Thursday, May 1, 2014

How can we use technology in our classroom and why?


Top 10 Reasons to Use Technology in Education: iPad, Tablet,…


As technology advances, it can be though to adapt to the development in our lives, in both actually, personal and professional. Being a teacher we have an important role related to the use and implementation of technology in the classroom, it can be learning tools for students or teaching tools for the teacher.

Children adapt themselves better with the advancements of technology than adults, for this reason including technology in teaching is a great way to encourage and motivate students’ interest in learning. In addition to learning the contents all involved learned to use other tools to improve communication (social media - http://www.edudemic.com/beyond-blocking-social-media-schools/)

 

What can we use?

 

There a number of private schools substitute the chalk and white boards in the classrooms for interactive Smart Boards from K-12. As a new user of technology I had to research about tools to use with my students in the classroom, below I put a list with some suggestions:


Social Learning

These tools use the power of social media to help students learn and teachers connect.










 
Learning

These educational tools can help you to make lessons fun, interesting, and more effective.

Khan Academy









 Lesson Planning and Tools

Use these tech tools to pull together great lessons and design amazing and memorable student projects.
 















 Useful Tools

These tools can help you to stay connected, organized, and increase the ease of building multimedia lessons and learning tools.



Google Education













What is necessary to incorporate technology in the classroom?


In the 21st Century it should be mandatory that all schools have computers, iPads, Smart Boards, among others devices in the classrooms to follow the advance of the technology. In my opinion the first think that should be done is engage the community and clarify that technology plays an important role in our lives; second thing is create a funding/budget to use in technology and third thing is invest in teacher’s professional development.

When I began teaching I did not have a broad knowledge of all the tools that I could use in the classroom (I still do not have), however I did some courses to improve this. I think that schools should always invest on it.

 

Are the teachers prepared/ready to use technology in the classroom?

 

“Teacher will not be replaced by technology, but teachers who don’t use technology will be replaced by those who do.” Sheryl Nussbaum-Beach

 

I agree that some teachers will be replaced for another ones, especially for younger teachers who have more knowledge and abilities to use and manage this new tools.

 
I believe that most of the teachers have a readiness about technology; however it is necessary more training to them to learn and integrate this technology into their classrooms:

 
What All Teachers Need

To integrate technology into

their classrooms, teachers must

feel comfortable with technology.

Principals who wish to

enhance their teachers’ readiness

can provide ongoing training,

opportunities for teachers to

collaborate, and access to technology

support, and modeling.


Final comments

 

The use of technology in the classroom is inevitable and necessary, so we (teachers) have to be prepared for new. Schools must prepare their teachers for the best use of all technologies that are provided for them. Besides we are doing this for our students that are anger for new!

 
  
Sources:








https://www.principals.org/portals/0/content/48158.pdf

2 comments:

  1. I appreciate how you categorized the various uses of technology into Social Learning, Learning, Lesson Planning, and Tools. I have used some of these sites and/or tools and heard of many of the others. However, so many times I feel that I am not sure how to label or categorize a site and/or tool. Your blog has helped me with this.

    Your students are 3 years old. What do you feel they are benefiting the most from in the world of technology?

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  2. I think it is important for us (teachers) to know what the purpose of each site/tool. So categorize these tools/sites was a good idea because as we know there are material for all contents and levels.

    For my 3 years old students the use of Apple iPad with its educational apps are perfect. I was thinking that even a blog is nice, as the students have a journal, the teachers could type on the class blog and scan their drawings and post.

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