Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Week 3 - Technology in the Classroom
Watch the Technology youtubes on the right. We viewed some of these videos in class but some of them we did not. Please make sure that you have viewed each video either in class or through the blog. Reflect upon what you saw. What are your thoughts about technology in the classroom? How could the Amazon Kindle change typical textbooks in the future? Please share an example of how a teacher effectively or ineffectively utilized technology in the classroom.
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Technology in the class room is really an awesome aid in the classroom if utilized correctly. I really enjoyed the Smartboard Contest Winner video. That teacher definately integrated techonolgy into her classroom effectively. I strongly encourage teachers to incorperate technology into the classroom. Things like the Amazon Kindle could for sure change the typical textbook in the future. I think that electronic readers could be very useful in English and Reading classes.
ReplyDeleteI once had a Biology teacher in 9th grade who used technology in her classroom...but it was horrible! Everyday we would go into class and have to use this computer program that would read to us and we would have to follow along and fill in the blanks of a worksheet. It was so boring because we literally did the same thing everyday. My teacher did use technology but we all felt it just a cop out for her actually teaching.
Technology can be both beneficial and not. I think most teachers use technology as a tool to make the classroom more interesting.
ReplyDeleteI will definitely incoorperate technology in the classroom, however, I will not go over board and bore the classroom with "techi" programs. I am a more hands on type of person, and the best way I can learn is if I visually see it and also hear it.
The Amazon Kindle is a great tool for textbooks and I think would be a great way to help the learning situation in classrooms.
Kellen,
ReplyDeleteIf technology is used poperty in the class room its ok like computers for notes but if its a distraction it should be removed but the smart board looks like it could be very effective and cut down on paper uses
i agree with ana and tech can be good and i do like the smart board
ReplyDeleteTechnology is extremelly beneficial in my opinion as long as it is not solely relied upon in the classroom. The smartboards can make things more organized be more resourceful. Ive had teachers that have used it wisely and some that have been very ineffective. I think that the amazon kindle would be a great way to help make students a litte more interested in what they are reading just from the technology standpoint.
ReplyDeleteI agree with ana on teachers using technology to make the classroom more interesting
ReplyDeleteI beleive that technology is beneficial. Even if the smartboard is used like a regular marker board. I beleive that the Amazon Kindle is libel to take over traditional books sometime in the near future. I Actually find them quite interesting and handy. A teacher can ineffectively use a smartboard, as I said, maybe just like a marker board to write on. But I mean that may be "Ineffective use of technology" but I mean it would still be as effective as a regular board, and at times the teacher will break open and begin to use the smartboard's abilities.
ReplyDeleteI beleive that Todd hit the nail on the head by saying the smartboard is more organizing. I hadn't thought about that, but come to think about it, it is very true.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Todd about the smart board, but also think that learning the technology of the smart board can be a waste of beneficial learning time as well.
ReplyDeleteI think that technology in the classroom is very important. One of the teachers on a video said "if you do not use technology then it is like talking to a wall." I can relate to that. I know when I would have a teacher that just stands up and lecures does not use any type of technolgy and I can not concentrate at all! I get so bored with it. As for the Amazon Kindel I think that could be one of the most useful things in education. I know I would love it if i did not have to carry around all of my books! That would make is so much easier for students along with teachers. This way you know every student woudl have there book and would not for get it.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Todd that it can be a waste of time learning everything, but i also think that when you do learn it and if the teacher uses it in the correct way then it is okay to take that time. If the teacher does not take the time to use what they learn in a work shop or somewhere else then there was no reason to keep the teacher from teacher the students.
ReplyDeleteUsing technology in the classroom is an awesome way to get the kids to interact better with the lesson. You can make exercises on the smart board that use music that they are interested in and videos that will spark their interest in the subject. It helps kids want to be better involved with what they are learning when it is more interesting.
ReplyDeleteKindle can change textbooks in classrooms because it is a way to have thousands of books right at the palm of your hand. You can access newspapers, books, magazines, and even blogs with Kindle. Twitter can also help engage students in education. It is something a lot of kids like to do outside of class, so when it is introduced in the classroom they are more likely to like the lesson and learn a lot from it.
Many of my teachers used presentations in the classrooms on smartboards and I thought they helped me learn a lot. I am a visual learner and seeing pictures and examples of things they talked about helped me. They would also use different colors and styles of slides that made it more interesting to look at. One teacher even made some of the slides to where we had to fill the things in, so we could be involved in the lesson. This helped me learn more than just listening to a teacher stand in the class and talk all hour.
