Weblog

It was a bit of a challenge creating the weblog. I brought my surface tablet with me on vacation so I could do this assignment. The wifi at our condo kept getting interrupted for one. Secondly the mouse kept jumping around which made it very difficult. At least I got it submitted finally (with a little help from my wife). There are a lot of blogs out there that look like a website. Blogs are an easy, quick way to publish a web page. My assignment, to say the least, looks nothing like that.

Great class

I have really enjoyed this class as well. I foresee the screen cast as being very useful to me. This summer I have to do a training on CIITS. I would like to prepare a screen cast and provide it ton the teachers that come to my training.

Power from the young

I was talking to my 8-year-old grandson about my blog. He kept coming up with links he would add. It is surprising how much he knows about technology. I think I will start asking his advice on what to include. What a fun way to spend family time! HaHa! There is so much more to learn about computers and their powerful tools. Glad I don't have to learn it all at once. Have a great summer everyone!

Great class

I am very happy with all that I learned in this class. Technology is not something I am comforable using a lot of the time. I surprised myself with being able to complete the projects. I want to starta blog with my students next year on the books we are reading for class and for AR. I plan on using my web quest and creating more of them. I think the web quest will be a great center activity.

Great Class

My overall attitude toward technology has always been positive.  I have always loved incorporating technology into my lessons and classroom daily.  But little did I know before taking this class that I was only scratching the surface of great resources that were available for me to use.  I thought I was up to date with technology because I was familiar with the resources my school provides, and I am familiar with social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter.  But I had never had experience doing screencasts, podcasts, WebQuests, or even blogging.  This class has broadened my horizons to newer technology that will enable me to be more effective in my classroom.  Although, this has been a very challenging class for me, it has also been very rewarding to my profession as well.

Change of Attitude

     This is the time of year when I begin to relax. The school year has ended. We will be receiving a new Reading series this year so I am looking forward to next fall. A complete school break would be nice but college goes on this summer. The end is in sight. Now that's exciting! My cohorts and I have worked so hard on the job and college. Now it's time to focus on finishing our Masters program.
     The technology class has been extremely challenging. I have had to ask for help several times. It has been a very humbling experience but empowering when each assignment has been finished. Wow, I did it! has been my warcry. lol!
     For the first time I find myself and some of my fellow teachers, asking each other for techological idea exchange. We plan on sharing Webquests, screencasts, podcasts, etc ...
We want to develop technology for our classrooms. That is the real power behind this class. Thanks Dr. Rubin and classmates for that motivation.

Thankful

I am thankful for having taken this class, as I have learned some new and interesting ways to use the computer for educational purposes.  I was able to successfully create a screencast, podcast, webquest, and create my own web blog!  I can envision many ways to use this newfound technology to help educate my students.  I realize I am having to catch up with a lot of the new technology that is available to us, but I am learning and having fun in the process.  It is enjoyable to learn a new task that before seemed only for those who were computer science majors.  I enjoy the fact that I now know how to create such things as the podcast, screencast, and webquest that will allow me to help our students learn even more.  This class has been a great experience for me, and I look forward to using my newfound technological abilities in the future.

Inspired

This class has really inspired me to do more for my students in the way of technology. After creating my blog I have decided to continue to use it for my class. Also the podcast is an excellent idea for students. I can see my class really getting involved in it.  I used technology in my classroom, however it was more interactive with the smart board, but now I feel better equipped to allow them to branch out more on their own. (with supervision of course)  This is a great class, I enjoyed doing all the assignments.   

