Unit 2: How to Effectively Use Technology in a Classroom
This is a Lab Quest screen shot. Students can use technology to accurately collect data. Without this, how could students take measurements similar to the ones shown?
introduction.
First and foremost, it must be noted that technology is rapidly changing. The things we can do today with a thumb and 10 seconds would have taken months to do not-all-that-long-ago. I'm thinking of sending a message to someone far, far away. The game changes faster than you can master it. You may be wondering, why then should I bother taking a course about it? The answer is simple: Although technology changes, the use and implication of it remains similar. No, you want be using the same software in four years, but your goal will remain similar. Whether it's using a stopwatch, Lab Quest, or an iPad we need to be focused on the goal and not the technology.
It is important to not create a lesson for the sake of using a technology. Instead of saying, "How can I use a video in this lesson?," say, "What can I include in this lesson to make it better?" Technology is a tool used to make things easier or possible. While it is easy to throw a video on for Friday classes, this is not beneficial to education.
Another thing to consider is cheating. Students can easily use various devices to communicate homework (or even test) answers to one another. Not to say this was not possible prior to modern technology, but it has become easier. The solution to this may just be a shift in mindset. The Expositor and Current Anecdotes stated, "Educated people are not those who know everything, but rather those who know where to find, at a moment’s notice, the information they desire." back in 1914. To put that into perspective, that's the year Charles Chaplin made his film debut. A wise women once asked me, " In a more open book environment, are we cheating when we look things up?" I ask you to think about this.
reading.
Activity 1
The site I had linked to may be unsafe to go to. It was "The Thinking Stick." DO NOT GO THERE. The page I had linked to is a article that does a nice job of summing up how we should be using technology. It takes a look at assessing the use of technology, offering questions of how we use it.
Instead, go to this page.
answer.
Activity 1
Once you have read it please answer the following:
- If you currently teach, how does your classroom hold up to this article?
- Do you agree with this article? Any concerns? Does anything in particular jump out as being important?
- How can you ensure you do not misuse technology?
watch.
Activity 2
Ten Tips for Using Technology in the Classroom. This is a video giving ten idea of technology use in the classroom. This video, too, is old.
answer.
Activity 2
- Did anything said in the video give you an idea? Try to come up with a few ways you can use a technology from the video to better a lesson or activity you use in your classroom. Keep in mind the article from activity 1.
- This video is from August, 2008. Do these ideas still apply? Has technology grown so much as to nullify these ideas?
read.
Activity 3
Read this short article about student leader ship and technology.
answer.
Activity 3
- This article gives another good reason why technology should be involved in school. Come up with ways you could use technology to facilitate student leadership.
think.
Activity 4
- How can you use technology in a science classroom? How can you improve learning? engagement?
- What are some things we could never do in a science classroom ten years ago, that can be done easily today? Think about dangerous activity. Maybe exploring something far away?
References
Wan, T., Ward, S. E., & Harper, D. (2010). The Power of Student Learning Through Leading. Principal Leadership, 10(6), 68-71.
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