Technology
is everywhere today. Whether you are
simply using your smartphone for directions or a student using an IPad to
research information for a school project.
It amazes me that still today there are classrooms not using any of the
wide variety of technology to help enhance their students learning. We need to continue to move away from
“powering down” once we enter the schools and use all of this technology to our
advantage.
The journal
article I read, Using Technology In The Classroom by Stephanie Reeve Boles discusses many different technological tools that can be implemented in the
classroom. Some may argue that using
technology will cost too much money but there are many ways to make this
affordable. Boles discusses some options
to reduce the cost. One idea was to use
old computers that are no longer in use and updating them, by adding memory and
newer software. This way there will be
more computers available to the students.
It is important for students to be able to access the Internet because
many textbooks are outdated. With access
to the Internet students get the most updated information at their fingertips.
There are
many different learning styles, and with the array of technological tools we
can accommodate those styles. Some students
are visual learners, and what better way to engage those students than with
using certain websites or apps that use animation? This not only reinforces the
lesson but they can view it at their own pace.
Boles mentions several different sites that include lessons, games, and
practice test, such as kidsknowit.com. I
think this is great and really engages the student and gets them excited about
learning. My daughter is young but she
gets very excited every time she gets to play with the IPad. There are many educational apps she cannot
only play with but also learn from. Students
can explore different sites and talk about what they learned with other
students. This turns students into
active participants in their own education.
Another great tool teachers can use
to their advantage are podcasts. This is
free because most students have IPods, IPads, or smartphones. Students can use podcast to listen to lesson
plans. This is especially useful to
students who miss class due to illness or vacations. I know this would of been helpful growing up because I missed a lot of classes due to vacations. Boles discovered that using different types
of technology motivates her students. “I
have them use presentation software.
They are much more motivated to do the investigating, because using the
software is more interesting, and the presentations is more entertaining.” Some fun websites Boles uses is the volcano explorer. Check it out volcano explorer. This allows you to watch a volcano erupt.
Stephanie
Boles discusses how she slowly overtime added more technological tools to
different lesson plans. If all teachers
could take this approach and slowly incorporate more and more technological
tools overtime it may be easier for everyone to adapt. I think the more teachers use these tools;
they will not only see how the students benefit from it, but also how they
do. I know when I was in school I always
enjoyed visual presentations like PowerPoint, but this was rarely used. I know I would have been more engaged in the
class if my teachers used more technological tools. I would definitely implement some of the methods discussed in my future lesson plans. Time and time again we hear that children are
our future. This begs the question, why
are we not preparing them by giving them every advantage to succeed in the
future?
References
1. Using Technology in the Classroom
2. Picture of toddler with IPad http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/toddlers-risk-tech-experts- study-shows-soars-article-1.1747694
3. Picture of Hand
4. Getting Schooled by a Third Grader https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RNvDlqFLgxk
5. Volcano Explorer
http://kids.discovery.com/games/build-play/volcano-explorer
6. Telephone and Tube
7. No Child Left Behind
I believe the topic of using technology in the classroom is very relevant today. It blows my mind that my daughters are not using current technology in most of their classes at school. I understand that there is a cost associated with technology, but you’re right – there are many options out there to reduce the cost. I really like the video you included. It provides an entertaining overview of many ways that technology can be used to engage the students in today’s classrooms. We really do need to prepare our children for the future and I think one way to do that is to keep education current with the technology that is available.
ReplyDeleteI love learning about and using technology in the classroom, but sometimes it can bring a lot of headaches! I think the more technology is used the more teachers have to remember that glitches can happen and they might need a backup plan. I know just the other day at my school the students went to work on their projects on the laptops using kidspiration (a neat organization tool that helps them turn webs or outlines into a paper) and the network stopped working so the students had a hard time accessing their projects.
ReplyDeleteI like how you discussed cost efficient ways to include technology. Sometimes old laptops or computers could be updated and work just fine. I think sometimes kids in today's generation are spoiled with the newest gadget or model and they don't realize that just because something is old doesn't mean it can't be just as efficient.
Terri, I found this to be a very entertaining post while also being very informative. Right from the start you laid the ground work that we need to move away from "powering down" so I was able to get your stance that you were for technology. You offered some great advice that schools should work with what they have and just upgrade the computers. I work at a school that does do that quite well. I have also seen some fall into traps of purchasing the best material upfront and then refuse to update as the years go by. The article offered lots of options for what can be done. Your graphics really helped enhance your review.
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