Ten reasons why technology is vital to education

I read "Ten Reasons why Technology is vital to education" by Joh Page.  http://www.mathopenref.com/site/techreasons.html  This article listen ten reasons why it's so important.  One that stood out to me was #10 - Lower Cost.  Page explains how expensive high text books can be and how much laptops can cost.  The reason some schools are using both right now is simply because districts are in transition, and the transition will be expensive!  Our own Superintendent stated that our town is looking at doing all books on iPads or laptops and eliminating text books altogether.  As a parent or a soon-to-be high school student, I was kind of surprised that this was happening already but I know it would be better for my students at home!

The other reason that stood out to me was that students need to use media for self expression.  When students create something at school and are able to share it at home or with friends, it could be more motivating for them.  Also, when an assignment is similar to something they create on their own anyway, it can help them realize that they can do the work and it does apply to their lives. 

In Classroom of Future, Stagnant Scores

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/04/technology/technology-in-schools-faces-questions-on-value.html?pagewanted=all

Grading the Digital School: In Classroom of Future, Stagnant Scores
by Matt Richtel
New York Times
Business Day
Technology
September 3, 2011

This article outlines the issues with technology in classrooms and stagnant test scores. Kyrene Schools in Chandler, Arizona were highlighted. Classrooms in this district have plenty of technological resources, however, their test scores have not improved. This is where the controversy lies. Some opponents say that if the new resources are not improving student achievement, it should be discouraged. Proponents claim that test scores may not have improved but, students are getting more enriching opportunities through the technology resources provided to them. Opponents of technology also claim that students don't emotionally interact with technology as they do with paper and print material. They also say that technology replaces the time students would otherwise be interacting with a teacher. Other's claim that technology may distract from learning instead of help with instruction. Funding is another big issue. Schools are spending generously on technology while budgets for teachers an other supplies has been severely cut in the past few years. Schools are not allowed to spend technology money on anything other than technology. This concepts frustrates teachers and parents of some districts. Technology money attracts vendors to district representatives. They attempt to sell new technology resources or upgrade existing resources and encourage districts to spend, spend, spend. Parents are attracted to schools that are equipped well with the newest technology. However, when faced with tax increases or bond issues, they feel conflicted.

Review by Amy Long

Capitalizing on Emerging Technologies: A Case Study of Classroom Blogging

Capitalizing on Emerging Technologies: A Case Study of Classroom Blogging

School Science and Mathematics, May 2008, Vol. 108 Issue 5, p.173-183

This study explored the blogging practices of a high school math teacher and his class to explore the value of a classroom blog.  The criteria, which had to be satisfied in order for the blog to be studied, were:  it had to be created and maintained by High School Teacher, it had to be updated several times/week, there had to be high levels of student contribution and involvement and the teacher had to be willing to be interviewed.

The article indicated that the teacher’s intentions for having a class blog were to create additional forms of participation and increase student exposure time to content.  The findings of the blog indicated that the blog supported student learning.  It promoted reflective thinking, nurtured collaboration and relationship building, increased student accountability, encouraged peer support, increased opportunities to receive feedback, extended learning outside classroom walls and encouraged interactions between classmates and with those outside the classroom.

One curricular unit was studies in depth.  It lasted 27days, and included 1,292 lines of text.  Mr. K, the math teacher, required each student to take a turn writing a post that recorded what happened in class that day.  The student posting would name next student to post, so everyone had to check the previous day.  Before any test, students were required to write a reflective post on what they learned, or pick the “Editors Initiative” option and identify and discuss mistakes or omission of material (missed material) from someone else’s post.

In addition to this, each Sunday, Mr. K would add a Sunday Game Post to the blog.  This would be a new puzzle or problem based game to solve.  The blog also included a chat box for students to converse while doing homework, which increased student communication and provided students with math-resources (assignments, reviews online, tutorial or quizzes).  Last, Mr. K, the math teacher, added a visitor’s map, which would show from where people were looking at the blog. 

