The new Educational Technology Standards for Oregon are a good thing. When I first started my journey towards becoming a teacher, my first concern was being able to keep up with my students since younger generations seem to be surpassing older generations technologically. These new standards force teachers to face these challenges and implement technology to enrich our classrooms. Since OTEN and this Ed Tech course, I have been learning many new and exciting strategies for implementing technology into my classroom. I am going to be big on group projects throughout the year, and giving students access to technology is a great way to promote creativity and innovation. Tools like Yodio, Photostory, Doodle, Scribblar, TokBox, Screen Toaster, UStream, Podcasts, Skype, Google Docs, Websites, and Blogs allow students to interact with each other and collaborate together in school. If schools have the resources to do so, I would like to take my students to the computer lab each week, and allow them to explore these tools, and familiarize with them in order to use them. Eventually, I would like to create a class website where parents can visit and view their child's projects and progress. Websites can also be a place where I can blog with other teachers, parents and even students because communication is a vital part of a student's school experience. I also learned at the OTEN conference that there are many resources and grants that allow you to borrow or purchase different tools to keep in your classroom; like Ipods, Videocameras, Itouches, recorders, and laptops. Having these tools will open up many doors and teach kids the value of technology and responsibly embedding it in their education.
Technology in the classroom opens many doors for success. In this day in age, it is necessary to use it. The best thing is, most of these tools are easy to use, fast effective, and right at our finger tips. :) Enjoy!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Developing the skills to effectively use groups in a classroom is often overwhelming. But with the use of technology it becomes fun and it's easier to keep the kids on task with specific roles. You will be able to set very high standards, as kids generally love technology and will spend out of class time seeking perfection in many cases.
ReplyDelete