Schools and teachers are looking for innovative ways to teach the "big ideas" emerging in the core curricula, especially in STEAM fields (science technology, engineering, arts and math). As a result, learning environments that support digital learning and educational technology on various platforms and devices are taking on ever-increasing importance in today's schools. Different ideas on innovative ways to teach "big ideas" are presented and discussed in this article. One way to accomplish this convergence of technology and student learning is to teach disciplinary ideas through the use of metaphors. Another way is to increase the speed of delivery of content by packing course content into smaller increments of focused time on task through more content-intensive learning modules. "Augmented reality" is a third kind of technological innovation that offers great potential for engagement. Creating "idea parking lots" in a classroom, as International Business Machines (IBM) does in its company design centers, gives students the opportunity to showcase their understanding of content matter, share ideas with peers and enlarge the community conversation around a particular classroom "thought problem."