As I was beginning my teaching career, once upon a time, the use of technology in the classroom was just starting to hit a new level. Most classrooms back then were equipped with a computer or maybe two but otherwise, the tech was pretty low grade. Things like a transparency projector were the norm and the school had a few televisions with VCR or DVD players that got rolled around from room to room as needed by teachers. Now, many of our classrooms are equipped with projectors and screens, smartboards, Apple TV and much much more. Many of the students in my class have learning disabilities and have been assigned their own laptop or Chromebook. Our school has several traveling Chromebook carts and many Chromebook and iPad Pods that teachers and students have access to. Times have changed.
I must say that I consider myself to be above average when it comes to technology. I have always been eager to get my hands on new technology that can benefit my class so when teachers are asked to pilot a particular device, program or software I am first in line. The teaching profession is one where there are a lot of “old dogs” and it can be very difficult to teach them new tricks. Many teachers are still resistant to the technological change and they find themselves scrambling when there are moments when they have no choice but to conform.
There are a few of us in our school who end up being the “go to”for technical assistance. Unfortunately, our school board exacerbates the issue by constantly changing the tech they support and not providing the level of training needed for each new implementation. All of this could be a whole other story so I will turn back to some of the tech I use. I might have to write several posts to go through all the various things that I am using in my classroom. I will start with the ones that I am using most often and that have a big impact on the learning in my classroom.
The first and most used tech in my classroom is my Smart Board. A Smart Board is an interactive whiteboard that allows you to enhance your regular lesson in a multitude of ways. It syncs with your projector to create an interactive image. The hardware runs on Smart Notebook software which includes a plethora of interactive tools and activities. I am able to use it for many different subjects including but not limited to Math, Language, Science, and Geography.
At its simplest function, you can have text on the screen for any subject and then highlight and move text around. The text can be easily broken up into sections and charts. You can create visual mind maps for students. The students are able to come right up to the board and complete the interactions individually. You can write on the board and have it turned into digital text. My favourite use for the Smart Board is in Mathematics. There are so many ways to incorporate the smart board into your math lesson. Some examples include using graph paper form the program and teaching coordinate graphing. The students can come up and plot points and then we can extend to teaching translations and movements around a Cartesian Grid. One of my favorites is the interactive compass and protractors. Students can come up to the board and create angles using only a compass and check them. When teaching probability you can use interactive dice, coins, spinners and much more to test probabilities. I could go on and on.
The second tech that my class benefits from is a program called Mirroring360. This program is installed on the computer in the class that is attached to the projector. This software allows students to remotely link to my computer and project their device screen onto the big screen in the class. This makes it fast and easy for students to share their work and ideas with the entire class. I like to use this when the students are working in groups during class and at the end, the group shows their work and presents to the entire class. Another way this is used is when the entire class is working on the Chromebooks and we can project up to 6 different student's work onto the screen for comparison and analysis.
I consider myself very lucky to work at a school where access to this kind of technology is available. There are so many schools that don’t have that luxury. The Smart Boards are very expensive all by themselves and then there is a cost to purchasing the license to use the software. In a world where kids are spending so much time interacting with their own technology, it is important that we find new and innovative ways to reach them in the classroom and to keep them engaged. If used properly technology has the ability to enhance our student's education and take their level of understanding to new levels.
Smart Board Preview
@broncofan99, technology these days is truly amazing, and God only knows where it's gonna go next.
However, when it comes to the classroom, you're definitely right - it's very hard to change teachers and get them to the right set of mind - innovative and creative. But it's even harder to change the education system itself. When you have easy access to all the information online, having to remember tiny little facts is no longer important. Sure, everyone needs to know when WW2 took place in terms of years, but nobody has to be able to recite the exact dates of specific battles in their sleep - Google can find that whenever you need it.
So now, the education system has to focus not only on more interactive and technologically-enhanced lessons, but also on the relevant materials and learning processes - the pupils have to develop skills of deduction and innovation rather than those of remembering tiny things that can easily be found online, and integrate those lessons and thought methods into their lives. This can be absolutely amazing.
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