How to Use Technology in the Classroom

When I get my credential I would like to teach in a 2nd, 3rd or 4th grade classroom… basically elementary school. I thought in this post I'd talk about certain ways that as an elementary teacher we could use technology in our classroom. Technology has a very important role in the classroom today and can be used to teach important concepts in almost every subject.

Interactive Websites
- Interactive websites help engage children visually. Because television and video games have increased the speed at which children, obtain information. Math, reading, spelling, grammar and history can be fun when they are introduced in a way that is engaging. For instance, children might read a story online and complete a series of questions through related online game play.
Virtual Museum Tours
- In addition, children can experience places and events through virtual museums and time-line interactive video that would normally be inaccessible to them. Virtual museums offer galleries where students can see great works of art in distant countries.
Computer Games
- Computer games can also teach children everything from phonics to mathematical concepts. Because these games mimic video games, they are fun and interesting for students. The interactive properties of these games makes them so engaging that students may be more likely to learn.
Video in the Classroom
- Video is a good teaching tool that can be useful in the classroom for a variety of lessons. There are so many Internet resources that give children information on a variety of subject areas such as science, history and the arts. These video lessons can be incorporated into an overall lesson plan as visual and audible stimulation. Videos are available various formats and time increments, so they can often be fit into a lesson plan.

Technologies are developing almost daily and can be very useful for teaching students. They should be combined with traditional teaching methods and lessons to make lessons comprehensive, engaging and interactive. Technology can contribute to almost any lesson, and make learning more fun and engaging for students. It can also help them make connections to their own world and open their eyes to different ideas and cultures. In short, technology is an invaluable classroom tool.

It is important that teachers become comfortable with many forms of technology so that they can use it in the classroom for learning.

A Commitment to High Tech Education

Technology is everywhere, touching almost every part of our lives, our communities and our homes. Yet most schools lag far behind when it comes to integrating technology into classroom learning. Many are just beginning to explore the true potential technology offers for teaching and learning. Properly used, technology can help students acquire the skills they need to survive in a complex, highly technological knowledge-based economy.

Learning through projects with technology tools allows students to be challenged while providing them with a realistic snapshot of what the modern office looks like. Through projects, students acquire problem-solving skills as they work individually and in teams to find and process information they've found online. The Web connects students to experts in the real world and provides numerous opportunities for understanding through images, sound, and text.

With technology tools and a project-learning approach, students are more likely to stay engaged and on task, reducing behavioral problems in the classroom. Technology also changes the way teachers teach, offering educators effective ways to reach different types of learners and assess student understanding through multiple means. It also enhances the relationship between teacher and student. When technology is effectively integrated into subject areas, teachers grow into roles of adviser, content expert, and coach. Technology helps make teaching and learning more meaningful and fun.

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A Commitment to High Tech Education Edutopia

Technology is essential for the everyday workings of a school. Whether or not every student in your school has a computer or there is just one for the secretary technology is a vital piece to our lives. To leave out technology and the teaching of technology from our students would be an awful mistake. Technology is the future and students need to be prepared for life. I want to be an elementary school teacher and I would like to think I would use technology effectively in my classroom. I believe that if I were a high school teacher there may be more ways of using technology on a first hand basis. I could use technology as source of experiences, field trips, research, assisting special needs students, and much more. Technology could help me teach to the variety of learning styles in my classroom as well as the different backgrounds. In the elementary classroom it is in my opinion important to expose children to technology but also provide a print rich environment.

This is my mom and I on my graduation from Chico. Both my parents have always supported me in every decision that I have made. When I decided to change my major compeletly my mom was there helping me with every step I had to take. I had her full support!

INTRODUCTION OF ME

I think the first time that I used a computer was in 2nd grade. We would go to the computer lab every Tuesday and Thursday and the teacher would have us go to educational sites and play games that would help us with spelling and math. Every year after would advance, learning more about different programs. I am comfortable with using a computer. Graduating with a business degree I took classes and had many hours of training and learned to use various programs for creating presentations, data bases, spreadsheets and blogs. I would say I am comfortable with technology but I still struggle. I am good with the programs and the websites I get more comfortable with technology when I use it on a daily basis. I am the type of person who learns well with hands-on instruction, me on the computer with an instructor and projected visuals, but I learn best with written and verbal instruction. I know the basics when it comes to a computer but when it gets any more complicated than that I start to get overwhelmed. It is hard for me to remember every step to everything. Things I don't need I don't have and don't use. I’d like to change that so I know more and can help my student when I become a teacher.

I graduated in the spring 2009 from CSU Chico State with a degree in Business Marketing.

When I came home that summer I volunteered at Adobe Bluffs Elementary School in a 3rd grade classroom. There I realized that I liked the school environment. I liked the structure and the exciting "never a dull moment" stimulation of elementary school. I also was always that person who liked to give information and help my classmates figure stuff out. I thought, obviously is a good trait in a teacher. Since then it's broadened, as I've realized just how critical a good education is to kids, and to a community. I love working with students. I could see myself doing many other things, but I wouldn't enjoy those things nearly as much as I do teaching. I applied To CSU San Marcos in February and I begin the credential program in the fall. I will be in the part time program so I can work at the same time. This summer I took all 3 prerequisite classes and they confirmed my reason to change my major even more to get my credential. I honestly can’t wait until I am teaching in my own classroom.

With this course I hope to gain the knowledge and skills necessary to apply education applications including databases, spreadsheets, presentation tools, school-appropriate multimedia tools, and communication tools in my classroom when I become a teacher. I want to be knowledgeable on the educational technology in my classroom and be able to teach my students about internet and what will help them in their future. I want to be able to teach my students the necessary tools to use a computer and to have fun when they are on it. There is so much for them to learn and with technology improving everyday I think it is important they have to knowledge to do what they want.