Technology in a Kindergarten Classroom

Upon beginning this course, I will admit, I was unable to see how incorporating technology such as podcasting, screencasting, and blogging into my Kindergarten classroom would be beneficial, or even possible, considering the age of the students.  However, after diving into these new ideas with an open mind, wow... I am so excited about the possibilities for richer learning experiences in my classroom.  Screencasting, for instance, would be a perfect way to show students exactly what steps they need to go through while navigating a program on the computer. By blogging about the things we are doing in our class and providing links to other valuable resources, parents will have the opportunity to feel more connected to their child's education experience and give them appropriate support at home.  But my favorite tool that I have learned about in this class is podcasting.  There are so many ways that podcasts can be used in a Kindergarten classroom, ranging from teacher recorded podcasts for students to utilize in listening centers, to student made podcasts in which students can record themselves reading, give oral reports on research topics, or a plethora of other uses. I feel as if my eyes have been opened, and I can't wait to share the things I've learned with my students!

What I have learned

I have learned a lot of new information from taking this course. I do use technology on a daily basis, but I had no idea how to do a screencast or podcast before this class. I had heard of both, but I never understood what the amazing possibilites could be by using them in the classroom. I have used webquests before and I love the idea of having a safe way for students (especially younger students) to use the internet. Blogging can also be a great tool to use as well and I think that our textbook has some great ways for students to use facebook as an educational resource. It is very important for us as teachers to keep up with all of the new technology and what is happening in our world because most of our students seem to by flying ahead of us in the technology race. I have seen students who know more about technology than I do and I have even found myself learning from students. Even though I think it is important to keep up with new technology and be open to this new way of learning, I still believe that we should not become so dependant on technology that we forget how to think for ourselves.

New Technology Experiences

First off I have to say that this class has been pretty eye opening. I came into it thinking I would pick up a little here or a little there, and that would be it. I'm in my mid twenties and consider myself very technologically oriented. But after these few short weeks, I realized I knew nothing about using technology in the classroom. Now granted I do not currently teach, besides substituting at the middle and high school level.  But after this class, I can say I'm coming away with skills that will truly help me as an educator.

The idea of using a web blog or social media in the classroom really never crossed my mind. I have tried blogging before, but I was part of the 2/3's who abandoned their blogs after a short time. And of course I use social media, but I never really thought about it in the classroom. Most schools that I've been to are very anti-social media for the classroom. But I have seen how it can be used in a positive light to give students a voice. Let them show me in the world that they know. I simply love these two ideas as a way to get more communication and interaction with and from the students.

Lastly, I can say I have never used podcasts or screencasts, but I have to say that the idea of it is brilliant! After using it for the assignments, I started thinking about all the possibilities that they could serve in the classroom. This is definitely a tool that I will use in the classroom for things like lessons, assignments, sharing documents, and communication. I have improved my skills in all areas used in the course. And I can say that I plan on using these skills both in and out of the classroom.

Conclusively, I learned many valuable teaching tools from both the engaging online assignments and the text Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts, and other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms.  I am excited not just about my own new found knowledge in reference to using these technologies, but in engaging my own students through their use in my classroom.  This class has been very beneficial to me as an educator, thank you!

Class Weblog & WebQuest

I have not completed these last two assignments yet and was just wondering if anyone had any suggestions or words of advice/encouragement? I'm kind of nervous on having to complete the class WebLog!

Thanks!

EDUC 573 May 2013

Wow! First of all this class has really taught me a lot about utilizing technology into the classroom. Most of the things we have done in this class I knew about or had heard about but never really knew exactly what they were. I'm glad to have had assignments where we had to experience them first hand for ourselves! I'll admit there were a few seconds of stress with each assignment. I always thought before that I was good on a computer but I'm not going to lie I got really discouraged a couple of times! However, as long as I kept the ULearn class instructions open in one window and followed the instructions step by step it was fairly easy to load the programs and get the ball rolling so to speak and complete the assignments. I have thought of ways to incorporate the various types of technology introduced to us in this class into my own classroom. I am thankful to have had this class this summer!

Through this course...

At this point in the course I have completed all of the assignments other than the Webquest (which I am familiar with previously).  Through the different assignments I can honestly say that I have learned quite a bit and reinforced other ideas I had previously.  Through the process of making the screencast for example I was introduced to something new to me.  I had no experience with this technology and I really found it to be interesting and potentially useful for my content in my social studies classroom.