The blog had a very positive impact.  In the student’s view, they were part of “Co-Constructing a textbook for the world”.  The blog received many positive e-mails and was nominated for awards.  The benefits of the blog included some of the following.  It provided a place where students could work together outside classroom, it double plus exposed students to topics, it increased socialization, it facilitated question asking and it opened the doors to their classroom and exposed them to the fact they were part of a Global Learning Environment.

The blog provided a unique opportunity to capitalize on teen interest, increase teacher/student and student/student communication and provide many benefits.  I would like to do this in my classroom.  I think it would be a valuable tool and a fun new way to communicate with students.  

The Article can be found at the following website:
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1949-8594.2008.tb17826.x/abstract

Technology in the Classroom---Just Flip it!

The article, "The Flipped Classroom: Pro and Con" is by Mary Beth Hertz, Technology Teacher in Philadelphia, and was found on edutopia.org.  I have been fascinated by this hot topic in education recently, and have read many articles examining the flipped classroom's philosophy.  This particular article is actually found with a subheading: technology integration.  As anyone who has caught the flipped classroom buzz knows, there is an idealogy being explored that reverses the traditional classroom.  The teacher assigns homework, but the homework is actually the lecture.  The students are required to watch a video, or listen to an audio, instruction of their lesson. Then when they arrive at class the next day, they apply their newly learned lesson on an in-class assignment.  The teacher is able to spend quality one-on-one instructional time with students, as opposed to lecturing to the class as a whole.  Those who are struggling with applying their lesson receive tutoring.  Those who are able to breeze through their work are given more challenging puzzles or creative options for application of the new lesson.  The pro then for this flipped classroom is the individualization of instruction.  The cons lie in the technology issues.  Do all students have access to technology outside the classroom?  If one student is unable to find a computer, ipod, or smartphone, the entire model really is not employable.  I believe the concept is exciting.  I also value the discussion, prompting educators to continually ask how we can teach better.  I believe integrating technology is clearly the future and we need to accommodate the world in which our students live.  With many resources available from which to tap for math lessons (Khan Academy, musical renditions of math theorums and properrties, self-created DVDs or CDs of lessons, etc), we can enrich our teaching in varied and prolific ways.  I see the very real concern, that every student must have available computer access, and this ultimately must be addressed completely before flipping one's classroom.

The Instructional Power of Digital Games, Social Networking, and Simulations and How Teachers Can Leverage Them

Article: The Instructional Power of Digital Games, Social Networking, and Simulations and How Teachers Can Leverage Them Site: http://education.mit.edu/papers/GamesSimsSocNets_EdArcade.pdf Authors: Eric Klopfer, Scot Osterweil, Jennifer Groff, Jason Haas This article discusses the advancement of digital games, social networking, and simulations in our society and how teachers can take advantage of their popularity and use them to enhance their teaching. The article shares some popular examples of games, social networks and simulations that are out there and are very popular and how teachers can actually use many of them to enhance curriculum. It mentions games and simulations, such as World of Warcraft, Civilizations, and Lure of the Labyrinth. Each of these, and many more which are listed on a link, can be used and were actually designed with education of some group in mind. Lure of the Labyrinth, for instance, was designed to teach algebraic items to students. It also mentions many newer social networking sites that are actually being designed with students and teachers in mind. Sites like Diigo and Think.com are actually designed to be used in a classroom-type setting where the teacher has control and can monitor everything that goes on. These sites can be used for a multitude of applications and go beyond the simple blog or wiki in that they can be used for entire project sharing and many other things related to a classroom. The ideas also benefit from recent research which has shown the learning process fits well into these social networks because learning is a social activity. It has been proven that most students learn much better in collaboration and through more social interaction than just sitting in a classroom taking notes. Many unique things can be done with these technologies but teachers have many issues that cause them to be hesitant. As a teacher, I know I have many things that hold me back from trying some of the things I see, even though they seem like fantastic and useful ideas. My main issue is the lack of technology available to me and my students. Even though it seems that today every kid has a cell phone and the internet, that is simply not the case. It is even very difficult for me to find computer access for my kids while in school, making such ambitious activities very difficult. We must pick and choose smaller activities that don't take much time as finding a day to use computers is very difficult. I think until schools have the funding and equipment to do these ambitious things, they will be difficult to incorporate for many. Also, the lack of technology seen in our testing procedures also hampers what we can do. Very little technology of any type is used or even considered in any type of testing. It is hard to justify to parents or administrators spending time on projects that are not very similar or directly tied to getting good scores on these tests. The testing methods also need to adapt themselves to the 21st century if this new way of teaching is going to take off.

