Non-Computer Technology

I think that the use of projectors in a classroom is a necessary resource for teachers. Projectors are very helpful while doing whole group instruction to go over materials together and explain information every student must know. They are also helpful because they enlarge certain works or instructions, which can help for students who are visually impaired. Also, projectors can be used to show examples of what kids will be doing, such as activities. It's also a great way for teachers to go through activities and projects step-by-step, instead of using a chalkboard. Projectors are interesting, because you can use them in many different ways- both with the computer and without. Smart boards and White boards are great to use with computers, but for all other teaching strategies a projector can be extremely useful.

Another non-computer technology I have in mind is the Leap Frogs. I am not very familiar with these, but I know that they use a lot of the same features that CD ROM storybooks use, but without the computer. For example, there is sound, as well as a pen you can use to highlight words that need repeated or decoded. This is a great way to incorporate technology in the classroom for students who are learning to read, without the use of a computer.

ERIC Reflection

Being that I was only in class for my presenation and the Assistive Tech presentation, this is what I will be commenting on. I know that through doing research for our presenation, I learned a lot about how technology can be "bad" in elementary classrooms and how technology can be "good." However, I feel like it all seems to lie within how the teacher implements certain activities that partner with technology. If the teacher doesn't think carefully about how to make sure kids are getting what they need to out of an activity that's maybe done on a computer, then of course the kids will be distracted and off-task. If a purpose is set and goals are stated and known to both the students and teacher, technology can only enhance the learning experience for young students. As far as the Assistive Tech presentation, I found it to be very interesting, especially the legal parts. For example, the district MUST provide the resources for ANY child who needs them. I feel like this is great for me because other people should be taking care of the resources and needs for my students and it should all be paid for. I also enjoyed this presentation because it showed how much is really out there for students with special needs and how we should take advantage of this. Overall, what I saw was very helpful and I feel more prepared to use technology in my future classroom.

Blog Post #9

http://www.doe.virginia.gov/VDOE/Instruction/CTE/te/K-5/Engineering/


The above website is the Virginia Department of Education's teacher resource guide for using technology in the elementary school classroom. The website includes standards of learning, as well as standards for technological literacy. The website also includes a comprehensive set of design briefs for technology integration for grades K-5. For each grade level, there is a list of subjects which include English, Math, Science, and History accompanied by a lesson plan title which is a link to the complete lesson plan format. Each lesson deals with technology in some way or another. For example, Kindergarten Math deals with shapes and students are to create shapes using the computer.

I feel that this website is great for educators to get ideas on how to integrate technology into the elementary classroom. I love that there are sample lesson plans that give detailed explanations on what students are to do and learning outcomes. I also like how the website is set up. There are tabs that you can click on on the left hand side to see the standards of learning. I also like how the different grade levels are split up and the subjects are listed. There are pictures by each grade level which make the website very attractive and draws viewers in. Overall I think this is a great website for educators to use when looking for ideas on how to integrate technology into their own classroom. You should all check it out!