4 Ways to Go Paperless

Tech Tip Tuesday (March 11, 2025)

Earth Day is soon; however, it's not as simple as recycling or avoiding paper!

Despite the rapid integration of digital technologies in education, paper remains a cornerstone of classroom instruction.

Contrary to assumptions about digital dominance, paper use in classrooms has increased over the past decade. A 2016 survey by the Paper and Packaging Board found that 82% of college students frequently use paper to study for exams, with K-12 teachers reporting that 64% of students engage more deeply with physical texts. By 2025, elementary and secondary schools in the U.S. collectively consume approximately 32 billion sheets of paper annually, costing nearly $1.6 billion. Teachers in grades 7–12 rely heavily on handwritten notes, flashcards, and worksheets, with 74% of students using paper-based tools for test preparation.

But, aren't you trying to convince me to use less paper?

Well, yes.

However, paper’s enduring role in education reflects deeply rooted cognitive and practical advantages, yet its environmental and financial costs demand innovative compromises. A balanced approach—leveraging digital tools for efficiency while preserving paper for core instructional activities—could be one way of handling it.

🗒️ 🙈 Take a look at 4 strategies of handling a potentially paperless classroom!

1. Substitute paper using Kami 💜🌈

Kami is revolutionizing K-12 education by helping teachers transition to paperless classrooms. It integrates seamlessly with Google Classroom and Schoology, allowing educators to centralize resources and assignments digitally.

How?

Enhanced Collaboration: Real-time feedback and peer review tools facilitate group work and improve student engagement.
Cost Savings: Reduce paper costs by digitizing worksheets and assignments.
Sustainability: Contribute to environmental conservation by minimizing paper waste.
Accessibility: Offline mode ensures access for students without reliable internet.

2. Use an LMS like Schoology or Google Classroom 📚🖥️

Learning management systems (LMS) like Schoology, Google Classroom, or Canvas are hugely important to keep items easily accessible in a moment's notice and to not have to track down items that are shoved in the bottom of a locker.

Students can submit assignments online, and teachers can track progress and provide feedback digitally, all while reducing paper waste and enhancing accessibility.

3. Clean, tidy digital space=productivity 💡✅

Keeping a clean and tidy digital space is essential for boosting productivity, especially in a paperless classroom. Just like a well-organized desk, an uncluttered digital environment allows you to focus better, work more efficiently, and reduce stress.

For teachers, digital organization streamlines lesson planning, grading, and communication, saving valuable time and energy. By keeping files, folders, and tools neatly arranged, teachers can quickly access resources, share materials with students, and stay on top of tasks without the hassle of paper clutter.

4. Manage tech fatigue 🔋⚡

Managing tech fatigue is essential for staying productive and balanced while on your paperless journey. Start by taking regular breaks, like following the 20-20-20 rule: every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds to rest your eyes.

Set boundaries for you and students by scheduling “tech-free” times, such as during lunch & recess or during certain subjects.

Newly updated and even better!

Check out Canva for Education's teaching resources, where you'll find a wealth of customizable templates designed specifically for educators. Whether you need newsletters, presentations, or classroom materials, Canva offers user-friendly tools to help you create visually appealing content that captures your students' attention. They even have fully prepared lessons!

With a variety of themes and styles, you can easily tailor your resources to fit your classroom needs. Plus, Canva for Education is free for all teachers!

Canva Teaching Resources

Explore free guides, tutorials, and templates made by teachers, for teachers.
Everything you need to elevate your teaching with Canva for Education.

A few updates over the last few months from Google for Education!

There haven't been any huge updates or improvements to Google Workspace for Education, but here are four that might be helpful to know for when you're creating or storing files!

Click the buttons for more!

Improved Cover Images in Docs

Docs introduced full-bleed cover images to personalize pagelss documents. Instead of stock images or from your computer, tou can now add images by searching the web, uploading from Drive, importing from Google Photos, or pasting a URL.

Scroll through Live and Translated Captions on Meet

Previously, captions disappeared after real-time display, but now you can scroll back and review the last 30 minutes. This is helpful if you miss part of the conversation or need to revisit details.

Add Drive Restrictions to folders in My Drive and Shared Drives

You can allow for someone to only view a certain file in a folder whether it's in My Drive or Shared Drive.

Add Polls in Google Chat

Google Chat's new feature lets teachers share questions to quickly gather team feedback. Use it to poll colleagues on meeting times, plan lessons, or organize events. It streamlines communication, helping educators make decisions efficiently.

Tuesday, June 10-Wednesday, June 11

Schoology CONNECT OH is a FREE virtual conference designed specifically for users of Schoology Learning. Over the course of two days, educators from across Ohio will come together to share innovative strategies, best practices, and insights that will transform your teaching and learning journey.

Click here to register!