Embracing Classroom Technology

Embracing Classroom Technology by Bridget McCrea

http://thejournal.com/articles/2010/06/17/embracing-classroom-technology.aspx

This article talks about a teacher who was tired of doing things the old-fashioned way.  Velerie Gresser wasn’t satisfied with the way her students were learning in that ‘old-fashioned’ manner, all her students gathering around the lone computer she had in her room. So she took it into her own hands to make learning in her classroom up to date and in the 21^st century. Valerie knew there were better tools out there, and she knew that tools like SMART boards, interactive whiteboards, digital cameras, and document cameras would go a very long way in her classroom, now she just had to look for ways to turn her vision of a 21^st century classroom into a reality. She was informed about a $20,000 grant through CCS Presentation Systems, and decided to write up a plan about how she could use the money to create an up to date classroom for those 21^st century learners. Well, Valerie won the grant! She won projectors, electronic whiteboards, document cameras, interactive electronic tables for data input, and entry-level cameras for student use! Gresser worked hard to get what she wanted for her classroom. She spent a lot of time learning about the technology and figuring out what would benefit her classes the most, but she worked hard and fought for what she wanted and it paid off!

Why Integrate Technology into the Curriculum?: The Reasons Are Many

http://www.edutopia.org/technology-integration-introduction


This article was interesting to me because it gave several good reasons to use technology in the classroom setting. I know this graduate course we are currently taking has helped me in a lot of ways expand my use of technology and resources for where to find specific educational sites for students to use that are engaging to them.
I liked how the article talked about four key components of learning - active engagement, participation, interactions/feedback, as well as real-world experts. These were all very true of using technology in the classroom. I believe it encourages student interactions, not only with other students, but in the whole class setting. By giving students real world examples and pictures, they get to see examples of those real world objects and make connections to what they are learning in the classroom setting.
The article also talked about how technology helps students to stay more engaged on the lesson and on what is being taught in the classroom. By giving students pictures, videos, and real-world experts that know about a particular topic that the class is studying, it can really help students to make those connections and stay engaged on what is being taught. When students are engaged on the lesson, they are less likely to cause behavior issues in the classroom and more likely to stay on-task on the lesson. I know that when I was in school, I loved when the teacher would play a clip or video on a particular topic we were covering in the class. Often times, students need a visual or another learning technique other than the teacher just standing in the front of the class lecturing. By keeping students engaged in the lesson with the use of technology, students are more likely to make connections and understand the material, as well as participate and provide feedback during classroom discussions.

Why Integrate Technology into the Curriculum? The Reasons Are Many:

http://www.edutopia.org/technology-integration-introduction

Why Integrate Technology into the Curriculum?  The Reasons Are Many:

       This article states why technology is such a valuable resource within our classrooms.  One specific reason being that we need to prepare our students for this fast paced technological world that we are living in.  If we as teachers and schools are behind the technological trends, then our students will be as well.  
       The article goes on to compare the past; where the only technology that students were receiving was a computer class outside of our classroom.  The sad part about this is that in many places this is not the past at all, this is the only technology some students see throughout the day.  Through technology the article states that we as teaches need to use it as a way of deepening and enhancing the learning process.
       One important factor into integrating technology into all curriculum areas is to meet what this article calls the "Four Key Components"; active engagement, participation in groups, frequent interaction and feedback, and connection to real-world experts.  New goals do not need to be made, technology can be integrated to assist us as educators to meet those already existing goals.
       The article later states that by giving our students the opportunity to do technological -enabled projects not only intellectually challenges them but also gives them a view of the modern office.  Throughout the use of technology we allow our students to acquire, process and synthesize information that they discover.  
       Finally, the article states that technology changes the way that we as teachers, teach.  With technology as a resources we are able to reach the multi-intelligences that we have within our classrooms.
        I agree with this article, it is a great reminder about why technology is so important within our classrooms everyday.  I believe I integrate technology within my classroom, but this article helps me to see that I could be doing so much more.  That there are some areas where I can make changes and integrate technology even more.

