Can EdTech Build Relationships in the Classroom?

Ask anyone who has worked in education: relationships MATTER. They are foundational. Essential to establishing trust. A qualitative data point that is hard to quantify, yet requires a skill that can be as nuanced as the most detailed instructional playbook. And when relationships form, learning can happen. 

Today’s teachers have an almost dizzying array of classroom tools at their disposal to move the needle. How are we considering the value of relationships when engaging our edtech tools? Are we leveraging the tools at our fingertips to grow and foster relationships? Are we using our tools to cultivate the ever-valuable peer-to-peer? Is our edtech contributing positively to our classroom culture? These are questions we might want to ask ourselves as we audit our use of these tools. 

As a teacher, I enjoyed using Padlet because it allowed students to interact with each other as they shared their thoughts about a topic. It almost allows us to see into the person’s mind as they are typing out (and then deleting a few words to further refine their thought) their responses. It allows students to connect with each other as we formulate ideas and learn from others’ perspectives. It fosters peer-to-peer learning and connection.

Relationships also help create a more equitable classroom. How are we supposed to give students what they need if we do not know the student? Identifying individual needs and differentiating instruction accordingly requires an understanding that goes beyond surface level. Likewise, deeply connecting with students creates trust and enables the student to feel safe asking questions. Questions lead to dialogue. Dialogue leads to good outcomes. 

One thing I learned about building relationships with students is that it may not be enough to just show interest in the individual by asking questions. Sometimes we may have to dig a little deeper and find out something about a student that can help create a connection point. For example, maybe I can find out from another teacher or the student’s friends what the student is really interested in. With that information, we can incorporate the interest into a conversation or lesson. Does the student enjoy art? Find a way to incorporate art into a math lesson and start laying groundwork for the student to explore your subject through some of their own passions. It shows the student we care about their interests and that we want to leverage those interests to learn about this challenging subject. 

At Outschool, we build meaningful teacher-to-student and student-to-student relationships in a virtual environment through live, online classes. And because many of our learners come to Outschool to explore their passions and interests, it’s no wonder students are finding friends within the boundless walls of their virtual classroom. When students share common interests, it's an easy connection point.

Not every piece of edtech has to have a live human integrated into the tool. Rather, we should challenge ourselves to use the tools to facilitate connection among our students and build classroom culture. For example, can we use a tool to engage group work? Can we use a tool to help stimulate class discussion? Can we explore curiosities through a virtual field trip? Use the edtech tools in your toolbox to bolster one of education’s timeless cornerstone tools: relationships. Learn how Outschool can be a tool in your classroom.