Common forms of technology found in today’s classrooms have impacted the way students participate in class. Many forms of technology are available to teachers; some more common tools include interactive white boards, laptop computers, and personal response systems. Interactive white boards are perhaps the most common technological tool in school districts today, and support for them continues to grow. In higher levels of education laptop computers are prevalent among students, while personal response systems, also known as clickers, are modestly mixed throughout all levels of education. Current research seems to indicate that these common classroom technologies have a positive impact on student participation.
In referring to interactive whiteboards, the term interactive has long been associated with the aspect of interaction between the teacher and the board, rather than the participation potential for students (Northcote, Mindenhall and Marshall, 2010). “The research suggests that the use of IWBs has the potential for enhancing interactivity
in learning contexts, especially considering their motivational impact on students and
their capacity to involve students in using and viewing a range of media” (p. 507). Many teachers and students hold the common view that interactive whiteboards increase engagement, motivation, and participation. Students are eager to be selected to use the interactive white board and offer answers to the teacher during lessons (Quashie, 2009). Interactive whiteboards add new levels of interaction into otherwise ordinary lessons. The technology allows teachers to create truly interactive lessons which increase student learning and retention (Criswell, 2008). Research clearly indicates a positive pattern ...
... middle of paper ...
...eved from EBSCO
Host.
Criswell, C. (2008), New dimensions in white. Teaching Music, 16, (pp.28-29) Retrieved
from Wilson Web
Kenwright, K. (2009), Clickers in the classroom. Tech Trends, 53, (pp. 74-77) Retrieved
from EBSCO Host
Northcote, M., Mildenhall, P., Marshall, L., (2010), Interactive whiteboards: interactive
or just whiteboards? Australasian Journal of Educational Technology, 26,
(pp.494-510) Retrieved from EBSCO Host
Quashie, V. (2009), How interactive is the interactive white board? Mathematics
Teaching, 214, (pp. 33-38) Retrieved from EBSCO Host
Strasser, N. (2010), Who wants to pass math? Using clickers in calculus. Journal of
College Teaching & Learning, 7, (pp. 49-52) Retrieved from EBSCO Host
Vaughn, S. (2010), Total technology immersion. Learning and Leading with Technology,
September/October, (pp.10-13) Retrieved from EBSCO Host
Technology can enhance class communications by offering many different ways to reach parents and students. The use of different technologies can help teachers to answer student questions as well as continue a class discussion outside of class. This is helpful for both the student and teacher because it allows the teacher to see which students are comprehending the material they are learning.
“With some research, creativity, and professional development, any school can stop talking about becoming a 21st Century school and confidently become a 21st Century School (Byrne, 2009).” Technology is becoming more and more embedded into classroom instruction. Some of these technologies include using Web 2.0 application, project-based learning (PBL), and using classroom response systems, otherwise known as clickers, in the classroom. These technologies offer some of the latest and best practices in using technology effectively to engage students’ within learning environments.
Interactive textbooks that have youtube clips and wifi interfacing are innovations that will help students. Promethean boards, white boards, and smart boards will allow class interactions and research-based lessons for students. The use of ipads and tablets will cut the cost of textbooks and other materials. Teachers must be educated on the proper use of audiovisual arts in order to stay current. I intend to implement staff development and mentoring in order for us teachers to make reference more inligned with the way the new generation of students learn.
devices in almost every classroom. Technology enhances learning, boosts confidence, and eliminates geographical limitations. Technology enriches learning by being able to come in different forms and do different things. "For lessons traditionally done with a paper and pencil, we now were able to do them in color, with animation, and with more depth and complexity"(McCollum). Teachers are now able to help stu...
The school has a lack of technology in classrooms which hinders learning. Technology, such as Smart Boards, makes it easy to include visual aids to help students learn and increases student involvement during class. Increased student involvement will encourage students to pay attention in class and therefore, increase their understanding of algebra topics.
... challenges the relationship between students and teachers, because technology enables learners to gain control of their own learning. The new technology provides access to information that was once under the control of teachers.
Through the use of Interactive whiteboards, referred from this point forward as IWBs, the classroom setting moves into the 21st century as teachers and students alike employ this innovative tool to support learning in whatever form they need: text, audio, video, graphics, and images. Its use has heralded a new paradigm in the way lessons are taught allowing lessons to be more visual as well as giving students more hands-on, authentic learning experiences. This new “soup de jour” in education has many advantages and disadvantages, as well as a variety of applications that can be found throughout the educational spectrum, making many school districts seriously consider all its pros and cons when planning their future classrooms’ use of multimedia and technology.