Teachers Use Technology in Classroom Control -- Sara Heine

http://suite101.com/article/teachers-use-technology-in-classroom-control-a157739

I chose this article because with the little time I’ve given students to use technology independently when I was teaching 7^th grade math I always noticed the enjoyment that students had along side with the minimal problems I faced with behavior. The problem that I always dealt with was the multitude of questions students had because they had very little exposure to technology.

            One thing that has continually been popping into my head as I go through the projects for this class is how could my 6^th grade students use this tool? One of the best ways I can see my students use a lot of the websites I’ve been introduced to, Photo Stories, and Blogs, is through the writing curriculum that I will be attempting to tackle. This article mentions how many students don’t like to write, but opening thing up to a form of writing that uses technology many times doesn’t seem like writing at all! VoiceThreads, Bookemon, and Classtools, Prezi are all great websites I could use to help kids with their writing and forms of presentation. Blogs would be a great way to just get kids to write and well as a good way of editing other student’s blogs. This article makes you realize the huge impact technology can have on students behavior and excitements about learning.

            The author of this article brings up the point that when students are able to create and publish they work that much harder on their project because they know that others will be looking at it. I know this to be true because when I was student teaching, friends and family came in for a readers theatre and all the kids works so hard because they knew someone, other than the teaching, would be critiquing their work.

Technology to Replace Teachers?

       This article talked about a recent discussion in Pennsylvania about the increased role that technology plays in the classroom. Teachers discussed how during just the past decade technology has started to change the way in which teachers and students interact, as well as the expectations being put on teachers for immediate feedback. Debra Hill from Argosy University stated  “If you don’t believe me, just check your Facebook page and Twitter feed. These dramatic changes are causing us as individual professionals to rethink the way we learn, teach and lead.". As a new teacher I can very much relate to what was meant by this statement. Many, if not nearly all students in school today have grown up with technology; and not just grown up with it, but been bombarded by it. To believe that as a teacher one can simply go up in front of a classroom and lecture for 45 minutes is unrealistic. Students have different expectations than they did even five years ago, they are use to googling a question and knowing the answer in a matter of seconds. Teachers have to be willing to recognize this fact, and understand that technology plays a major role in their students every day lives,. Rather than try to fight the use of technology in the classroom teachers should embrace it with open arms. As this article mentioned there are many programs available that allow teachers to track students reading, writing, math, and science scores from semester to semester. With today's high stakes testing, using these programs to zero in and target areas where students are struggling to perform are beneficial not only to the student, but also to the teacher and the school district. Though these programs are a great tool for teachers, they are also a bit of a double edged sword. I say this because the state and federal government are able to view these same tests scores using similar programs, but rather than looking solely at students scores the government is looking more intently at teachers and schools who are performing well, or not so well, which ultimately translates to higher or lower funding and even job security in some cases. This can be a great benefit or very detrimental to not only schools and teachers, but ultimately students who this affects the most.
       This article also discussed the idea of technology possibly replacing teachers someday. Bruce Taylor said “Look at the amount of technology on the exhibit floor... education software is in its primitive state. Think of where it’s going to go in 10 years. It will be IBM’s Watson and Apple’s Siri and the iPad combined.”. Taylor went on to say “This will allow you to focus on things that make them (students) human and not flesh-and-blood hard drives,” he said. “There will be less dependence on rote answers and more emphasis on the application of content and a greater focus on interpretation and analysis.”. I couldn't agree more with this observation. I think that Mr. Taylor is spot on with his remarks; technology will change the dynamics of the classroom and learning experience, but will never replace a living, breathing teacher. I believe that teachers need to be willing and ready to adapt to this change because it is going to happen and is happening right now. I can't imagine what technology will be available for me to use at the end of my teaching career, but I can't imagine myself not embracing it and using it to its fullest potential either. 


