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Teaching computer science, or any STEM field is a demanding and rewarding career. It’s not just about showing students how to keep their grades up and become employable after graduation; it’s about changing the world. And teachers with current knowledge of the latest tech trends and tools can make that happen.
Table of Contents
1. Laptops
Speaking of computers, another tech essential every computer science teacher should have in their classroom is a laptop. A capable laptop will allow you to take your lesson plans from paperless to interactive. The computer should have a great memory, whether a PC or a Mac, and will enable you to easily access your files from anywhere. The laptop can also deploy your lesson plans from paperless to interactive. Students can also use them for research and presentations, as well as for their social media accounts. If possible, it’s best to get one with a touchscreen feature; this will open the door for more hands-on lessons in the classroom. Teachers can use laptops and projectors to show the class their work or fellow students’ work via videos or documents. Students can even use it to create presentations. The benefit of this is that it can be an engaging and hands-on way for students to learn about tech.
2. Plagiarism Checking Tools
Plagiarism is a common problem in schools, whether it’s graduates or undergraduates. One way to ensure you don’t have plagiarism in your class is to use an online plagiarism checker. This will ensure that none of your students copy others while they work their way through the lesson plans. Plagiarism software is easy to use, and many students like seeing what they got right on the screen. They detect grammar, sentence structure, and word choice errors and significant content errors such as copied material. A code plagiarism checker tool enables teachers to scan through students’ codes for anything that is not unique and see if the student has created their code or taken the work of others. The software should also make it easy to teach how to avoid plagiarism and cite sources properly when writing reports or generating content for an assignment.
3. Code Editor
A code editor is one piece of software that novice computer science teachers often overlook. Code editors can help you to explain the basics of coding to your students, which may prove challenging without some help. There are two main types of code editors: Windows and Linux. While both types offer similar features, using a Linux-based code editor is preferable because Windows has its built-in text editor, while Linux does not. Using a code editor to explain how to write code is essential in encouraging students to learn how to write their own programs correctly. This will help them learn the basics of coding and how to run and debug their programs.
4. Internet Connection
The internet connection in your classroom should be up to date. It should have a speedy connection but make sure you have a reliable one. The internet is not the only place students will go to look up information while doing their homework, but it is still an important part of the process. A reliable internet connection allows students to access resources used in research quickly. A student who is constantly trying to access the internet and having it crash will get frustrated and may lose interest in their study material. Teachers also need internet access to access files from the cloud, analyze data on spreadsheets, etc. Since a computer science teacher can have several computers to use and different students working simultaneously, these things are well worth spending a little money on.
5. MATLAB
The computer science field is very much governed by math. Math is involved in most aspects of the curriculum, and learning how to do the math correctly is as important as understanding how computers work. Using MATLAB in the classroom can go a long way to ensuring that all students learn math correctly, especially for difficult concepts like calculus. This is because it allows you to show students step-by-step what they will do with their programs. The skills they learn in lessons can be broken down into smaller pieces and taught systematically. This even helps those struggling in school, whether they’re struggling with math or coding.
Teaching computer science is a rewarding career that makes everyone better at understanding technology. The technology mentioned above essentials not only helps you teach better and help your students learn and apply the various skills they will need in the future.
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