Using an iPad filled with educational apps in the classroom does not dictate that you’re a great techie teacher. Instead it requires educators to effectively transform their traditional lesson plans into a digital one. To assist you with the transformation, we will discuss some tips on how to adapt to the lifestyle of a 21st century teacher.

Over the years, technology has revolutionized education with the introduction of the iPad and other tablet devices. It is quite noticeable how traditional books are replayed with e-Books, flash cards by slide shows and lectures by podcasts.

You might notice that a lot of students nowadays are equipped with an iPad. Apart from researching, the iPad is also being used for Facebook, Twitter and other social networks. You can take advantage of these social platforms to send a quick message to your students. It’ll save you time and energy instead of writing on the chalkboard. You can “tweet” the task and tag your students. You can also send links that will direct them to your suggested readings. The comment option also provides an avenue for students’ questions and clarifications regarding your lecture.

1. Practice First Before Demonstrating

It is highly advisable to learn the technology first prior to demonstrating them to your class. Always assume that these kids can be a lot more knowledgeable than you when it comes to technology. If it’s an app, try to explore all its features first. Make sure you review fully the applications before recommending it to your students–and have a backup plan when all else fails!

2. Go Digital With Presentations

For instance, your lecture is about a brief introduction to different profession. Instead of inviting a professional in your classroom, why not ask them to have their speech through Skype. All you need is to connect your laptop to a projector. With the video call option, not only can they view their classroom guest, they can also ask questions directly. It may take a lot of effort but it’s quite an accomplishment when you get it done.

3. Create Your Own eBooks

Transform your notes into colorful eBooks. You can use MS Publisher or Adobe Acrobat to create attractive pages containing your lecture. You can include illustrations or pictures so that it will look like a real book. With the use of various sites like Zamzar, you can convert any file into PDF or EPUB. You can send the digital books to your students a day before the lecture for advance reading.

4. Encourage Students To Use Technology As Well

For Language and Literature teachers, why not require a personal site or a blog post instead of a paper and pencil essay? You didn’t only encourage your student to save the environment by being paperless; you also allowed them to be creative and keen with their outputs by instantly publishing their works.

These are just some of the tips that we suggest to transforming techie teachers. Always remember, in all your efforts, it should contribute to the overall goals and objectives of your lesson plan. Did you find this helpful? Do you have anything else to add or share? We’re open for suggestions.

This is a contributed post from Reese Jones, who is sometimes found writing about new technology, blogging, startup businesses and Amazon or Motorola. His other passions include playing tennis and he also maintains a passion for cinema; Image attribution flickr user angermann