I had the opportunity to take some instructional technology professional development workshops during the semester and I am amazed by all the different types of technology that can be utilized by teachers. I think that technology integration is an important part of being an effective teacher. I've learned how to blog with students, how to use digital storytelling in the classroom, and how to utilize Google docs for group projects (and countless other uses). I'll be the first to admit that when I walked into my student teaching classroom and saw an overhead projector and an ancient TV, I thought I would have very little use for technology in my classroom, but to my surprise, the lack of a Smartboard has challenged me to be more creative and try new instructional technology.
The article I read listed a number of brilliant things that teachers can do with technology.
· empower kids with technology
· use technology as a propellant, not as a crutch
· create assessments that rigorously determine the quality of projects enhanced with technology
· find and use resources, if what you need doesn’t exist………….create it.
· use your blog, website, and email to communicate with parents
· weekly plans and upcoming important events (tests, projects, etc.) get posted toblog
· update available resources on the blog to connect with my lessons
· put kids in touch with the world
· accept the role of co-learner
· use kids’ own devices to better teach them
The article suggests that our students can be our best teachers when it comes to technology. I've witnessed some amazing presentations that would not have been possible without students using their personal iPads. Finally, delight in the discovery, the newness, and the fun that technology has to offer. The article reminds us that technology can't make a poor teacher a good one, but it can help make great teachers the ones that students remember.
I feel very comfortable with using different kinds of technology in the classroom because my cooperating teacher expected me to jump in with both feet. Learning about Google Docs and how to integrate it into a class has been great for me. (Think digital peer-editing! Even online reading quizzes through Google forms!) How do you feel about the use of technology in the classroom? As the author of this article says in his conclusion…………….Do you think the use of technology has the ability to transform you from a great teacher to a memorable one? What are you biggest concerns or challenges when it comes to using technology in the classroom? Do you think technology has helped you during your student teaching experience?
I enjoy using technology in the classroom as supplement to whatever I am teaching, but I also try not to lean on it too much. My co-op's classroom has several TV's around the room that are all hooked up to the computer, so any power point presentation or video that I show can be seen all over the room, and it keeps all of the students engaged. The classroom does not have a smartboard, so I have not had much work with that, but I am becoming more and more comfortable with the use of technology as a supplement to what I am teaching. The arrangement of the room has made it easy for me to use maps, graphs, and photos to all students around the room.
ReplyDeleteThroughout my student teaching experience I have had the opportunity to use an interactive whiteboard to project worksheets, websites, movies, and on-line activities for my students to see. With my population of students, technology can be either a hit or miss. For instance, some days I can use the whiteboard to project a PowerPoint and the class will be engaged while other days the students could care less what I put on the whiteboard. My students have confessed that some days they would rather read from the book than do an interactive activity on the whiteboard. I would like to integrate more technology into the classroom but as of now I am hindered by what my teacher knows and wants me to use. Also, I feel like the intergration of technology should be based upon the population of your students because they may be more comfortable with hands-on material as opposed to being dazzled by the internet.
ReplyDeleteas a blind student teacher, I rely on the use of technology in the classroom. I feel that technology can give me the proper tools I need to someday become a memorable teacher. Of course like Jana said, technology can't make a poor teacher a good one, but if used properly it can enhance the experience in the classroom. I am lucky enough to have a smartboard in the classroom, and I also have the programs I need to make the computer accessible for me. With these tools I am able to show videos, powerpoint presentations, maps, etc to students. I am a little hindered because my cooperating teacher is not comfortable at all with using the computer, but day by day she is starting to see that it is an important aspect in students lives, therefore making it important to be used in the classroom. I am greatful that technology has given me the opportunity to demonstrate my abilities as a teacher. There isso many things that can be done with technology and it can help students in millions of ways. I hope that students can see that technology isn't only for games and fun, but that it helps in so many other ways, just as it's helped me.
ReplyDeleteWhere I am student teaching there is a smart board in every classroom. My co-operating teacher does not have a classroom so ever period we are in a different classroom. In the beginning of my student teaching that was a little challenging, however now I can hook up the computer to a smart board in under a minute. The use of technology I feel is extremely important, from a power point and students taking notes to going onto You Tube and watching a clip on what the lesson is on for the day. I think this really helps to keep the students engaged by using as many senses as possible in their learning. I do see some of the “seasoned” teachers pushing their TV carts around instead of using the Smart board. I find this incredible that they are “afraid” of technology and do not want to learn how to use the Smart board in their lessons. I love bringing the classroom to life by using Smart board and could not imagine not using the technology.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with you. I believe technology is now essential to be an effective and successful teacher. The only aspect that could be somewhat negative is the fact that with technology also comes technical difficulties. Therefore, it is always essential to have a back-up plan when working with technology.
ReplyDeleteJana,
ReplyDeleteIt seems that many teachers in the school I teach in utilize the technology through laptops which enrich the lessons through research, application of concepts, differentiation and modification that happens almost seamlessly when the computers are incorporated. The lessons are dynamic and thematically based including a great deal of project work after the concepts have been learned. I have not had the opportunity to utilize the Smartboard as there is only one in the building in our tech lab but I do look forward to becoming more comfortable.
I cannot imagine teaching without having some kind of technology in the classroom. Technology should be incorporated in the classrooms because it keeps the students engaged. When you supplement technology in a lesson, you are enhancing the student's learning. It can turn a boring lesson into a more entertaining and bearable one. You tube clips are one of my favorite ways to explore themes throughout a few novels that I have taught this year. Of course, I have had times when the smart board has failed and I have had to improvise. Like Corey said, it is essential to have a back up plan in case anything fails. As teacher, we should not completely rely on technology, but we should use it in moderation through out the year.
ReplyDeleteI have grown very accustomed to using a SmartBoard every day in my classroom. My cooperating teacher just received a SmartBoard a few weeks before I began student teaching. We have been learning how to use it together. We went to workshops after school to learn more about how it can be effective in a classroom. I absolutely love it. Technology is a big part of this generation. My school has laptops that the students get to sign out and use in the classroom to do research or complete a project.
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