Jamie,
ReplyDeleteI thought the same thing about the Kindle - no more carrying a bunch of heavy books! I wish I had one.
I agree with Kimberly that some teacher may use technology in their classes but if they don't change it up, it might as well be useless for the kids. The same thing over and over again just gets boring.
ReplyDeleteWOW! I had not seen a smart board until I watched the assigned YouTube videos. My school never had those! When I was watching the SmartBoard winner I saw a link to watch 'Google Earth on a SmartBoard' and that was amazing. Technology makes learning a LOT more fun and efficient.
ReplyDeleteAs far as the Kindle - if I had extra cash I would go buy one now! I would love to not carry around so many books.
There are so many ways to use technology in the classroom that go beyond the smartboards. Its all in how you manipulate the material. I took a pop culture class in high school and for our 1990's project a group made a 20 min video re-enacting a bunch of well known movies and then explained how they impacted society. It was a hands on project that allowed us to learn in a hands on enviornment and have fun with it
ReplyDeleteAfter viewing the youtube videos, it is very clear to see that technology like the SmartBoard, Kindle, social networks, and blogs are effective in the classroom. The use of technology is a way to reach a cyber-aged group of students. The use of the clicker is also a great way to get information and make sure everyone is following you during lecture. In my high school, we had SmartBoards in some of our business/computer classrooms. It was an effective way of displaying information, but a downside to using technology is if the educators know how to use it. My teachers had a lot of problems with it, and then it became a distraction rather than helpful. I think the Amazon Kindle would be a great addition to classrooms today, for all ages. To imagine a time when I don't have to waste money on textbooks, or carry them around, would be great! I also think it gives students a chance to have greater access to text that maybe some schools could not be able to supply. Another thing I thought was interesting in several of the videos was that the students had laptops that they were able to use, although very expensive, the ability for everyone to have his/her own computer in class would be very effective in teaching.
ReplyDeleteKimberly, I agree with your post that the same thing over and over just gets boring and seems like a cop out for real teaching! I think the point of technology is to catch students' attention, not make them bored by just doing the same thing.
ReplyDeleteHeather M. I think that your point about technology being useful if the teachers are able to use it is a very valid point. I too have had experience with teachers having technology and they do not know how to use it and it is very distracting and can be very frusterating.
ReplyDeleteim neutral on the use of technology in the classroom. some of the most effective teachers i have had never used technology. i really think it all comes down to the teacher, he/she can be effective with or without technology.
ReplyDeleteI think there has to be a nice middle point for technology and the simple paper and pincil. There might be a chance that you will have a student that isnt very technologically advanced as the rest of the class. I believe that we should focus on making things like power point and microsoft word easier, because it something isnt wrong, dont fix it. thats where the kindle would have its disadvanges, it still has kinks in the system, my little sister s on her third kindle, and the main reason why it breaks is because she uses it so much. maybe in the far future we will stop using books. but that will not likely happen anytime soom.
ReplyDeletei agree with heather when she said that its annoying when teachers dont know how to utilize technology. i once had a teacher that took 20 minutes just to set up the smartboard so the class only lasted about 25 minutes.
ReplyDeletemonica,
ReplyDeleteyea, i have never used a smartboard before. i thought they were really cool, but i still would like a paper pencile kind of envirnment as well. somethimes that is what helps kids learn better, i dunno, i could be wrong
I think that technology is the classroom keeps getting better by the moment. Watching the smart board videos in class left me in amazement due to the fact that I never knew anything such as that even existed. Beyond that I think it is a great tool because its gives the students a chance to virtually interact and become more involved with the subject being studied. Using smart boards even with younger children helps gives them exposure to technology and will keep them wanting to explore and use more technology through education. It is also great for them because once they get older they will already be ahead of the curve because they have bee exposed to this at such an early age.
ReplyDeleteI would agree with Heather M in the case that technology in the classroom is only as useful as the teacher. There are lots of teachers out there who have all these different technical resources in their rooms but refuse to use them. Each teacher should be required to go through specific training to be able to use and apply these techniques in the class. On the other hand they should be mandated to to use the or be repremanded. There is no reason that the taxpayers money should be gone to waste because some teachers refuse to change and adapt with the time. What teachers have to remember is that at this point in their careers its not about them anymore its about the student.
ReplyDeleteIt is obvious that technology is an effective tool in the classroom, but I also think that it is important that the teachers use technology correctly. I mean, the main goal with the smartboard, kindle, computer programs, etc., is to ease the learning for the students.