Through the creation of my class blog I can honestly say that I plan to incorporate that into my teaching next year.  I hope to experiment with how to use it to enhance my classroom and provide the students with opportunities to explore my class material in ways that haven’t been available to them in the past. 

Through the readings from the textbook I am drawn to the RSS tool.  I think that having a tool to keep track of different articles and information can really save time and effort to allow me to absorb more information in a timely manner.

Overall the experience of this class has been a positive one.  I am going to leave the class with more technological knowledge than when I entered and that is a valuable accomplishment that could benefit my students!

Technology in Education

I believe technology in the classroom is great. I use it almost everyday in my art class and I plan on using it more in the future. Technology really helps me out in Art. There are a couple of things that my students can't experience due to lack of equipment. This is where technology comes into play.

For example, I don't have a kiln or potter's wheel's for clay. So, I use an app on the Ipad called Pottery. Pottery allows the students to throw their own pottery on their own potter's wheel. The students can shape the clay any way they want and get to go through all of the steps of throwing clay. The students can even sell their piece after it's made. It's a great app.

Another app I am considering is SketchbookX. Just as the name says, it's a sketchbook. With this app the students can sketch out ideas, color them, paint them, erase them, and save it to their own sketchbook.

So, for me and my classroom, I think technology will always be there and I will always try to research and learn about new technology to use in the classroom.

I found a website that I am planning to implement in my classroom next year.  Because I have not intentionally taught any technology before I felt like I needed some guidance on getting started.  I came across this sight in my search and it appealed to me because it is written for K-5.  The sight includes an overview similar to a scope and sequence format.  Lessons include activities for word processing, spreadsheets and graphing, powerpoint presentations, graphic arts, multimedia, internet research and more.  Another reason this sight seems helpful is the suggested pacing for the presentation of the skills.  Because of the time of year I have not used the lesson plans, but certainly plan to use them next year.

http://oakdome.com/k5

Finding percents with Formulas

Today, I incorporated a website that had a formula to help with finding percents. I found this website very helpful and will most definitely use it again. Students were able to grasp the concept of finding a percent much more easily. The formula breaks down the problem step by step, and allows the student to enter the information in one at a time.

The website is:
 http://www.basic-mathematics.com/formula-for-percentage.html


Go try this formula out, you won't regret it! You can solve any percent problem with this.

Part     =      %
Whole        100

Technology in Education

Technology in Education



     I feel as though I am relatively "green" when it comes to the majority of technology.  This is my first time ever posting a blog!  I have participated in class discussion boards, but I had never set up a blog user account prior to this.  I am a fan of technology though, and I truly enjoy the many benefits that it has afforded us.   While I appreciate many of the benefits of today's technological advances, I sometimes wish I could have lived in a different era of history when things were more simple.  Those wishes fade pretty quickly though, as I realize that these technological advances afford me certain opportunities and luxuries that were not possible to those who grew up in a different era.  I do feel, however, that we can become to attached to and reliant on today's technology.  One example is the use of calculators to find answers to math problems without understanding the process it takes to come to the answer.  Another example is the television.  I enjoy watching televion as much as anyone to view my sports and movies, but I feel as though some people have come to use tv as a "babysitter" with their children rather than spend quality time interacting with them.  I also feel like we have become more of an inpatient society with all the new technology.  This is evident with the creation of such things as the microwave, and texting, as well as the craving for faster response times with computer hardware and software to name a few. 
     All of these luxuries we now have from technological advances derived from education, so we must embrace the opportunity to use technology to further advance our society.  Education allows learners to understand how technology works.  This new technology is used to help our students learn in various ways.  Just as technology is everchanging and evergrowing, we as educators must be just the same as we continually change and grow in our efforts to help our students learn.  As a physical educator and coach, I may not use as much of the new gadgets as a classroom teacher, but I have incorporated the use of projectors and computers in the gym.  I show my students informational clips using the projector at the beginning of a new unit of instruction to help them better understand what they are about to learn.  We also use technology in the form of hand-held GPS compass and tracking devices to learn about map reading and navigation with my older students.  I have also used the computer and projector to help my athletes and students understand how to compute averages - such as batting avg, avg number of steps/mile, and free throw shooting percentage/average.  We also use pedometers to help monitor and track physical effort and expenditure by looking at the number of steps they took during gym class, and then comparing it with the varying types of activities we participate in.  We also have heart rate monitors available for use, though it rarely makes it to our school as it is one unit of 40 monitors that is shared amongst all of the county schools.  So, yes I absolutely am a fan of technology and look forward to learning about new things and oppurtunities that can help our students learn.  I still have a lot to learn about technology though, especially in the realm of social networking.  I am not really a big fan of social networking as I would rather talk to someone in person, and I really don't like sharing all details of my life with everyone on the world wide web.  I never jumped on the bandwagon of all these new social networking crazes like my space and facebook.  I look forward to learning about technology as it pertains to education in this class, I just hope I don't have to create a facebook acount.     
    

