Final Thoughts

When I would hear someone talk about technology in the classroom, I would instantly think about Smart Boards or iPads. I thought that they could be useful, but can also take time to learn about and to also teach students how to use them. I hadn't considered that technology in the classroom could encompass so many other types of technologies such as websites and computer programs. That would be the main take away from this class; that technology isn't just the electronic devices we use in the classroom. This class helped me and equipped me with many different resources and tools that I can use for teaching. I am now aware of many websites and apps that provide fun lessons and engaging activities for students to use. Those are the things I want to incorporate. One specific technology that I was't aware of before this class was the movie making programs. I used to think that they were very complicated to operate and difficult to use. Now I see how uncomplicated they are and how they are very user friendly. I want to use those and incorporate those in my teaching for students to use them for projects or other types of presentations.

Before starting this class, I always thought technology can be helpful in education if used correctly. After taking this class, I still feel the same, but now I can see how useful it can be. I see now that technology can offer ways for students to be engaged in the lessons when they would not have been otherwise. The tools provide fun activities that can make the learning process fun and help bring in students that may not appreciate the usual school activities. This does come with a lot of responsibility though. Not all technology is going to magically increase student participation. The technology can't be used only for the sake of using technology, it must be used effectively to teach the subject matter.
Overall, I feel more equipped and ready to use technology in my future classroom!

Technology in Classrooms

With the drastic increase of technology in recent years, young children are becoming more technologically savvy at even younger ages. These technological advancements are all the different electronic devices or computer programs. In the classroom, technology could be computers, Ipads, video cameras, social networks or even clickers. Since technology is becoming more prevalent, and the world is depending on it more, students need to be exposed to it in the classroom. They need to become fluent in the various technologies so that they will not be confused when dealing with the fast paced technological world.  

         Technology in the classroom isn’t just useful for helping students in the long run, it also can make learning fun and engaging. If technology is used responsibly, the mundane school tasks can become interesting. For a test review, instead of only using flash cards, the students could play a fun game of Jeopardy on the Smart Board. Certain technologies could also benefit students with special needs. Another useful aspect is that technology can help the teacher and the students stay connected easier. The teacher could use a blog or social network to alert the students about homework or upcoming events. The teacher could also use that same medium to communicate with the parents. However, the problem with having too much technology is that the students can get distracted or play computer games. The use of technology should only be used for learning related reasons and not for students simply to get distracted.