We are reaching the point in the year where planning for the 2012-2013 school year has begun. One of the areas we have made a few decisions on is technology. We will be setting up SMART board software and equipment in our K-6 classrooms, as well as two JH/HS classrooms. This new technology will be a great way to make our learning interactive. We are also approaching the fourth year of the net books being utilized in our high school. But...technology is SO much more than giving our students the net books and interactive boards...
My questions for discussion are:
1.What do you see as the best means to integrate technology into your classroom? What are the things you are using that other teachers may like to hear about? Is there a website that you would like to share?
2. What are the computer skills you see us needing to focus on for our students? Even our youngest fries are able to log-on to the internet and play games...but can they do Word? Can they do a PowerPoint?
3. HS Teachers...how do you make the net book part of your classroom
rather than just something our kids carry around and listen to music on? What steps have you taken to ensure it is a TOOL and not a TOY?
Have a great week! :)
Technology is an area that I definitely need help with. The only technology that I use that I think people might be interested in is my document camera. I feel every math teacher should have one. As far as a favorite website.... I like the ones that I have on my homepage that my students use for extra practice in math.
ReplyDeleteMy students use word, but I know that they don't use everything that the program has to offer. This year I had them do a power point on D-Day and other aspects of World War II. I don't know how to use everything that power point has to offer, so they just did the basic parts of it.
Have them show/teach a cool tool in the presentation program beyond your expectations?
DeleteWe use technolgy one way or another daily in all my classes. Sometimes it's only using a word processor other times we are on the internet. We sign in to my homepage at the start of every class. I store notes and assignments there. I do have a "drop box" for each section as well. Some assignments are dropped and others printed out. The only hand writtem papers I take are tests or quizzes.
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ReplyDeleteAs a middle school teacher, I would like to have the students come to school in the fall on the same computer usage level. I spent a lot of time filling in the gaps of word processing, powerpoints, and keyboarding.
ReplyDeleteI think this will always be a challenge. I think we set our expectation and see how quickly they can get up to speed. Help where we can or something. Determine if a "gap" is truely a problem or is it an excuse.
DeleteWith 4th, 5th, and 6th graders, they come in with varying degrees of computer knowledge. I try to show them things to do with word and powerpoint as well as how to search for information on the internet. One of the biggest things I try to show them is how to save their information...and know where they are saving it to. I found a powerpoint tutorial online this year, that I printed and the students are able to use that to help them learn how to do things or reference when trying to add pictures, backgrounds, sounds, etc....The biggest thing is that with no set computer class for them it is just finding the time when the lab is available to get in there on a consistent basis to teach(it might be 2-3 days later when we can get back in there) to review, and utilize the skills that I am trying to show them.
ReplyDeleteI would agree about teaching the skill set and finding time. It is hard...But I do wonder...when do we shift the focus of computer time being something where games are played to learning how to use Office? I see in the high school many students think of the computer not as a TOOL but a TOY. Their experiences with the computer have only been for gaming and internet exploration. I would like to think there is something we can do to help change that...
ReplyDeleteTool vs toy probably has a lot to do with the age of the user. I don't want to use the computer for fun when I get home because of tired of using the computer as tool most of the day.
ReplyDeleteCell phone technology has probably become more of a toy for adutls, at least in my case. Smartphones - all of the information at my disposal with a smartphone is amazing. However, screen size and vision issues are now becoming a problem for me. Typing on 3 inch keypad is also difficult.
People - students and teachers are more likely to try new things if they see it as fun. If we convince ourselves and fellow staff members that learning how to use and incoporating technology is fun, I believe we will get better partipation.
Too many questions for a Friday to catch up on, I'll update this one later. (I know my twitter account doesn't link up w/ google very well so I changed back my ID to google.)
ReplyDelete1…best means? Do something! Learn by doing, trying, evaluating and just keep moving forward with how we can apply technology in the classroom. Empower the students. At times with technology let the kids be the teacher, it is an ever developing tool.
Delete2…skills? Basic skills yes, but too much detail? …change the focus on facilitating the outcome; do we need to control the journey? Where is time better spent?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aT_121H3kLY&feature=related
3…Tool v. Toy? More and more I believe we are giving up on play and creativity, (view link below) …so bring back games, guide the play, the basis for which we started learning in the first place. View technology as a toy? Instead manage the classroom, have them find tools that aid their learning, versus not on being on task. We have lost the "fun" in this idea of student achievement. We limit student access versus teaching responsible use; we restrict ourselves to an increasing negative environment, complaining, stressing out, ignoring opportunity, etc. …versus embracing a time of great creativity.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iG9CE55wbtY
If students don’t want to use the time given to explore the use of the tool given them simply close the laptop, move to the next lesson if that fits your style. I’ll have a kid watch an online auction sale during study hall, should I tell them to get busy? Or are they meeting a need they have? Is the game mindless, maybe find a better game?
I remember in high school, we'd place a magazine inside our geography books during class. We read Hotrod Magazine, Mad Magazine, Sports Illustrated, you get the idea. I see that as no different from today's students getting off track on the Internet during class. I reprimand the abuser and move on. The world hadn't ended. And I agree, all education works better with fun and humor, but with serious intentions.
ReplyDeleteThe one assignment I put together this year is word illustration. The students take their vocab words and find pictures from the internet to demonstrate their meanings as used in a sentence they have written. It's fun, but can be difficult at times.
I thought you said word "illusion"?
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