           

Technology in the Classroom

 

     I admit to being technologically challenged. My senior year in high school was exciting because our county got its first computer. It filled a whole classroom and made really weird noises! Only one student at a time could even go into the room. Sound crazy? Well, I guess I'm showing my age. Lol! Technology has come soooo far in my lifetime. Young people today look at me funny when I tell them we had no computers in our house at all. They just cannot believe the world ran without them. In fact, we didn't have remote controls either. Imagine!
      In my first teaching position, we had computers, but they were very basic. The only programs students could access were purchased by the school. Most of those required CD-Roms to run. There was only limited Internet access. Attendance was not even on the computer then. In the past twelve years, I have watched technology creep into our small school with an ever increasing presence. Students have embraced whatever they are allowed to do, and it is amazing to watch the way their minds grasp this phenomenon. I wish it was as easy for this woman to become comfortable with technology. I am always bugging our tech guy. I do want to learn more about all types of technology. We have access to document cameras, desktop computers, well sometimes, and overhead projectors. This year, some of the teachers, including myself, received laptop computers for the classroom. These components will add to my ability to teach my students. I just have to become more familiar with and secure in my understanding of the operation of the machinery. I really want this class to enhance my 'not-so-technical' brain. I want to be able to assist my students in ways we have yet to imagine at our school.

Classroom Technology

While I believe that technology in the classroom can be a wonderful learning tool, I'm hesitant to use the Internet to engage with my middle school students outside of class time. There can be a real element of parenting or cyberbullying that I do not want to spend my time policing.

I will teach my students how to use technology in a respectful manner, but I'm I feel there are too many grey areas to use features such as blogs and social media.

Technology in the Educational World

      As an educator, I believe that the use of technology helps connect students in the learning process.  Looking back at my earlier experiences in the classroom, I was a fourth grade teacher and I only had one computer in my classroom.  That was the only piece of technology that existed in that room. Wow, how things have drastically changed since then!! Now, I teach first-graders using a document camara (the best invention ever), projector, five computers, and one laptop.
     I have to be honest.  Sometimes technology can be scary.  I know that I must embrace it so I can teach my students how to connect to the world in which we live.  I totally agree with our reading in our textbook about students being ahead of teachers in the technological world.  I have always had that feeling.  I am sure that this class will empower me to have a different outlook on technology and its many uses.

Technology in the Classroom

          Technology in the classroom has transformed in the 10 years that I have been an educator.  From the first day that I stepped into the class until now the difference is astonishing.  I can remember making KTIP lesson plans for the “technology” requirement and including things as low-tech as an overhead projector or using an out of date “student” computer for dial-up internet access research.  Now as you look into my classroom you can see things ranging from IPads to student laptops to a mounted projector feed into by a wireless connection. 

