Bringing the world into your classroom with technology

Meet Natalie Anderson, a fifth-grade teacher from Saline Area Schools and the recipient of MACUL’s 2021 Innovative Teacher of the Year award.
Facebook
LinkedIn
X/Twitter
Bringing the world into your classroom with technology (feat. Natalie Anderson from Saline Area Schools)

. . .Or listen instead on Apple, Spotify, Google, or another platform.

With so many new apps and programs out there, it’s easy for even experienced teachers to feel dazzled and overwhelmed by all of the cool things you can do with technology in the classroom today.

This week on the BRIGHT podcast, I chat with Natalie Anderson, a fifth-grade teacher from Saline Area Schools and the recipient of MACUL’s 2021 Innovative Teacher award.

In this episode, we chat about:

  • Natalie’s personal philosophy for using technology with students
  • Her go-to favorite tech tools, and
  • Her experience bringing hackathons, virtual museum visits, and Genius Hour into her fifth-grade classroom.

You can listen to our conversation using the audio player above or read the transcript.

Here’s a sneak peek at our conversation:

Natalie’s favorite tech tools:

Related resources 

Facebook
LinkedIn
X/Twitter
Picture of Nikki Herta

Nikki Herta

Nikki’s love for writing, editing and pedagogy brought her to Michigan Virtual as their Content Creator/Editor. A Michigan native, she studied writing at Grand Valley State University before continuing on to the University of Minnesota for her master’s degree. While there, she also taught first-year writing to college freshman. Outside of work, she enjoys hiking, playing table-top board games, and curling up in front of the fireplace with a good book and her sassy, ancient cat, Princess Eugene.

You might also like...

Top-down View of Children in Classroom Use Tablets and Laptops, Connectivity by Lines of AI Data, Information. Diverse Kids Study with Interactive E-Learning, Modern Education, Digital Literacy

Have You Considered AI in Your Classroom? A Khanmigo Pilot Story

In a two-phase pilot across Michigan schools, educators used Khanmigo, an AI-powered tutor and teaching assistant, to explore how AI might support teaching and learning. Their reflections surfaced both opportunities and challenges. The big takeaway?...
Psychological concept of choices and Finding or Choosing the right life path with group of diverse people following intersecting paths to doors with central signpost on arrow, flat vector illustration

Out of Order, Still Out of Reach: Variations in Pacing among World Language Students

Cuccolo & Green’s (2025) report highlighted the relationship between students’ assignment submission patterns and final course scores. Given that pacing has important implications for student performance, knowing what assignment submission patterns look like across schools...
Illustration of three people using virtual reality (VR) headsets. Each person is interacting with a colorful, cosmic-themed environment featuring abstract planets, stars, and orbits. One person points at a floating circle, another raises their hand toward an orange sphere, and the third holds VR controllers, immersed in the experience. The background features deep purples, blues, and greens with celestial shapes like the moon and stars.

From Curiosity to Career: Exploring Possibilities with VR

Explore how immersive VR simulations helped students step into real-world roles: from EMTs to chefs, all without leaving the classroom....
A cheerful classroom scene with elementary-aged students working on laptops. A smiling boy in the foreground looks directly at the camera, while other students and a teacher engage in learning activities in the background. The classroom is softly lit, with large windows and warm yellow curtains.

The AI Horizon: Case Studies in Michigan Education’s Transformation (Part 2)

The work to integrate artificial intelligence in Michigan schools is gaining momentum. In Part 1 of this series, we looked at how four districts are building their own foundations through task forces, learning councils, and...

A classroom scene where a diverse group of elementary-aged students work on laptops at their desks. A smiling teacher leans over to assist one student, creating an engaging and supportive learning environment. Sunlight streams through large windows with yellow curtains in the background.

The AI Horizon: Case Studies in Michigan Education’s Transformation (Part 1)

The integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is rapidly shifting the landscape of education, presenting both unprecedented opportunities and novel challenges for K-12 institutions. Across Michigan, a wave of innovation is taking shape as K-12 schools,...

Two coworkers discussing work over lunch outside their office building while on a break

Mastering Change: Coaching as the Lever for Transformation in Education

Originally published in the Spring 2025 issue of the MASB Leaderboard Magazine. Introduction A few years ago, I came across Master of Change by Brad Stulberg, and it couldn’t have landed at a more fitting...

The Digital Backpack

Get our latest articles sent straight to your inbox every week!