Digital cameras can be used in the classroom for many projects and assignments. A few that is listed in the article mention having an orientation on the cameras for the students so that they have an understanding of the proper use of the camera for school. Students of all ages can use a digital camera in their learning. It is a great way for students to explore new things and add it to their projects in the classroom. Digital cameras are one of the easier technologies to have in the classroom and can be very beneficial to teachers. While I was in field I used my camera to create a power point of various walls in Utah County that went along with a lesson. Digital cameras can be used for the students to use as well. I think that digital cameras would be one of the more beneficial tools to have in the classroom.
The easiest way to get going with the cameras is to just play around with them. Use them for pictures to post in the classroom or at parent teacher conference or with permission from parents to post and share with others. I think that digital camera bring a new way of learning something to our students. Through the lens they can explore a whole new world of technologies available to them to learn and be able to have it integrated in to the classroom.
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Technology Article #1
On of the technologies I chose to research is the smart board. The smart board is a rising technology that is being found in classrooms across the country. Smart boards are an interactive technology tool that allows students and teachers real-time interaction with educational web sites. Combining a whiteboard with the power of a computer, Smart Board interactive whiteboards have been engaging students around the country. “I have never seen anything in my 21 years have an impact on teaching like this technology,” said Clinton-Massie administrator. Through Smart Boards, students get hands-on technology “for meaningful, relevant purposes.” Smart boards are becoming a popular addition to school classrooms as well as to office meeting spaces. The interactivity that a smart board provides allows teachers or professional presenters to let their audience collaborate, draw, and interact with information on the screen. Lessons and activities in a classroom setting become more engrossing for students and increase overall retention of the lesson content. Research that has been done shows clearly that teachers that use smart boards see greater improvement from their students compared to classrooms that do not use smart boards enriched classroom content. The technology allows students to "take more responsibility for their learning as teachers move from being the sage on stage to the guide on the side, the concept is not about learning to use technology. It's about using technology to learn."
I feel that as a teacher a smart board would add immensely to the classroom. It would draw the students into concepts and then would become engaged in the lesson. The smart board can offer great things to teachers and to students. Research show that those students using a smart board in a classroom score higher on test, as to compared to a classroom with out a smart board.
I feel that as a teacher a smart board would add immensely to the classroom. It would draw the students into concepts and then would become engaged in the lesson. The smart board can offer great things to teachers and to students. Research show that those students using a smart board in a classroom score higher on test, as to compared to a classroom with out a smart board.
My Beliefs
My beliefs when it comes to technology might differ from many others beliefs. I think that technology is important and needs to be integrated into our educational programs. Technology is our future and the students who are going to be the future need to have an understanding. At the same time I feel that we need to not have our students rely on technology. When a student is given a math problem and only ever uses a calculator how will ever know how to do it with out one. Many will say well the technology is there so we don’t have to do thing the hard way, well that is true at the time but what will they use when technology happens to not be there?
Many students are intimidated by technology. Some of them just do not learn in that way. I feel that technology is a great learning tool and can bring the world in to the classroom, but we need to keep in mind how our students learn and maybe not all of them are as comfortable with it as others might be. I will integrate technology in to my classroom but I also believe that there is a place for when it should be used.
Many students are intimidated by technology. Some of them just do not learn in that way. I feel that technology is a great learning tool and can bring the world in to the classroom, but we need to keep in mind how our students learn and maybe not all of them are as comfortable with it as others might be. I will integrate technology in to my classroom but I also believe that there is a place for when it should be used.
Lessons Learned
With in the websites I thought it was interesting to see what is available to the teacher that maybe some didn’t know existed. I liked the film on Why Integrate? It was so interesting to see how much technology that the school had available to them. Not only that but that the teachers were using it in the classrooms and knew how to use it. I liked how they integrated the technology into what the students were interested in. Whether it was science, cheerleading, music, etc. I also really liked the film Did You Know? Just like in the film we do need to be preparing our students for the 21st century and for those problems that haven’t come yet and those answers that are not there yet. The number s that were given in the film are amazing to me to that children are living in a world of technology and in order for our students to be functional in the world they need to technology at a young age.
From these readings and videos I have been able to see the importance of teaching our students technology. Students need to know it now, but even more importantly for the future, which is in their hands. By seeing all that is involved I can see that as a teacher I will need to set continual goals for my self to stay update on technology so that I can teach my students to the best that I can so that they are prepared for the future. We do not know what technology has in store for us but it is growing and being more and more available to all. It is our responsibility to make the students comfortable with it.
From these readings and videos I have been able to see the importance of teaching our students technology. Students need to know it now, but even more importantly for the future, which is in their hands. By seeing all that is involved I can see that as a teacher I will need to set continual goals for my self to stay update on technology so that I can teach my students to the best that I can so that they are prepared for the future. We do not know what technology has in store for us but it is growing and being more and more available to all. It is our responsibility to make the students comfortable with it.
Strengths and Weaknesses
In accordance with the UNI and NET Standards I was able to view where my weaknesses and strengths are in applying technology in the classroom and my understanding of technology. It was interesting to see that technology is integrated in the classroom in everything. One question in the UNI survey asked if I am competent in operating basic and discipline-specific equipment. Such as graphing calculators, laserdisc players, MIDI keyboards in music, cameras, etc. I thought that when I said I was technology savvy I really was, but then I realized what all technology encompassed other than a computer. I realize that I have a lot to learn. Through out the survey I also realized how much you have to adapt technology for various reasons, such as for the special needs students and those who are not able to have the technology at home and may not know how to use it as well.