These benefits I believe include excitement, flexibility, motivation for more students, which will cover a wide age-range, learning styles, and many different topics. They also will help create a personalized learning environment. As an educator, I have learned how these modifications in technology can help to motivate, engage, and enhance the learning of my students. Thornburg (2009) “…some technologies have the potential to shape and reshape educational practice in the next few years” (p. 9). During this course, we have discovered and discussed various benefits as well as challenges associated with adopting new technology. These resources and interactions have been influential in helping me focus more on the benefits, and they have given me tools to address the challenges. This course has helped me understand that the use of interactive educational activities can promote higher order thinking skill, such as problem solving, critical thinking, and
As seen both the arguments for and against the use of technology in schools have validity; however, it appears that the strengths overshadow the weaknesses. In hopes of receiving appropriate training she plans to begin using her school’s newly acquired remote control devices which have proven successful in other schools (Curtis, 2003). She has already been implementing technology in her lessons in other ways, such as projected slide shows, occasional web quests and research projects, and video clips. The remotes are the only technology that her school has to offer that she has not yet utilized. Hopefully they will bring the ability to engage students, while helping them learn that other technological media offers.
Almost everyone attends a school at one time in their life whether the classroom includes technology or not. Research shows that technology isn’t used as often as one might think. The article, “High Access and Low use of technology in High School Classrooms” illustrates the use of technology by stating that only one in ten of elementary and middle school teachers are daily users of computers (Cuban, Kirkpatrick, Peck). Most schools now have classrooms that use technology throughout the entire class time and even at home to do homework. Although some people might agree with the use of technology in class, it is more harmful to the students than useful. It can cause many distractions, it can be difficult to use and can take away from learning time.
Student response systems, or clickers, are a wireless handheld device used by students to provide responses to a variety of different assessments as a part of classroom instruction (Caldwell, 2007). Researchers have not yet agreed on a standard term for student response systems. For the sake of this paper, student response systems will be the all encompassing term for this technology. There are different types and brands of student response systems, but the concept is the same for all, which is to provide feedback to the instructor in an interactive way during instruction. The use of clickers is not necessarily face to face. When used correctly, student response systems are a tool of engagement (Berry, 2009). Students are engaged in active learning when they apply knowledge and solve problems (Sullivan, 2009). Lastly, student response systems eliminate fear of asking questions in a classroom, because the student knows that if they do not understand the content, they may indicate so without fear of being singled out. Student response systems are an engaging tool, that when used effectively in the classroom can activate student learning.
The interactive whiteboard has been in use in the corporate arena for many years and has been successful in making impact on customers through a seamless presentation of data. The interactive whiteboard has made a jump to the classroom and has been able to have just as significant of an impact but for many different reasons. The interactive whiteboard has become a tool to engage students, provide for student involvement in the learning process and has generally made learning more fun for both teacher and student. There are many articles about the use of interactive whiteboards and there have been researchers throughout the world measuring the benefits that these boards are providing to the impact of learning and delivery of knowledge.
Technology properly used in the classroom has many advantages to a student’s learning. Technology can help students become more involved in their own learning process, which is not seen in the traditional classroom. It allows them to master basic skills at their own rate rather than being left behind. Teachers and students alike can connect to real life situations by using technology in the classroom; this can also help to prepare students for real world situations. Technology can be used to motivate students as well as to offer more challenging opportunities. It can also be used as a visualization tool to keep students interested in the subject that is being taught. When technology is used effectively, students have the opportunity to develop skills that they may not get without the use of technology (Cleaver, 2011). Assessing and monitoring students is easier on the teacher because of the ability to use technology in the classroom. When technology is used correctly it offers limitless resources to a classroom atmosphere.
Active involvement in class discussions and incorporating technology are techniques that could be used when trying to engage student’s interests. Interactive based learning provides an opportunity to become actively involved in the discussion instead of just listening to an instructor throw huge amounts of information their way. Using technology is a way for students to become active in their learning. Tools such as interactive white boards enable children to engage in classroom games, view websites, and review problems step by step. As technology is advancing students rely on teachers integrating technology into their lessons more frequently. In traditional lectures the teacher gives a large quantity of material, but if the student is not paying attention, does learning occur? By incorporating learner response devices where students can electronic...
As facilitators of learning, our classrooms are filled with students who are comprised of generation X’ers and Millenial’s. We must be conscious to structure our lessons and approaches so that we can present content in the most effective manner. Technology, in regards to principles of teaching, challenges the teacher to not only learn what the technology is all about, but to learn to integrate it effectively within the context of their individual classrooms. Teachers in classrooms across the nation struggle with computer technology, the many features, and the never-ending cycle of new devices that are bought into their classrooms daily. Because of the lack of training and severe levels of discomfort, teachers have developed a negative disposition towards the use of technology when it applying it to principle. Recognizing the noted factors, it can be resolved that we do live in an interactive world. Our job is to effectively integrate the technology in such a way that it supports, guides, and enhances learning for all parties involved.