ReplyDeleteI had never seen a smartboard before these videos and I have to say that I am so jealous for those who had one in school...
Jamie, I totally know what you mean with a teacher who doesn’t care about technology at all, I’ve had to many of those!
ReplyDeleteHi, guys! It's been fun for me to read your posts. Most of us are in agreement that technology can enhance the learning. But I truly appreciate Steve Belfi's comment about how technology does not make a great teacher. Some great teachers never used technology. But it can be used as a tool, which is why I am trying to make you think about it.
ReplyDeleteSee you tomorrow!
Technology I think is acceptable when it is used correctly and by a teacher that knows how to navigate it well. It can be distracting if a teacher cannot work, say a powerpoint presentation, and the students will only remember to each other how the teacher doesn't know how to use things the way they do. It is important to keep up to date on these kinds of things, if you want to be a substitute for another teacher. Another teacher might use something to teach the class that you've never seen before. So I think it's good to have it, but I still think that it's acceptable to teach a class without much technology. Being a music teacher I know I wouldn't need to know as much technology as everyone else, but who knows someday it might end up being that we all HAVE to use technology at the rate we're going.
ReplyDeleteI think technology in classrooms are great and are effective on students today and will continue to effect students in the future.I think the smartboard is the greatest technology in the classroom today with all the different unique features on it.I think these new rechnologies make students pay more attention in class because it could be really cool to them because they are not all to familiar with these technologies. I do think though when teachers are unable to work the technology that it could be really distracting and a waste of time in class.I had plenty of teachers who used the smartboard and knew how to work it well and I think it made me pay more attention because it made it easier to pay attention or take notes off of it.I think it is very acceptable to have all these technologies and more to come.Me being a business teacher I think I will be using these technologies a lot with all the hands on projects that I would be doing.I think it is a great thing in the classroom and hopefully more advances are to come and help the classroom.
ReplyDeleteJessica, I agree with you.I think technology is definatley acceptable but I do think it is also distracting when a teacher does not know how to work it.I most definately agree with you.
ReplyDeleteTechnology in the classroom is very important. When teachers do not keep up with the technology it makes them less effective. Students today are exposed to so much technology and if a teacher is more old fashioned then it makes the students less interested. Teachers can have the technology and either not use it or use it ineffectively. Some teachers have smartboards and don't use them and others don't know how to use them and try to figure it out in class. This can take a lot of time which means less time to teach. As for the Amazon Kindle it would be a great addition to schools. It makes it easier on the kids not having to carry around so many books,but also the teachers not having to worry about kids not bringing their books.
ReplyDeleteRyan, I agree with you when you say that the smartboard is one of the greatest steps in technology today. Using a smartboard does make it easier for a student to pay attention and take notes.
ReplyDeleteI think technology in the classroom helps children of all ages pay closer attention to what is going on. It also makes learning a whole lot more fun for students.
ReplyDeleteI think the Amazon Kindle would be an excelent device to use in a classroom. Especially with younger children who are first learning to read. The Amazon Kindle can help them since it will read the story to them. I feel that this may help children recognize the word by seeing the word and hearing the pronounciation of the word at the same time.
My junior year in high school, I took a class for community service that let us go to an elementary school and help a teacher. I was placed with a second grade teacher who loved using her smart board on a regular basis. In the morning, she would have all the student's names on the board and when they came in they were able to drag their name to the "here" section. I thought this was a wonderful idea to get the kids involved with technology and also same time taking atendance.
Ryne, I didn't even think about the amazon kindle being easier than carrying all your books to class! thats a good idea!
ReplyDeleteI agree with Therese that the main goal of technology is to ease the learning for students. If learning becomes more interesting then students will be more willing to learn.
ReplyDeleteI believe that if a teacher is willing to make an effort to learn how to use technology and use it in the classroom to make lessons more interactive and engaging for the students it can make a huge difference. The Amazon Kindle looks really cool. If schools used the Amazon Kindle they would probably end up saving money in the long run from not having to buy and replace books every year. It could also encourage students to read the books since they have a new piece of technology to read it on.
ReplyDeleteNone of my teachers have really used technology other than to use power point.
I agree with heather and others that have said that when teacher just use the same technology over and over it gets boring. Students wont get anything new out of the technology if you dont show them different ways to use it to their advantage.
ReplyDeleteI love the technology that is being created for teachers to use. The smartboards and activboards are really creative and can be extremely useful. My favorite is definitely Kindle because I love how it can store so many books and yet you can download them right off the internet. I really want to learn how to use these technologies, although at this point I am very technologically illiterate, but I want to use these in my classroom and provide more ways for kids to learn. Especially with the kids becoming so hands on learners these days.