http://thejournal.com/articles/2012/03/27/technology-moving-teachers-from-front-to-center-of-the-classroom.aspx

Jonathan Meyer - Technology Article

http://thejournal.com/Articles/2010/06/17/Embracing-Classroom-Technology.aspx?Page=1


My first thoughts after reading this article is the teacher who implemented the technology in her classroom really has a strong passion for her students and feels that exposure to technology in her classroom would benefit the learners as they progress in this ever changing world.
I am also reminded about how I strive to implement technology in the 6th grade classroom because more than anything it is critical for the engagement of the learner.  The modern learner does not learn the same way as even I did when I was growing up.  Kids live in such a world that they are constantly bombarded with information and when they come to school it is like throwing on the breaks and kids honestly get bored.  They not only need opportunities to learn through media, but I am a big believer that they need to create media to show their understanding.  If anything, I really like to use technology to give kids the chance to create.  It allows for critical thinking and promotes collaboration amongst their peers.  Those two pieces are in my mind the most important things outside the essential facts and knowledge to have success in the work force.

I also am a believer however that technology should not replace the necessity that students should have a strong foundation.  I think it is easy as a teacher to provide technology and get out of the way, but I feel the real trick is taking technology and taking it past the engagement piece to the recall piece.  I know this article was a strong advocate for technology, but I have seen articles in opposition to technology because they feel it does not really promote learning.  The challenge like I said is intermingling the tremendous engagement tool of technology and getting it to really stick and stay with students for a lifetime.

Article Review

Tara Meyer

http://web.ebscohost.com.thor.nebrwesleyan.edu/ehost/detail?vid=3&hid=11&sid=2e8f568a-d9ac-4df1-99cf-b670518e8b9b%40sessionmgr4&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d 

Computer Technology in the Classroom:  Do Students Really Like It?

            A study was done to see if students really liked computers in the classroom, and if they benefited their learning.  There were 139 students (100 masters students and 39 undergraduate students).   All students reported that they used computers for email, word processing, web browsing, virtual environments (e.g., blogs, Facebook, Myspace), and course management on a daily basis.  On average, students said they used the computer 3.9 hours a day.  The study surveyed the students about technology, and did a study using a 3D animation to help learn the anatomy of the head.  89% of students said they wished their teachers would use technology more in the classroom.  95% of students found the 3D animation and voice explaining the different parts of the head more helpful than the textbook version of learning the same concept.   Results indicated that students who were exposed to the 3D computer-based animation performed better than those who only used traditional methods.

            I think this article showed me that teachers need to adapt to change better than what they are doing.  Technology is the future of education, and whether we want to use it or not we need to.  In order for students to be successful they need to know how to use the modern technology by the time they go to college.  In college, it’s just expected that students know how to use technology, and use it effectively.  This study also showed that students are learning better when they use technology.  I don’t think I’ve ever met a student who LOVED reading a textbook, but if the information is presented in a more fun way then they learn it better.  In this study they had a 3D animation of the head, and a voice to explain each part.  That is much more fun, interesting, and interactive than reading a textbook. 

12 Easy Ways to Use Technology in Your Classroom, Even for Technophobic Teachers

http://www.teachhub.com/12-easy-ways-use-technology-your-classroom-even-technophobic-teachers

Technology is becoming more and more prevalent in classrooms today, almost a necessity.  While some teachers feel very comfortable using all types of technology from the Internet to Smart Boards, there are still several teachers who are very hesitant, especially if they don’t use technology much themselves.  This article gave some excellent ideas for beginning all the way up to advanced tech activities.  One suggestion I could see a lot of teachers using, no matter what their comfort level with technology, would be e-mail pen pals.  I think this would be a good way for both the teacher and the students to ease into using the Internet and allow them to feel more comfortable and confident with their computer skills.  For teachers, they suggest review games using premade templates or PowerPoints for Jeopardy, Who Wants to be a Millionaire, The Weakest Link, and other popular game shows.  This is something I already do and the students love it because it makes the review more interactive and lively.  Plus, it encourages all of the students to get involved in the game.  I also felt having the students complete webquests was another great idea.  There are so many premade ones that teachers who don’t feel comfortable enough with their technology skills to make their own can still have their students complete one.  Of course, as the teacher becomes more acquainted with computers and the Internet, they can begin making their own webquests that are tailored to the specific needs.  As you can see, this article proves anyone can incorporate technology into their classroom, even the technophobic teachers.

