Blog #12-Current View of Technology in the Classroom

As a teacher, I am going to make sure to introduce children to technology as soon as possible so they are familiar with how to work several programs and use it efficiently. I feel technology is extremely important and should be used in all classrooms even if it is simple technology. Technology plays a huge role is society today and I feel that young children need to be introduced to technology in order to become successful in the future.

After completing this course I have realized how important technology is in the classroom. When I begin teaching I am going to make sure to incorporate as much technology into the classroom as possible. I feel that technology engages children in learning and makes learning more exciting for both the students as well as the teacher. One technology that I think is extremely important is the computer. There are many different programs you can use on computers for various subjects. A few useful programs include kidspiration, kidpix, 2simple, comiclife, neighborhood map machine, timeliner, and much more. These programs are very fun and are great programs to incorporate into a lesson plan. Children love computers and other types of technology; using technology in the classroom a few days a week would be an excellent way for children to get more involved in learning and have fun! Overall, this class has taught me a lot about applying technology into the classroom. In addition, I have learned appropriate ways to incorporate technology into lesson plans so that it is suitable for children of all ages.

Blog #11-non-computer-based tech

A non-computer based tech that i feel can be important in the classroom and used in various ways is an overhead projector. If schools do not have a lot of money or cannot afford computers they can always settle for an overhead projector. These projectors can be used for all subjects and can show the students things such as graphs, how to work out a problem, stories, pictures, etc. Furthermore, overhead projectors can be used to engage the students in the activity or lesson plan that is being taught! Students are able to use a certain kind of marker in order to write on an overhead slide. These markers are erasable so if the student makes a mistake it can be easily fixed. In addition, teachers can created lesson plans that incorporate overhead slides. For example, the teacher can read the class a story and then separate them into small groups and have them collaborate and decide what the plot, theme, etc. is of the story. After they figure out their final answer they can write them on the overhead slide and present it to the class as a group by showing it on the big screen. I think this is a great way to get students involved and using non-computer based technology. The projector slides are very inexpensive and can be reused, which saves a lot of money. Overall, I feel that most teachers, if not all should have an overhead projector in their classroom or school. An overhead projector is an excellent way to get students excited about learning and more involved in the activity or lesson!

Blog #10 ERIC Project

After listening to all of the ERIC research projects I have realized how important technology is in an educational classroom. Technology can be used in various ways for both the teacher and the students. I think that teachers should try to incorporate as much technology in the classroom as possible since our world is basically ran by technology. A lot of jobs today and in the future use technology and if children learn while they are young it is easier for them to accommodate to other types of technology. I feel that all teachers should be required to incorporate a certain amount of technology in the classroom during the year. For example, the teacher can create a lesson plan that the children would have to use computer in order to complete their activity. Some computer programs that can be used in order to complete an activity can be Kidspiration and Kidpix. I think that these two computer programs are excellent programs for young children to work with.
One concern that I still have with the use of the internet and students is internet safety. I feel that there are a lot of ways to prevent inappropriate material, but not everything can be stopped. I know that during one group’s presentation they mentioned a lot of ways and website that can be used in order to help teachers with internet safety. I just feel that the internet should be watched closely by the teacher when the students are using it.
In addition, I think the use of computers and other technology in the classroom is very exciting to young students. The use of technology makes students excited to learn and provides them with another way of learning rather than lectures, and books. Using technology students can engage in the material that is being taught. Overall, I feel that there are great computer programs and other types of technologies in stores that can be used for all children even if some accommodations or adaptations need to be made. The number of technology devices available for students will only continue to grow as the years go on!

Blog #9

http://www.edutopia.org/world-your-fingertips

The article that I found is called “The World at Your Fingertips.” This website discusses the appropriate uses of technology in homes, schools, and other settings. The article informs people that the use of electronic media can help students achieve more throughout their education. The article was very interesting and discussed many different important situations. For example, if children are taught technology at a young age they are most likely going to succeed more in the future. Many jobs today and in the future require technology for communication, information gathering, and problem-solving. In the classroom, technology brings more interesting and diverse materials. Computer-based tools aid students to learn in a deeper more instant way. The article mainly talks about richer materials for learning, using time differently, and professional development. The article also mentions blogs and wikis’s and how they produce a class interactive page where the class can communicate with one another. Furthermore, technology allows students learning to be enabled by imagination. Overall, this article brought up some very good points for technology in the classroom and how it can be used.

Educational Video-Blog #8

This video deals with how people fear technology now and in the future. People sometimes think of technology as a bad thing when it really is making our lives a lot easier. A lot of education today is based on technology. If you do not have a computer it is a lot harder to get your school work done. With technology you are able to use different types of programs to help students learn in and out of the classroom. I think this video is very motivating and encourages people to use technology and not to fear it. Technology is becoming very popular in our world and is only going to grow more and more each year. It is best if students learn how to work and use technology while they are young.

Blog #7: Half-Way Reflection

At first I felt this class was very overwhelming, and stressful. After being in this class for a couple of weeks I have learned many neat techniques that I can use in my classroom as well as keeping myself organized. In addition, I think that the use of technology in early childhood education is a great idea. I feel that there are many interesting academic programs that are available to young children through computers disks and websites. I think that projects like the imovie can be used in various different ways such as a class project, an overview of the class to show to the students parents, and a way to show students material that is being learned in class. If there is easy access to computers in the school where I am teaching, I would incorporate websites, and online activities at least once a week that are suitable for the specific age group of students I am teaching. This way the students are able to engage in computers and explore information that interests them. Furthermore, I would make sure that security is placed on all the computers and that the websites the students can view are limited. This way the students are unable to view provocative websites and websites that can be dangerous to them. Overall, I feel that the imovie is the most important lesson I have learned so far. I feel that you can do many different types of projects with imovie and can incorporate it into various lessons. Imovie is a great program because you are able to elaborate off of ideas and create an awesome project. On the other hand, the downfall to creating an imovie is that it is very time consuming, stressful, and frustrating at times. Although, this class is very time consuming, and a lot of work, I feel that as a teacher you can learn some excellent ways to incorporate technology into the classroom.

Blog #6:Internet Use in Elementary Classroom

Overall, I feel that the internet is a great source for many things. All children should have experience working with computers. Technology these days is very intense and it is only going to get worse. The earlier children learn technology the easier it is going to be for them in the future. I would use the internet to show the children how to search for topics they are interested in. I would inform them not to go to websites that they think may be harmful or they do not recognize. I would also give them a list of websites that are available to them that have fun activities that they can use at home or in school. I feel that the internet has endless amounts of information on numerous topics. On the other hand, books have great information as well but there is a limited amount of information and sometimes the information may be hard to find. On the other hand, there are some disadvantages to the use of the internet such as inappropriate websites. All websites that children view should have a privacy set on them and should be monitored at all times. This way the internet is safe when the children are surfing the web. Another thing that teacher have to be aware of is plagiarism. If students learn to use websites more frequently they have to remember to put their writing in their own words. When children are young they should be taught about plagiarism and the consequences. I feel this will prevent children from plagiarizing in the future. In addition, I feel many websites are beneficial to all children and can really change how a child learns.

I have discovered many different types of websites that contain educational information for children as well as activities that relate to subjects taught in school. My favorite education website so far would have to be INFOhio (http://www.infohio.org/). After viewing this site I found many activities that can be incorporated in various subjects and can help children expand in their learning. I think this website helps engage children in their work. This website also offers many types of activities for children such as puzzles, homework help, history, science, math, and much more! I think this website has a lot to offer for both teachers and children.