                These changes have impacted the way instruction is given and received.  The opportunities and possibilities are endless and honestly overwhelming.  In my own classroom my “normal” instruction includes the use of the mounted projector for internet content or a simple PowerPoint to guide instruction, I also regularly check out the set of laptops from the library to provide individual or group research opportunities.  If I walk down the hall I can see a wide variety of technology being used in the different content areas.  The math teacher next door using the IPad set the school has for math learning, the science teacher plugged in with educational YouTube videos enhancing her content, the language arts teacher with the laptop set having students type up a personal narrative.  The point is that technology has found its way into every area of learning in some way or another. 

                Are all the uses and changes brought on by technology good in my opinion?  No.  I think sometimes technology can be overused or leaned on to heavily in instruction.  But I do think the good has outweighed the bad and technology has made teaching easier in many regards.  I am also excited to see what is next on the horizon as I highly doubt technology is going to come to a screeching halt anytime soon.

technology in the classroom

I have been very thankful to have a great amount of technology supplied in my classroom. When I first began teaching I taught in a school where I had one “teacher” computer and a document camera with projector. I now am at a school where I have a promethean board, activotes, 3 classroom computers and 5 classroom i-pads. This has made a HUGE impact in how I plan, teach, and manage my classroom. When my board has been down for even a day it impacts every subject and lesson. I also am able to create many more centers and learning activities based around technology. This truly motivates and engages my 6 and 7 year olds to learn and discover more than ever. With that said, I also feel the constant pressure of the “new” and “latest” technological advancements. I know that as an educator it is my job to prepare my students for success in society. I know that having tech skills is a key component of this success. As teachers we can’t let the fear of failure or feeling uncomfortable with new technology stop us from this new technological lifelong learning. Little by little it all starts to make sense. Oh how I remember hearing “google” and “yahoo” for the first time (and laughing), now those are searches I use every day without thinking about it.

The Technology is There, but So Are the Barriers Preventing It

It is definitely astounding the leaps and bounds technology has made, even in the most recent of years. In the classroom it is the same, though the leaps and bounds are not as fast or as big as in the outside world. Though technology has evolved and will continue to evolve, the fact of the the matter is that schools, specifically speaking to America, are not making the same and necessary strides in which it needs in order to flourish and develop. There are many things that have contributed to this demise. But it is important to note two specific things about technology in the classroom. The first is that staying up to date with technology and the uses of its information is vital for the success of students in the world.  And second being that getting thus appropriate and current technology needs to and should be a top priority for those involved in making those decisions.

As someone who is not currently a teacher, but a substitute and coach, I still get to see how technology is being introduced into the classrooms, used by the students, and slowly integrated into the curriculum. I have to say, there are so many different ways to educate students that I myself never had the opportunity to use even in the last decade. The use of tools like smartboards, podcasts, computer applications, and even such things as I-Pods and I-Phones to be part of the education process is amazing. To be able to sit in a classroom in America communicating ideas and learning from people in other countries or professors at some of the best universities in the world is a gift. 

To gain the upper hand in using this technology, our schools need to be equipped with the resources to achieve the high standards the world has placed before them. But the truth is that many different obstacles stand in the way. One giant mountain in the way of this is funding and availability of these resources in all schools. The fact is that many schools are not afforded the technology possible to stay current with the world and thus, they loss their students. States fund their schools in different ways and because of this, some schools find themselves on the back burner of technology. There are teachers who want to use this idea or that technology, but do not have the resources to do so. Along with not having the resources needed, there is also the lack of knowledge in the educators to use this technology to deliver the information and educate their students. This is why it is vital that we address these two factors, as well as others, in hopes of giving our students the best we can give them in a world that is constantly progressing and moving forward.

Technology

Technology is taking over everything. It is almost scary to think about what can be accomplished  by using it. It can be dangerous in the wrong hands, just as with anything. Technology also has many positive advantages. For instance, the use of this blog can reach many people at one time who can respond to it. It seems almost unreal that when I was a Sophomore, I took the first computer class at my school. We had been using the famous typewriter. Now look how technology has evolved. My daughter has an IPhone 5 and I still have an old track phone. As a teacher, I feel very behind in this area. I do use the regular stuff that has been around for a while like the document camera, United Streaming videos, and PowerPoint. I have just recently been given an inter write pad. But it just seems like something else that I have to learn and become use to. I am sure I will like it after I am comfortable with it.

