TeacherEase is a learning management system (LMS) for technology-rich K-12 classrooms -- especially 1:1 computing, BYO programs, or frequent users of laptop carts. It helps teachers move through the technology adoption curve. This page discusses benefits for teachers new to technology in the classroom. Initially the biggest challenge is learning to integrate technology into instruction and use the devices every day. Their activities often fall into the 'enhancement' level of the SAMR model, and is a practical way to get started. Student motivation and teacher productivity increases. Student achievement is likely to see modest improvement.
Organize Curricula
Create units, lesson plans, and assignments. Attach digital resources and assign standards. Plan the scope and sequence of curricula for the students.
Use Digital Resources
Teachers can use all manner of digital activities in the classroom. Give students web pages, videos, rich interactive media, online worksheets, quizzes, or any other digital activity. Use any digital resource that functions properly on their devices.
Student Task List
As teachers build lessons and assignments, those activities are automatically added to students' task lists. Students see all their work in one place and self-manage their efforts. Help students develop time management skills and executive function.
Online Student Work Area
Students have a consistent area to access digital resources. They're inside the learning environment while they're reading web pages, writing online documents, working on quizzes, etc. This is easy for students and prevents them from losing documents, saving in the wrong place, etc. They can also upload documents they have authored outside TeacherEase.
Comments and Newsfeed
TeacherEase provides a collaborative environment for the classroom. Students can ask questions and comment on learning activities.
Teacher Status Console
Teachers view student progress on their task lists to better manage classroom effort. See which activities students are currently working on, which ones are completed, and easily monitor idle time. Walk over to students who may be struggling or distracted. Push enrichment/entertainment activities to students who've completed work.
Digital Hand-In
After students have completed work, they can hand it in electronically. Go paperless, work from anywhere via the Internet, and lighten everyone's bags.
Online Feedback and Grading
Teachers mark-up student work, provide feedback, and give grades electronically. No need to carry papers home. Specifically designed to allow easy and fast workflow, looks just like grading traditional papers. Grades flow automatically into the TeacherEase gradebook.
Publish and Peer Review
Once students complete activities, publish them to the rest of the class. Classmates can comment and provide feedback. Encourage knowledge sharing and peer review.
Online Quizzes - Learning Mode
Take online quizzes a step further and use them as learning activities. Allow students access to hints, answers, and resources to help them better understand the material. Turn quizzes into repeatable educational resources that students can independently use to build competence.
Online Discussion and Debate
Engage students with in-depth discussion and debate. By giving students time to formulate better responses, class discussions can continue throughout the day and result in much deeper levels of understanding. Involve shy students who may not be comfortable speaking up in class.
Student/Parent Portal
Students and parents can log in and view returned work. Students get their feedback. Parents can see progress and become more involved in their students' education. Viewing actual work and teacher feedback increases the fidelity of information provided to parents.
Vary Work by Student
Assignments can be given to individual students or the whole class. Teachers can easily individualize instruction. They can provide reinforcement activities for struggling students (potentially tailoring learning mode for each student). They can provide challenging extensions to students who move at a faster pace.
Online Document Editor
For electronic documents, TeacherEase includes an online rich-text editor. It's also compatible with iPads that don't easily support download/upload.
Online Worksheets
Upload digital copies of familiar paper worksheets. Students can answer the questions directly through TeacherEase. There's no need to download and upload or print.
Curricula Sharing By Teachers
Share curriculum with the TeacherEase community to be rated and searched by other instructors. This is especially helpful for teachers just getting started.
Online Quizzes
Easily administer online quizzes to students. Pre-assess student skills and checkpoint skills throughout a unit. Allow students to take practice quizzes to gauge understanding. Provide 'clicker' quizzes to guide instruction during lessons. Create question item banks and align to the Common Core.
Develop Digital Filing Cabinets
Today, master teachers collect filing cabinets of excellent paper activities to supplement textbook materials. They replace weak textbook content with better alternatives. They find resources better suited for individual students. TeacherEase provides a structure to organize, use, and share these digital resources. Spread the wisdom and knowledge accumulated by the staff.
Implement the Common Core
Align content to the Common Core or other standards. Run coverage reports to verify that all standards have been taught.
Project-based learning
TeacherEase provides a platform to give and manage projects. Each group can receive individualized resources and instructions. Each step of the process can be managed and graded: inquiry, drafts, revision and reflection, and the final product.
Flipped Classrooms
Upload recorded lessons and materials (videos, podcasts, powerpoints, handouts, etc.), and let the students learn at home. In class, students can ask questions, work on assignments, and even help each other.
Student-centric Learning
Take flipped classroom further by allowing students to progress through the lessons independently. Truly become the 'guide by the side' as each student works on material at their own pace.
