Technology in the classroom

There are various types of technology that can be used effectively in the classroom. In my opinion, it is extremely important to start implementing technology in the classroom at a young age. Because of the time that we live in, it is important to expose children to technology at a young age because it advances at such a fast pace that without this exposure, they could have a hard time keeping up if they do not learn to use it early in their schooling.

I think that digital projection devices would probably be one of the most used devices in my classroom. In almost all of the classes that I have taken since entering college, some type of digital projection has been used, so the earlier that children are exposed to it, the better. This also allows students to see exactly what the teacher is seeing. Sometimes, if a teacher is copying notes from a notebook to a whiteboard, some things can get lost or translated in a way that the students do not understand. When the students see exactly what the teacher sees, they can easily ask questions about something that they may not understand. I have also seen cameras used with projectors. I observed a classroom where the teacher was teaching the students to write in cursive. One way that she showed the students to write was by projecting a camera that was placed over her hands onto a screen while she was writing. This allowed the students to copy exactly what she was doing and learn from her rather than copying something down from a book.

For students at a young age, portable storage is a great idea. It is no secret that many elementary students have trouble staying organized, so if they are typing papers they can save them on a USB and leave it in a designated place in their classroom so it does not get lost at home.  This also allows the teacher to keep track of the work that the student has done and check their progress over the course of the year.

I personally do not have much experience using electronic whiteboards, but they seem like a very creative and practical way to display information in a way that draws students in. This also allows for the notes that a teacher has written on the board to be saved. I’m sure I’m not the only one who has ever sat in a classroom and missed notes because the teacher erased them before I got the chance to write them down. This type of technology saves what the teacher writes so that the students can see it later.

It would be silly to believe that, in a time where technology plays a role in nearly everything we do, we could keep it out of the classroom. Technology is only going to continue to be more integrated into nearly everything, so the earlier teachers become willing to accept and incorporate it in their classrooms, the better off they and their students, will be.

1. "The digital generation" kind of defines the generation that I was born into. I grew up in a time where video games had just recently come into existence. I have lived through the beginning of the commercial use of cell phones and the Internet. It's odd to think about to be honest. All of these things have been around for as long as I can remember but I hear my parents and grandparents talk about a time when they had none of these things. For me it's hard to imagine what life would be like without cell phones and iPods and laptops and online college classes. I never go anywhere without my cell phone, iPod and headphones and I'm actually listening to music while I write this post. If that does not define "digital generation" then I don't know what does.

2. These portraits remind me a lot of myself, my friends and some K-12 students that I know, they are just more involved with technology at a much younger age. I came up in an age where technology was evolving very quickly and I did not always have exclusive access to the internet or even a computer. Now I see children that are in 3rd grade running around with iPhones and it blows my mind, but I also understand that is just a part of how their generation is.

3. I think that there are many ways that technology can be used to benefit today's youth, but at the same time I think that, at times, we put far too much of an emphasis on it. I still think that parents and teachers need to encourage children to go outside and play with each other. I have seen, firsthand, how beneficial the use of videos and technology can be for students and I would never want to take that away from my students, but they can also learn and develop without the use of technology.

4. I would define 21st century tools as any type of technology that can be used for the benefit of a child's education. I have seen a third grade teacher use a camera connected to a projector to allow the students to watch her write so that they could learn cursive. I though that this was a very good way for students to observe and learn. She also used videos for break time. It is no secret that young elementary students get distracted easily and need a break from a teacher  lecturing, so some educational songs that got the students up and singing and dancing really helped them get out a lot of extra energy.