Emerging Technology

As technology becomes more prominent in the classroom, I believe the role of the teacher will change slightly. Growing up in elementary school, we used computers, televisions, movies, and cassette players, as well as text books, chalk boards, and worksheets. Still, the classrooms use basically the same technology, just adding a smartboard, laptop, iPad, and other technologies in some classrooms. However, as the emerging technologies become more popular for classrooms the teacher will not be teaching as much. I believe that the teacher will still be needed to make the lesson plans, make sure the children are paying attention and learning, and make sure the technology is working properly, but I do not believe the teacher will be standing in front of the classroom teaching the students as much. In the future, a day of teaching may include getting there early to make sure everything is set up and working, forming a list of daily tasks on his/her computer that will pop up onto the students computer, make sure all of the students are there (although by this time they may have sensors to see if each student is present), pushing play for daily announcements, watching the students to make sure they are on task, and answering any questions that may arise.

If this is how schools will really perform daily, every teacher should be concerned. School districts are already laying off several teachers. With technology growing, and students knowing how to use it, teachers will become less useful.

My Wish List Audio/Visual Technology

I just moved into a new classroom where no audio/visual technology had been ordered. What should I order?

My classroom is going to be a science classroom with a lab setup. With limited space it will be very difficult to have several audio and visual technologies that take up space. Therefore, I will have to keep my wish list very simple. 

1. PC computer with Internet hookup - Several things can be accomplished on a computer. Many teachers use powerpoint presentations during their lectures. I will use that from time to time because I know it is important to have a visual to correlate with the information being presented. When I do not use a powerpoint presentation, I will use other forms of visuals from the computer. Having an Internet connection will also help in the classroom. The Internet can be used for Internet audio/radio and Internet broadcasts. In addition to Internet broadcasts, sometimes I would like to show a movie related to a specific topic we are covering. A DVD can be played on a computer and projected through the smartboard.  

2. A smartboard - A smartboard is a very useful technology, when used properly. When using powerpoint, for a visual presentation I can move, edit, add and delete images on the screen. During a lesson about the anatomy of the human body, the smartboard will allow me to move the rib cage to see what organs lie beneath. Without the smartboard, it would take multiple images to show this same concept, and some students may not fully understand.

3. Live cams - When my students present information to the class, individually or in a group I can tape them using the live cam. It is small and will record straight to the computer. Using this as opposed to a video camera guarantees that it is in the correct format where it can be saved on the computer and viewed on our class website. It is also compact, which makes it easier to store.

I will need plenty of laboratory materials, so with the class budget and space allowed, this is all I will need in my science classroom.

I love educational technology . . . NOT!

It is very difficult to have an online based class when technology is temperamental. In my online class for Anatomy and Physiology, there have been several occurrences when the technology has not worked properly. We have weekly lab assignments that are due every Sunday. One week the weekly lab assignment was not posted, probably due to an unchecked box on the professor's end. Another time I could not even log into the class. Fortunately, in both cases the professor provided an extension to the students. In History and Philosophy of Education, the Internet decided not to work on the day of the mid-term exam. However, our professor came up with a solution and allowed us to take the exam home. Although technology can be temperamental, teachers need to know how to come up with a backup plan, like these two professors did.

Importance of Blogging in the Classroom

Blogging can be a very beneficial tool in many classrooms. It can help students with their grammar, writing, communication skills, and even critical thinking. In my classroom I would use blogging to increase all of these skills.

While teaching biology, I would post new information, relative to what we covered in class, with one or more critical thinking questions. I would require that the students respond to the blog, using information we covered in class to make an educated post to the critical thinking questions. This would help the students create relevant connections about material we are covering and have covered in the past.

With this tool, I can also post links or videos about the current content of the course. My students/parents would be able to get on this site, view the additional links or videos for further information. If I was requiring a report or presentation I could post these links or additional resources to help the students get started with their topics. I think this could benefit the students by keeping them interested, because I post an idea and they share their thoughts with the entire class. They are engaging in a conversation with the rest of their peers, not just the teacher.