It’s the dawn of another school year. Every administrator is asking the same question—will they find the teachers they need? Each year, CTE programs work to fill 14,800 open instructor positions on average. With 86% of U.S. public schools reporting challenges hiring teachers last year, this trend isn’t going anywhere.
While teachers say their vocation is fulfilling and enjoyable, it can also be stressful and overwhelming, according to Pew Research. As teachers leave the profession, shortages leave gaps that remaining teachers must cover or entire courses are simply dropped. This leads students to miss out on key learning and career development opportunities that could be life-changing.
For example, the skilled trades create a path to rewarding, lucrative careers, particularly for students who aren’t a great fit for a four-year degree program. However, if schools don’t have the instructors and resources to offer these courses, students who may thrive in these careers simply miss out.
Not Enough Time, Too Few Resources
So, how can schools support teachers, reduce burnout, and boost retention? It comes down to two factors: time and tools. Teachers work 53 hours per week, seven more than the typical working adult. 84% say they still don’t have enough time to tackle everything they need to.
Simultaneously, only 36% of teachers say they have the resources they need for their job according to Pew Research. Time-saving tools exist, but simply aren’t being leveraged in most cases.
While you can’t give every teacher the raise they deserve, you can equip them with technology that saves them time, alleviates burnout, and improves outcomes. Here are five ways to support teachers (and students) through technology.
How to Give Time Back to Teachers with Technology
1. Gamify Learning to Engage Students
Gamification—or completing actions for rewards—is effective at incentivizing students to learn. Games activate motivation and pleasure centers in the brain when students acquire new knowledge.
Many of the best teachers already use games to motivate students but at a cost. Teachers may spend hours creating a game and buying prizes with their own money. Gamification that is already built into learning platforms introduces healthy competition with no extra effort required by the teacher.
It’s also helpful to consider the physical technology tools you offer in the classroom that can create a more game-like experience for students. Hosting learning experiences that are actually immersive and engaging on computers, tablets, or even virtual reality headsets can help students be more invested in their learning and relieve some of the stress teachers feel in lesson planning and classroom management.
For instance, in the Interplay Learning online learning platform, students collect points and badges for each video, simulation, or knowledge check they complete. A digital leaderboard encourages healthy class competition and student engagement.
“With the new generation of students, they are learning better with this technology,” says DJ Mumau, HVAC instructor at the Indiana County Technology Center. “The VR stuff is almost like a video game. It piques their interest and holds their interest longer than sitting down with a book and a pencil. It’s helped me to be able to get them to pick up this material.”
2. Offer Self-Serve Learning Experiences
Having an expert walk you through a concept one-on-one is a major learning advantage. But a teacher can’t practically do that with each student in a classroom of 30. Accommodating differentiation and interventions for struggling students takes extra time and slows the whole class.
A self-serve learning experience like a self-paced online curriculum lets students start and advance on their own. Self-sufficient students can advance quickly without boredom, and students needing extra support can review core concepts and request teacher support without compromising whole-class teaching time. This allows teachers to spend their time where they are needed most while being able to serve a larger number of students.
HVAC repair tech Josh explains how Interplay Learning’s self-serve learning platform improved his teaching. “Interplay Learning is like having another instructor, and it took my gaming experience and turned it into a training experience and is actually fun.”
3. Mitigate Safety Concerns
In teaching the skilled trades, teachers are responsible for more than just student learning. They’re also responsible for student safety in a risky environment.
In a skilled trades lab, students practice on live equipment involving electrical components or hazardous chemicals. The stress of monitoring student safety and risk, along with the use of costly materials, takes a toll.
Blending 3D simulations with in-person lab practice relieves the pressure on teachers. When students practice an activity in a safe, controlled environment first, they transition to lab practice with fewer injuries and more independence.
Electrical instructor and industry veteran Chad Soucy shares how 3D simulations have impacted his teaching. “Since simulations remove real-life risks, students can truly focus on learning rather than fearing the consequences of an unsafe action. This allows trainers to concentrate on coaching and mentorship while learners build their confidence and trust in the process.”
4. Leverage an Out-of-the-Box Curriculum Created by Experts
Lesson planning takes a lot of teacher bandwidth. When you reduce the time required for lesson planning, you free up teacher time and energy for other things.
An out-of-the-box curriculum like what Interplay Learning offers makes planning easier for teachers with a pre-built curriculum developed by experts. The courses also meet different learning styles with videos, interactive components, and visuals.
“I always wanted more visuals because people learn so many ways—the visual aids and interaction of Interplay Learning are great. I don’t have to take up class time to teach something that Interplay Learning covers,” says Shawn McGivern, a third-generation trades educator at Kansas City Community College.
5. Give Visibility Into Student Progress
With many students to track, teachers may not realize until too late in a semester that a student is struggling. A good online learning platform makes it easy for teachers to track student progress at a glance. They can see how much material students have completed and which students need extra support. Automated knowledge checks and quizzes assess mastery without teachers needing to lift a pencil for grading.
“I love that I can track their assignment progress on Blackboard, saving me hours every week,” says McGivern.
Built-in student progress visibility gives teachers feedback on their teaching and helps them pinpoint where in the class to focus their energy.
Empower Educators with Innovative Tech
As education evolves, the role of the teacher must too. In this challenging environment, give teachers every tool at your disposal so they can thrive in the job they love and have the energy to focus on what matters most: the students.
Interplay Learning offers a suite of learning tools including VR/AR and 3D practice simulations aligned to your curriculum. Innovations like gamified learning and self-serve education save time and resources. They also create dynamic learning environments for students to succeed.
Teachers love Interplay Learning! Learn more or request a demo today.
