Interactive White Boards (Week3)

Interactive White Boards: Page link

Teaching with an interactive white board can have a major impact on your students, if used properly. According to the JSET (Journal of Special Education Technology), there are many ways that an interactive white board can help in your classroom. "These include the ability to write on touch-sensitive surfaces, save documents, and simultaneously display multiple documents (Stark- man, 2006). Additionally, the features of the board make accommodations and modifications for stu- dents with cognitive disabilities easier. For example, interactive whiteboards allow teachers to demon- strate processes on the board while students follow along on worksheets or in notebooks." In addition to technology and the fact that students can learn visually, it can also be a kinesthetic teaching tool as well. If the teacher incorporates activities in which the students themselves come up and do certain tasks on the SMART board it will allow for them to engage and learn through both visual and physically performing tasks. The SMART board is also a great tool to teach students how to look up information on the internet and teach them how to do research for future projects. This article goes into depth about how certain teachers that the authors observed incorporated this new technology into their lesson plans. As a teacher it is your job to be creative and keep the students attention while teaching your objectives. With this new technology and the interactive white board, the possibilities are endless for teachers and if this is used properly teachers can relate to their students and the content in ways that they never have been able to before.

Turning on the Lights (Week 2)

This is an interesting article that has many points that I agree with and few points that I can disagree with. I believe strongly that today's classrooms are far to boring and unproductive compared to what they could potentially be. During the article Prensky quotes a ten year old as saying she is bored "99% of the time" that she is in class. I believe that in order to help solve this problem, schools need to allow for more technology to enter the classroom. Instead of "powering off" we need to open up the resources and the technological advancements and to relate the content in new exciting and different ways then we ever have before. Boredom and classroom lectures is the best way, in my opinion, to disengage students and to hurt their chances of learning to the best of their ability. We are short changing our students by not allowing technology into the classrooms. As Prensky writes, he is describing how students are far more advanced when they enter the schools then ever before in the history of education. This is something that needs to be built upon and taking advantage of. We, as educators, can help, now more then ever, students reach potentials that were unattainable to prior generations and students. I believe strongly that technology, when used properly, can propel students to new intellectual heights.

Beginning Semester Reflection

Technology is an ever present tool in the lives of younger generations. Technology allows for teachers to reach out to their students and change the way the two communicate and learn from one another. Younger generations are involved with many new technologies and technology is one of the more stimulating tools in younger children's lives. If we, as teachers, can learn how to properly integrate technology into our lessons, we will have a much greater impact on our students lives and learning styles. I believe technology can be a great asset and teaching tool. Many people believe that technology is to present and takes away from the interaction of teacher to teacher and student to student. I believe, in society, people must adapt and change to the times. Technology and the new advancements should be embraced and integrated into the teaching process. If technology will help the the students become more engaged and give them the necessary tools to become successful in life, then we should do our best to learn how to teach with these new technological advancements.

Becoming a Teacher (Week 1)

I am a Secondary Education major with an endorsement in health and fitness. The reason that I want to become a teacher is because I have a strong passion for the subject area and feel that I can help future students achieve better fitness levels. I also want to help students realize the importance of a great diet and exercise routine. Obesity is a major problem in this country and I feel I can help make a difference in students lives while getting to know them and teach them. I believe in the importance of education on all levels and would love to be a positive role model in young men and women's lives. I am eager to learn how technology can better my profession. I believe that kid's are motivated by technology and could learn a great deal if more of the lectures and teaching's came with better technology. I hope this class can help me to become a better educator and help me to incorporate technology into my future classrooms.