and lend your own insight to the issues that are discussed.

Newsletter

Signup for The Tech Edvocate Newsletter and have the latest in EdTech news and opinion delivered to your email address!

Contact Us

The Tech Edvocate
5322 Markel Road, Suite 104
Richmond, VA 23230
(601) 630-5238
advocatefored@gmail.com

Follow us

Copyright © 2021 Matthew Lynch. All rights reserved.