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RE: Technology use in the classroom
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Stephanie Roberts
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Apr 16, 2008 07:18 PDT
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Jon,
Technology does change so frequently but as Sue pointed out Word,
PowerPoint, and Excel are three that have seemed to stand the test of
time so far. You can do some pretty amazing projects utilizing these 3.
Here are some examples that I've used:
Word
-Journals
-Friendly Letters to local businesses
PowerPoint
-Utilized for Oral Presentations on Inventors and Famous Poets
Excel
-Graphing of trout tank data daily (4th graders were able to learn
how to do this independently)
-Creation of survey, students carried out survey, created rough
draft of results on paper, and then spiced it up on Excel
I also use WebQuests quite frequently. WebQuests require students to
work individually, in pairs, or groups of no more than 4 to scour the
internet (using resources you give them of course) to find information
on a topic. Their information is then tied into a creative culminating
project.
If you don't have time to create your own, you can do a simple GOOGLE
search (i.e. webquest on butterflies). There are a wealth of resources
out there. A suggestion though if you plan to do WebQuests is to keep
in mind that the material that is there one year cannot be counted on to
be there next year. Some of the links do go dead. A suggestion for
that is to create your own resource section in WORD so that the material
is always there for students.
Although Sue is right that a blog is a powerful tool I am a bit more
cautious about using it because of the level of responsibility it places
on the teacher. You would need to check it quite frequently to ensure
that the content is appropriate.
As for applying potentially obsolete knowledge to lesson planning I
think it's necessary to find ways to bring the information to life for
students. For example, take them on a virtual field trip. I've used
the Ellis Island
(http://teacher.scholastic.com/activities/immigration/tour/index.htm)and
Erie Canal (http://www.epodunk.com/routes/erie-canal/index.html) ones
with my students.
I hope this helps,
Stephanie
Sue Maiers wrote:
| | Many fundamental things stay the same with most software. My suggestion
is
to ask the students what they could do more efficiently using computers.
They will have great, practical ideas after you get past their attempt
at
humor. I don't know your grade level or subject, but many of the things
you
may have done with overheads can also be done now with PowerPoint or
Inspiration or even Word. The advantage is that those products are now
easily saved for review or to hand out to those who missed the group
activity. Sometimes I even turn the kids loose, saying use whatever
method
you prefer to demonstrate your thorough understanding of the topic. I'm
looking for these specific things - you decide if it's a movie, poster,
PowerPoint, song, or whatever. There are also many open source software
options that may help.
You also might want to try a wiki or blog for your classroom. Many free
ones are out there for teachers. I'm planning now for second semester
to
log in and have one of my students be the scribe each day to take notes
or
post what we did. I can proof it before it's published & then everyone
at
home and school knows what we're covering, what's due, and other great
resources they might want to use.
Just as the world around us is changing rapidly the technology will
continue
to change. Find a few co-workers who are more into the technology and
willing to help you through the bumps along the way!
_____
From: Jon Walker [mailto:jsw0-@ecu.edu]
Sent: Monday, January 14, 2008 5:37 PM
To: thi-@topica.com
Subject: Technology use in the classroom
I have found that part of the problem with using technology in the
classroom
is that you have to learn new software/hardware every time you want to
do
something new. Technology changes so rapidly that what we learn and use
one
year doesn't necessarily carry over to the next and you end up having to
learn a new technology anyway.
My question is this: Does anyone have any suggestions for technology
use in
the classroom that might be good for several years without having to
learn
all new software every year? What strategies work for you when it comes
to
applying potentially obsolete knowledge to lesson planning?
Thanks,
Jon Walker
jsw0-@ecu.edu
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“A hundred years from now it will not matter what my bank account was,
the sort of house I lived in, or the kind of car I drove...but the world
may be different because I was important in the life of a child.”
~Forest E. Witcraft
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