Today, more than ever, teachers rely on technology and educators are tasked with reaching and teaching students in new ways. Incorporating technology can make learning more fun and engaging for student, while saving time and making workflows more efficient for teachers. Whether they are teaching in person or virtually, here are the top five tech tools teachers need to succeed in the 21^st century classroom.

1.Wireless Microphone

Whether you are live streaming from your phone or presenting at the front of the classroom, make yourself heard with a wireless microphone. It helps cut out background noise and allows students to focus on what you’re saying, rather than what’s going around in the background. Bonus – no annoying wires to trip over means you have freedom to move while talking.

2. High Speed Scanner

Cluttered classrooms, be gone! A high-speed scanner is a busy teacher’s best friend, especially one like Ambir’s ImageScan Pro 820ix that allows scanned documents to be saved directly to Google Drive, Dropbox, and a number of other cloud-based storage platforms. Easily scan and digitally share worksheets, handouts, even sections of textbooks, reference materials and artwork – letter size, legal size, paper or coated in plastic. The right scanner is a teacher’s time saver and space saver too.

3. Portable Projector

Remember the excitement of seeing the giant AV cart rolled into your classroom as a kid? And then the frustration and disappointment as your teacher struggled to get the projector to work? Those days are long gone. Today’s teachers rely on pocket-sized portable projectors to easily share presentations, videos, movies and more anywhere, any time. Look for good quality speakers and a variety of input ports that allow it to be used with your phone, laptop, and even gaming system.

4. Ring Light

Teaching virtually is hard enough; looking good while doing it is even harder! Investing in a ring light will help your students see you – and your lessons  – in the best light, regardless of where you are recording. Ring lights create a uniform source of light that comes directly from the camera’s point of view, eliminating shadows on the subject to create a quality video with a professional appearance.

5. Smart Table

Tell your students to pull up a chair and have a seat at the smart table. What’s a smart table? It’s a touch-enabled interactive learning centre designed to be used by multiple students at one. This technology goes beyond the smart board to create a hands-on tool that allows kids to create, experiment, and collaborate together in unlimited ways.