ReplyDeleteI like Andy´s point on technology. I agree that there needs to be a middle ground with technology. The technology can be an amazing tool if used correctly, but if used too much, then students that aren´t following along may begin to fall behind.
ReplyDeleteAna R,
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with the fact that technology should be used to your own advantages in class. Use the technology you have to help the students enjoy learning. Technology is a way to get through to the kids since this is the technological era.
Technology is our future so i think that the teachers need to start using what they have. Teachers need to help their students out when it comes to technology if they start using it earlier on then they won't be behind when they get older. Smart boards really do help, you can do so many different things with them just like the video shows. If we want to help better the future of our country we should use everything we have to make them more well rounded as a whole and efficient. When my teachers would show us new things in word, excel, powerpoing and programs in microsoft office that opened a whole new door for us with technology. Now these smart boards bring a whole new level to doing powerpoints and stuff on the computer. The kindle will help students out in the sense of not having to lug around ten pounds of books in their bag and strain their backs everyday. Also it will teach them to use a different piece of technology for reading. The kindle might help schools save money down the road since they are reloadable and obviously resuable.
ReplyDeleteI really like kelly's point on teachers should want to learn more about technology to help their students out, and that it will help them use different techniques to teach the students as well.
In today’s society I believe that by using technology in the classroom you will see a difference in the way your students learn. This era is all about technology a how it can be used to better the teaching environment. When I saw the Amazon Kindle in the video I though that was a great idea for a classroom. It would help the students follow along and let the students look up word that they don’t know. As a teacher if you choose to use the in class clickers in class I believe that your class will be come more attentive when your asking questions or just having discussions. This will cause the students to pay attention in class more because they will never know when they might be their turn to answer.
ReplyDeleteAn effective way to teach is being able to use the new smart boards. This device helps the students to learn visually and the students get a chance to be hands on. I think that when the students are allowed to be more involved in a lesson they tend to remember more of the information taught that day.
I think technology in the classroom is very beneficial to kids. Students have a hard time learning if the teacher just lectures on and does not have any visual aids or some kind of technology to grab the kids attention. It may have used to work, but students today are so used to multi-tasking and using technology in everything they do, so if they go to the classroom and the teachers just talking and there is nothing to grab the kid's attention, they will most likely day dream or fall asleep (which was a big problem at my high school). One big problem we had in my high school involving technology was some of the teachers that had promethean boards did not have much common sense involving technology, so even though they would use the boards, they had no clue what to do and if something did not go exactly as planned (which is often a problem in using technology) they would scratch the lesson and just talk, or they would sit there for half the class trying to figure it out.
ReplyDeleteI think the Amazon Kindle could change the way textbooks are used if they catch on. If a whole school district switched it could be beneficial, however if just some of the teachers want it, it would be costly and become a problem.
I agree with Kelly's point that the teachers should make an effort to learn the technology in order to relate to their students. If the teachers do not know how to use the technology, there is no way the students will learn from it.
ReplyDeleteI think that technology in the classroom is very important. Using smart boards is a very good way to get your kids involved and it can be very effective in how the students learn because many are visual learners and if you allow them to do things on the smart board they will be able to apply what they are learning in a fun way. Amazon kindle is a great thing in my opinion. It prevents the students from forgetting their books and/or having to carry them around all day which is exhausting day after day. Technology is the future so preparing the students with the basic knowledge of different technologies is exactly how we will help them for their futures.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Kim that the teachers should want to learn and know how to use the technology that they have been given.
ReplyDeleteIn my experience with education technology has been very helpful. My high school was equipped with several smartboards in classrooms that were able to enhance our experience. They allowed us to highlight important items within numerous oral presentaions. However, I also had several teachers who technilogically incompetent who were unable to use the smartboard they were given. This was just a waste of the students time and money.
ReplyDeleteTechnology is very useful if it is used properly. In my high school we had the Smart Boards in most of our classrooms. The problem was that about 98% of the teachers did not use them to their full potential so it was a very big waste of money. If teachers took the time to learn how to use the technology in different ways and vary lessons I think it could be very useful. The Amazon Kindle could be extremely effective for classrooms. With how it can store many books and look up the meaning of words, it would expand students vocabulary and help them to understand books more.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Emily and Kim. If schools are whiling to supply teachers with tools that can help them teach better they should be wanting to jump on the opportunity. Teachers have to want to improve themselves and want to keep up with the advancements in technology.
ReplyDelete