Technology in the Classroom

After completing this course and looking at all different types of technology that are available for the classroom, I am a firm believer that technology enhances the education that students receieve in schools. There are so many different types of leaners (visual, auditory, tactile, etc.) and the use of technology gives teachers the opportunity to reach all of these different types of learners through different modes. I think that when students feel that teachers are reaching out to their needs, they are more motivated to work hard to achieve and are more interested in the subject they are being taught.

As a teacher, I think using technology is also a good way to keep me interested in what I am teaching. I think that after teaching the same thing a few times in one day or for many years, the subject matter can become boring and uninteresting. However, technology introduces a new element into the mix that can really change how you teach the subject. I'm sure it's really interesting to see how students use and react to using a different piece of technology in the classroom. I think that all students would have a different response when using technology, so there would be quite a variety of differences as opposed to in the past when all students were producing similar products.

Second Life

In my technology class, we met in Second Life to see how it could be used in the classroom. There are so many places in Second Life that teachers can take students to that, otherwise, they will not have the opportunity to visit. We went to a museum that featured all different types of space crafts. There were various simulations that gave the experience of being in a tsunami or a hurricane. It was really interesting to see all of these things.

Second Life experiences are a great way to show students things that they may have never otherwise seen. In the classroom, Second Life can be an important tool to explore the world without ever leaving the school.

Assessment

It's a known fact that students do not enjoy tests. They don't like studying; they don't like the pressure; they don't like the idea of failing. However, assessment is necessary in the classroom in order to make sure students are meeting benchmarks, to enhance student's educational development, and to help the teacher make decisions about what she should teach. Assessment provides information about what is the best way to differentiate in a classroom so all students gain the most from lessons.

Tradional assessments like multiple choice tests and essays are important to discover what students have learned. However, in today's day and age, there are also a number of technology-based assessments that will allow teachers to see what students have absorbed and give students the opportunity to experience something that does not give them the same feelings as traditional tests.

Computer-adaptive assessments are when items are presented in a sequence that is dependent on the correctness of the examinee's response to previous items. Every student has different questions based on their responses. This provides immediate feedback for both student and teacher. Teachers can easily transfer this data to gradebooks or student records. This helps to save paper, money, and scoring time. With this technology, assessment occurs more regularly and can be standardized more easily. It also makes assessment seem non-threatening towards students.

Overall, I think this is a very interesting form of assessment that I think both students and teachers can learn alot from.

Flash Drives

Students should be given the opportunity to work on projects, essays, and papers both in their homes and in the classroom. However, this becomes an issue when students must transfer their work between their home computer and school computers. In order to facilitate this move, flash drives are extremely important. They are able to hold alot of data in a small space. Unlike floppy disks, they are not as susceptible to breaking and damage. Flash drives can be attached to a keyring or backpack so students can keep them near at all times.

Before flash drives, I remember what a hassle it was to use floppy disks. You had to be extremely careful when handling them so they didn't break. It is so much more convenient and handy to be able to use flash drives today.

Online Classes

In our Learning Thru Technology class, we have met a number of times via the Internet rather than meeting in our classroom. While this may not be appropriate for every lesson, I think it's a great opportunity for students and teachers to explore how technology can be used in the classroom.

When we used Elluminate, we were able view Power Point Presentations without clicking anything. The presenter of the class controls everything and students have the opportunity to observe and participate in discussion. Students could talk amongest themselves and to the teacher through the use of an instant message system, which the teacher could observe if he had any questions about what students were talking about. In addition, the teacher and those students with headsets were able to communicate orally. It was really interesting to see that logging into a website could give students the opportunity to communicate and learn without leaving their dorm rooms.

I think this technology could be really helpful in a high school classroom. Students in one room could connect with students in another city, another state, or even another country. There are so many people out there that have things to teach; virtual classrooms make this learning easier and more accessible.

Video Cameras in the Classroom

I think the idea of using video cameras in the classroom has a lot of potential. When students are given a camera, they have the opportunity to go out and explore the world. They can choose what to document by deciding what is important. The hands-on-experience is a totally different way of learning that most students don't get the opportunity to experience. I think that when students have the opportunity to do something themselves, they learn more from it.

Internet Literacy

Since the Internet has become such a big part of our everyday lives, I think it's really imperative for students to be careful about what they view online. Just because information is online doesn't mean it's accurate or reliable. It is really important to remember the ABC's of evaluating websites--accountability and authority, bias, and currency. I think that if teachers start educating students at young age about the importance of looking for these things in websites, students will be much more informed about researching on the Internet and be able to obtain more accurate information.