7 Brilliant things Teachers Do With Technology

This article focuses on seven ways in which teachers can and are using technology in the classroom in order to help each student become a better and more prepared student for the rest of their lives. 

1.        The first positive listed is that teachers are empowering students with technology.  This is not saying that technology should be used as a crutch, but rather that it should be used as a propellant.  It states that brilliant teachers have themselves experienced the power of technology and help guide the student to use technology in extremely productive ways.

2.       The second area in which technology is being used is to creatively find and use resources.  This includes teachers using their own resources to find new and creative ways in order to obtain new technologies in the classroom and incorporate them into the classroom.

3.       The third area of technology is making conferencing real-time.  This refers to increasing the amount and ability to communicate with the students home.  In today’s technological world there are so many new ways that a teacher can communicate with parents including; email, websites, online grading books, wikis and phone calls.  Having all these options make it possible to allow the parent to stay more informed about what the student is actually doing in school without having to actually go in to see the teacher.  This also allows the parent to be informed about things without having to wait for the semester conferences.

4.       The fourth way that teachers are incorporating technology into the classroom is to put kids in touch with the world.  This refers to making the students more aware and able to obtain information about what is taking place in the world and to learn more about other cultures.  This can also help them to dream bigger and learn how to empathize with others.

5.       The fifth way that technology can be used by a teacher is to accept the role of co-learner.  This means that no one has all the answers to everything, and a teacher needs to be able to admit this when it happens and use their resources to obtain the answers that they need.  The article states that sometimes it is beneficial to have the student teach the teacher something about technology; this can both help the teacher and also give the student a chance to show what they know in a positive manner.

6.       The sixth step that teachers can use technology to benefit the classroom is to use the kids own devises to teach them.  Students are already more advanced when it comes to technology than some educators, so rather than working against it a teacher should embrace new technology.  One of the strongest examples is smart phones.  So many students are familiar and own a smart phone and there are numerous educational tools that can be accessed using this form of technology.

7.       The last positive thing that a teacher can do is to delight in the discovery, the newness, and the fun that technology holds.  Embracing all the amazing things that technology allows us to do is so important when being an educator in today’s world.  Using different technology tools can be fun, exciting, and can increase the interests of the student.  The article states that brilliant teachers use technology’s engagement ( not entertainment) power.

I found this article to be interesting.  The seven examples of how technology can be beneficial for the classroom and students all seemed to in some way increase interest, increase communication, and increase the ways in which a student can learn.  This was just a summary of the article, more can be found at

http://www.educationworld.com/a_tech/columnists/johnson/johnson033.shtml

Education Leaders Promote Higher Users of Mobile Learning Technology

Administrators and curriculum directors all play a role and responsibility in helping teachers how to use technology. The article suggests that they can help teachers achieve this by assisting them in using technology at higher levels to meet learning goals.  One of the most current technologies is "mobile learning" with the use of tablets and Smartphones.  According to the article, when new technology is introduced to teachers its is generally shown at its lower level of learning such as for memorization.
Students can use Google images to contrast visual information important to subject area learning.

I agree with the article when it comes to new technologies.  If we want our students to be successful in today's world, its important to keep up with technology and to keep abreast of emerging new technology. I know as a teacher I often say to myself that I can't possibly add one more thing to my to-do list. Let alone try to use technology at a higher learning level.
New technology can be frustrating and counterproductive when it is used improperly or when teachers are not trained adequately. The tools that are designed to improve the performance of students and teachers are only as effective as the people using them.