Technology in the classroom

Technology is a wonderful tool to use in the classroom. Considering our world is becoming more and more advanced when it comes to technology, I believe our students should be able to learn as much as they can about it. Technology can be used in many different ways. Students can use the internet to do research which is something they will depend upon for college courses. Smartboards are being used so students can participate in interactive activities. Document cameras have taken the place of projectors when it comes to showing handouts to an entire class, and ipads are being used for interactive activities as well. Teachers are using discovery education to show their students videos and find other resources such as handouts to supplement the videos. They are also using technology to keep in touch with parents whether it be through a blog or e-mail. Most schools have web pages which allow parents and community members to view information about upcoming events, meetings, extracurricular activities, and more. Some teachers are even utilizing facebook to let parents know of things that are going on in the classroom and to share pictures. Technology is even great for teachers when differentiating instruction. Some students learn better using technology, and typing assignments can help students who have poor handwriting. Typing can also be used as an accomodation for students who are dyslexic. Even though I think technology is great to use in the classroom, I also do not think it should be completely relied upon. I have seen high school students who cannot do simple math without a calculator and some who completely rely on spell check.  Computers can get viruses and the internet has many websites which can be inappropriate for students. With all of this being said, I think technology is good if it is used in the right way.

Technology in the Classrooms

Classrooms have changed dramatically in the past ten years. Technology is at the main front of everything we are suppose to do. Textbooks companies are encouraging the purchase of Ipads to download their textbook.  It is a great idea but for a school with 80- 90% free lunch the idea of an Ipad as the only textbook and having students take them is not realistic, especially in the lower grades. I know technology is very important and I am all for using it but what is too much use?  Students still need basic skills that require paper and pencil.  Common Core standards require students to write and explain answers, not just give an answer. They have to explain how they found the answer using numbers, words, pictures, and equations.  They do not get to use technology on this test. So if you are using technology and only technology how will these students succeed on the common core test. 21st century student will need to be tested in a 21st century way.  Standardized tests will no longer allow calculators to be used. Students are going to have to figure out problems the old fashion way.  There needs to be a balance between technology and paper and pencil. How much is too much or too little technology? We all need to be on the same page, classrooms, schools and testing, so our students can succeed as a 21st century students.

Philosophy of Technology

I totally agree that connectivism is replacing the old way of thinking and learning. “Is it is a good idea?” Well, that remains to be seen. With technology advancing as quickly as it is, I don’t know if we will ever be able to keep up. As educators we are already way behind. Something bigger and better is always replacing the “new” thing. Behaviorism, cognitivism, and constructivism theories apply to the intrinsic way of learning, while connectivism is more of an outward appearance of learning. Connectivism is how well people function and utilize tools. To me, it is more of an inquiry or discovery learning style for the students. Teachers are going to have to become more of an organizer, planner, and researcher to keep up with the new trends. We are going to have to find all the research and put it into one place for the students to easily locate, especially for smaller children. We are going to have to set the scene for learning in an entirely new way. Instead of lecturing or giving the information, we set it up for the students to find on the computer, and then they give us the output of what they discovered. As for job skills in other areas, it is more about work ethic and the willingness to find solutions to problems. Also, people are going to have to make connections to find what they need. No longer do you have to have all the “brains” you just have to be able to locate the “brains of the operation”. Technologically savvy people are going to have an advantage over book smarts. The connectivism era is going to connect people to a diversity of fields that they can be successful in.
http://www.elearnspace.org/Articles/connectivism.htm

Technology in my classroom

I think that technology in the classroom is an wonderful tool(s). I teach third grade and I use technology in the classroom often. My students are responsible for a writing folder, that contains typed and handwritten work.  I also use technology to engage my students in reading and math skills. I use Study Island with controllers, (voters) which allows student to respond to questions on the Smartboard. Additional programs that are offered to our students, including Fastmath and Compass.  In the district that I teach, our students take part in computer based MAP testing.  Technology changes quickly, teachers now find it's our duty to share what knowledge we have with our students to help prepare them for the future, In which technology definitely will play a major role.