Some of the goals I have that will help me to have a technology rich classroom are; to stay up to date on the current programs and or tools that are available to my students for the classroom. Take technology classes, tutorials, etc. to increase my knowledge of technology and how I can use it in my classroom. There are so many resources out there for me to use so that I can use technology in the classroom. Not only through the internet or other facilities but in our own schools are there teachers that know a lot that are willing to help us to have a better understanding of technology use in the classroom.
I found two great Internet tutorials that are available to teachers the first one is http://www.edzone.net/~mwestern/tutorials.html. Marilyn Western's Technology Tips for Classroom Teachers. With in this web site there are tutorials on basic concept on how to make things for your classroom through the computer. Some that are included in the web site are how to make templates, how to make and organize folders, how to print on sticky notes, sticky note template, how to make desk name tents, how to create a newsletter, and so much more. The second web tutorial I found was http://sqooltechs.com/resources_teacher_tech_tutorials.html. This web tutorial is online practice modules. The practice modules are for power point, excel, dream weaver, webquest, macintosh, word, works and many more. It is great to work through these so that we can be more accessible in our classroom technology needs.
Some of the goals I have that will help me to have a technology rich classroom are; to stay up to date on the current programs and or tools that are available to my students for the classroom. Take technology classes, tutorials, etc. to increase my knowledge of technology and how I can use it in my classroom. There are so many resources out there for me to use so that I can use technology in the classroom. Not only through the internet or other facilities but in our own schools are there teachers that know a lot that are willing to help us to have a better understanding of technology use in the classroom.
I found two great Internet tutorials that are available to teachers the first one is http://www.edzone.net/~mwestern/tutorials.html. Marilyn Western's Technology Tips for Classroom Teachers. With in this web site there are tutorials on basic concept on how to make things for your classroom through the computer. Some that are included in the web site are how to make templates, how to make and organize folders, how to print on sticky notes, sticky note template, how to make desk name tents, how to create a newsletter, and so much more. The second web tutorial I found was http://sqooltechs.com/resources_teacher_tech_tutorials.html. This web tutorial is online practice modules. The practice modules are for power point, excel, dream weaver, webquest, macintosh, word, works and many more. It is great to work through these so that we can be more accessible in our classroom technology needs.
Saturday, December 6, 2008
Webquest week 2
This week in class we were still working on our web quest. We decided to change it over to google presentations it was going to be easier to work on and finish it faster. We were originally going to email, cut and paste, then work on the final touches. This way will be so much easier, it will eliminate the cut and pasting and we finish it on our own rather than having to meet with our group out side of class. It feels good to have the semester widing down. It has been a good semester, but it always gets hard around finals. Ecspecially when christmas is only a few weeks away and trying to organize all the holiday celebrations and shopping with school and work. All the other classes are going well also. They are all widing down for the semester just getting ready for the final or our final presentations.
Monday, December 1, 2008
Technology Interview
1. What did you learn from this interview?
This technology interview was very helpful of informing me of what is available to me as a teacher to use in the classroom for my students. The school I was at was fortunate to be able to have a mac lab that they could use. It was given to the school by the PTA who raised the money to purchase the lab. We used the lab in our technology rich lesson plan. The students are pros at the computer you can tell they are comfortable around technology. Not only from this interview did I learn what was available to use I also learned what is not. The school does not have musch funds for technology in the school but basically what the teachers need can be found if needed.
2. How will this experience affect you as a teacher?
This experience helped me to see that technology is not a burden. I always thought that by using technolgy in my classroom that it would take so much work and time. In some ways that is still true to me but over all technology can make things so much easier and once its made you can save it and use it again and again. The students love technology as well. They are good at it and I had a first hand exeperience that when I was up lecturing students on was going to be done than the mac lab was brought in, it brought a whole new feeling of learning into the classroom the students were all 100% engaged in the learning assignment.
3. How did this experience change your thinking about the use of technology?
Just like mentioned in the paragraph above I always thought that it took so much effort to bring it into the classroom and make it part of the lessons. But it doesn't it really doesn't. In the classroom I was in technology was always used. The teacher was very good with technology which I can't say that I am (I'm working on it) and brought it in to the lessons so easily. I hope that I will one day be that good at it. This field experience changed my attitude towards technology in the classroom completly. I saw that the students loved it and wanted it to be apart fo their classroom.
This technology interview was very helpful of informing me of what is available to me as a teacher to use in the classroom for my students. The school I was at was fortunate to be able to have a mac lab that they could use. It was given to the school by the PTA who raised the money to purchase the lab. We used the lab in our technology rich lesson plan. The students are pros at the computer you can tell they are comfortable around technology. Not only from this interview did I learn what was available to use I also learned what is not. The school does not have musch funds for technology in the school but basically what the teachers need can be found if needed.
2. How will this experience affect you as a teacher?
This experience helped me to see that technology is not a burden. I always thought that by using technolgy in my classroom that it would take so much work and time. In some ways that is still true to me but over all technology can make things so much easier and once its made you can save it and use it again and again. The students love technology as well. They are good at it and I had a first hand exeperience that when I was up lecturing students on was going to be done than the mac lab was brought in, it brought a whole new feeling of learning into the classroom the students were all 100% engaged in the learning assignment.
3. How did this experience change your thinking about the use of technology?
Just like mentioned in the paragraph above I always thought that it took so much effort to bring it into the classroom and make it part of the lessons. But it doesn't it really doesn't. In the classroom I was in technology was always used. The teacher was very good with technology which I can't say that I am (I'm working on it) and brought it in to the lessons so easily. I hope that I will one day be that good at it. This field experience changed my attitude towards technology in the classroom completly. I saw that the students loved it and wanted it to be apart fo their classroom.
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