Using technology is not about teaching the use of technology itself, but rather it is designed to help teachers deliver the required curriculum in a way that integrates the subject matter through various resources and learning styles.

Teachers should not teaching technology for technology’s sake, but teaching curriculum. Technology is like a chalkboard and when effectively integrated into a school, technology can help create a better learning environment at higher levels of thinking.

http://eduwithtechn.wordpress.com/2012/02/15/education-leaders-promote-higher-users-of-mobile-learning-technology/

Jake McMahan sped and tech

http://site.aace.org/pubs/foresite/SpecialEducation.PDF

The article I chose focused on the need to provide access to technology to special education students following as closely to form as providing technology to general education students. This is important to me because I believe that all children should have equal access to as many tools as possible to ensure a higher quality of life. The law agrees with my premise. In 2004 Congress passed the Assistive Technology Act, that basically states that all students must have access to the same technology tools. Most espcecially, the law states that state governments must provide for reutilization, loans, and device demonstrations for special needs students.
I was intruiged by the article's pronouncement of universal design for learning, or UDL. This theory posits that technology can help all students tailor their needs in a flexible manner by employing technology to better understand ideas and better express themselves. The article discussed how some software programs can better help special educaton students enhance their problem solving skills in subjects such as science and reading. I found that to be very interesting because I have never seen that employed in the classroom before.
The author talked about the importance of being cognizant of how lesson planning with the use of technology in mind will affect the students' chance of being successfull with said technology. Although that seems like an obvious statement, I would wager that not nearly enough educators take the time to think about how the use of technology could help or hinder their student's educational outcomes.

Overall, I felt the article provided some excellent information about how software could b specfically employed to help sped students in an array of subjects. I was intrigued by the UDL and plan to look into this theory in greater detail.

Jessica Croy:

Article:  Effects of Technology on Classrooms and Students

http://www2.ed.gov/pubs/EdReformStudies/EdTech/effectsstudents.html

            The article “Effects of Technology on Classrooms and Students” focuses on the positive impact that technology has had on the classroom.  First, they describe the change in the teachers’ and students’ roles when technology is used in the classroom.  Teachers become facilitators of learning.  They are no longer a distributor of information.  They are able to work with individual students and small groups and are able to dialogue more easily with students are discuss how they are showing what they have learned.

            With technology, students are expected to take a more active role in learning, rather than a passive role.  Since there is usually a protect or expected outcome when technology is incorporated in a lesson, students must put the effort into showing exactly what they learned, which is definitely different than a regular assignment or test.

            The article also points out that the use of technology in the classroom can increase the motivation of students, as well as their self-esteem.  Many students are highly skilled in using computers and different software and can shine when using technology; even students that don’t necessarily shine in other aspects of the classroom.  Personally, when I mention a project using the computer lab or laptops are all very excited and are ready to get to work.  I definitely agree that using technology can improve students’ motivation and self-confidence.

            Using technology also allows students to improve their ability using computers and other technical skills, as well as learn more complex tasks.  This prepares them for the future when technology will play a larger role in higher levels of school and in the workplace.  Although technology will change during this time, students will build a strong background and be more comfortable learning new elements of technology.

            Lastly, the article discusses how students’ ability and willingness to collaborate increase when technology is incorporated in the classroom.  Some students step up as peer tutors and help others with their projects.  Also, many group projects involve technology.  Students with different amounts of prior technological knowledge and creativity levels can push each other and share knowledge.

Technology brings "new PE" to schools

Technology brings “new P.E.” to schools

http://www.eschoolnews.com/2008/06/10/technology-brings-new-p-e-to-schools/

I have been teaching Physical Education for 5 years. In those 5 years I have been to many state, district and national conventions for P.E. All of them have had something in common and that is that technology is going to start playing a huge roll in PE classes in the future.

With all the technology that kids are using these days from video games to IPads, cell phones, and computers if we want to keep them interested in school work we are going to have to start incorporating some of these things as well.