Technology Raising today's kids!

To me technology is something that can make life easier, but also can keep us from learning to think for ourselves.  I feel that there is no way around the future idea that technology is in your face all the time.  As an educator I try to understand what interests my students.  I always ask them on Monday mornings what they did over the weekend.  The majority of my students say: " I played xbox...", and then go in to great detail about their games.  Did they play outside? NO! Did they have meaningful conversations with one another? NO!  As an adult and parent I see that technology is raising our children today.  It may be video games, phones, wiki's, etc.  I personally have a problem with spending more time using technology to communicate with one another than having a personable conversation.  Don't get me wrong, technology is spreading faster each day.  I have learned to embrace technology or get flattened by it.  I think that technology has grown so fast that we as a human race have failed to grow intellectually to keep up with it. I am sorry to not salivate at the mouth when I see a new gadget, but I feel that we are not using technology the right way.

Common core Math standards are getting back to the basics of Math, and knowing when, where, and how to use basic skills in multi step problems. I feel that many of us in public education, have seen fads come and go in trying to teach today's kids.  I think that with proper training, technology can be the single biggest impact to connect today's student to the basics of Math and the basic skills at the elementary level.  I honestly don't know where I would be without a computer in my class along with projectors, promethean boards, activotes, and several PC's to allow my student's to do research, and practice various skills online.

Use of Technology in the Classroom

I feel like technology use is a great tool to utilize in your classroom, however, I do not feel that it should be solely relied upon. I do quite a bit of online research while planning instruction in my Kindergarten classroom. I view teacher's blogs and use social media sites such as Pinterest to "borrow" ideas and activities for my kids. I also utilize my smart board daily in my room and show my kids videos from discoveryeducation.com and brainpopjr. As far as individual use I do not have any student computers in my room, however I do utilize iPads in my room. They are only used as a reinforcement of material already taught. For example I recently did a unit of study with seasons. There is an app dealing with seasons. They view a picture and the voice on the app describes a season and in the picture are a boy and girl. The role of the student is to click on things that do not belong in the picture so that it will change to what is appropriate for the described season. For example the background had snow and bare trees well the boy in the picture was wearing flip flops. The student had to click on the flip flops and it changed to snow boots. I only have 5 iPads available for my room and they must be checked out from our after school program so when I use them they are used in a learning center.
I think it's great to incorporate technology into your classroom because like the article stated it is becoming more prevalent. In my case today I had planned in using Internet videos/activities for my class on the smart board for my grammar lesson and it turned out our Internet was down today so....always have a back up plan!

Technology in a Classroom

Technology has certainly came a long way over the past years. I understand that the future will  rely heavily on technology, such as computers, Smart Boards, Cell Phones, Ipads, Ipods, etc. I also believe that students should be able to learn hands-on. I taught one year of Kindergarten and one year of 1st grade, and some students can't grasp the idea of technology as a whole. Don't get me wrong, they love getting on the computer and doing educational activities. I just feel as if students should take part in hands-on activities to better their understanding of topics. I use technology quite often, but class activities are great, as well.

Love Podcasts

My classroom is a little different from most classrooms of my peers in the class.  My classroom is a fitness studio.  I teach group fitness instructors how to instruct classes.  One of the most valuable aspects of this class has been learning how to utilize podcasts.  Using this method has allowed me to carry this technology to my current curriculum by sharing songs and cueing techniques via podcasting.  It has been a great tool and has made instructing much easier!! I'm using it consistently in my daily training. 

Fantastic Class!!

Every student should take this class!!  No matter what your major or interest this is a perfect class to learn the current technology trends today.  Technology is everywhere and continues to grow in classroom, work environment and our social life!  This has been a great class and I learned so much!  Thank you Dr. Rubin for a great learning experience!!