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.