This article talks about all the PE programs nation wide who have started asking for money through grants to purchase new equipment for the gym. Not balls and scooters but gaming systems and heart monitors.  There are so many different systems available to us now such and the WII or X-box Kinect that offer different ways to keep kids physically fit.

Using the Wii you can get kids moving and physically active without having to play traditional PE activities. This will allow those kids who hate PE because they are not good at sports to join in on the fun.  You can also include heart monitors and pedometers to closely monitor student’s effort and health. 

3 Tips on Integrating Technology in the Classroom

The article states that integrating technology into the classroom is not a one step process.  According to Bob Wise, President of the Alliance for Excellent Education, "You can't just slap a netbook (computer) on top of a textbook and say "Great, now we have have technology."  The article goes on to talk about the First Annual Digital Learning Day that was held on February 1, 2012.   The purpose of the day was to celebrate K-12 instructors that have successfully brought technology into their classrooms.  Educators, students, librarians, parents and community members were invited to learn about classroom innovations and get new ideas. 
According to the article, "good teaching, especially the kind that involves working with evolving technologies sometimes requires good advice.  Three main points were:
1. Plan Ahead:
The teacher must develop their own personal goals of how to incorporate technology into the classroom.  Goals should include the three "T's"; how can teaching be improved, what technology will be used, and how time will be used more efficiently.
2. Try Something New
Search resources for lesson plans that use technology.  Animoto was mentioned as one tool, it allows students to create and upload videos.  One idea discussed was "flipped classrooms".  Students watch/listen to teacher recorded lectures at home and use class time to work on projects.  This enables the teacher to become more involved with the students. 
3. Become an Educational Designer
Technology allows teachers to "design" their curriculum by choosing and developing the kinds of content their students access and the technologies their students use.  Technology can be used to show students assessments quickly so that teachers can identify their student understanding and provide assistance to struggling students.
I agree with the advice given in the article in that incorporating technology isn't simply putting students in front of a computer.  To use technology successfully in the classroom you need to plan ahead but you also need a list of resources.  I like that the school district provided a Digital Learning Day for their staff and students.  I think all school districts should include a technology as part of professional development days.
   
http://www.usnews.com/education/blogs/high-school-notes/2012/01/25/3-tips-on-integrating-technology-in-the-classroom

Teaching with Interactive Whiteboards by Robert Marzano

Article Website: http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/nov09/vol67/num03/Teaching-with-Interactive-Whiteboards.aspx

This article makes sense to me.  I totally agree with the idea that interactive whiteboards have great potential and are powerful tools, but if not used thoughtfully, they can interfere with learning.  As I read this article, I was reminded how my own use of my classroom interactive whiteboard has changed. 

As I read the “What We Saw in the Classroom,” section of the article, I was reminded of those people who add all of the bells and whistles to their lesson or use the latest technology in their presentation.  This is what I loved doing when I first got my interactive whiteboard in my classroom.  A lot of time is spent creating lessons, but sometimes it is easy to forget that the bells and whistles can create too much stimuli for students to actually learn the content.  Sometimes with the bells and whistles, the emphasis of the lesson moves to something other than the content.  When this happens, unfortunately, students might enjoy the lesson, but don’t really get as much out of the lesson as the teacher intended.  The “extras” become more of a distraction than anything else.   

            The “Getting the Most Out of the Technology,” section of the article reminded me of how interactive whiteboards should be used in the classroom.  Yes, it is great to involve students in the lesson, but at the same time, we need to make sure students understand the content and are learning.  The flipcharts or visuals should complement the lesson, not overtake the lesson.  The clickers are excellent tools as well, and their effectiveness increases when we discuss the correct and incorrect answers with the students.  After having an interactive whiteboard in my room for about 4 years now, I feel as though I have figured out the most effective ways to use my interactive whiteboard with my students.      

            In my opinion, an interactive whiteboard is a great asset to the classroom.  Interactive whiteboards can create a learning environment in which students are actively involved in learning.  Finding a balance between making sure students learn the content and enjoy the lesson at the same time takes practice; however, when used effectively, interactive whiteboards can spice up a lesson and make learning much more enjoyable and interactive for students.