Michelle Loomis

Module 5

Due: 11/17/08

My generation has grown up using new technologies, and therefore it has become part of our lives. Most of us have grown a passion for learning and using technologies. IPods, cell phones, digital cameras, laptops, are all new technologies that have become part of our daily routines. Therefore, it is important to incorporate those things, and other technologies, into the classroom.

The major reason I know I will integrate technology into my classroom is because I know students are interested in it. Technology is all around us, today. From watching TV, to taking pictures, to looking up the meaning of a word on the internet, technology is being used. Therefore, it is essential that students know how to use technology and benefit from all of its aspects.

Using technology in the classroom has transformed classrooms into being constructivist where students facilitate their own learning. With technology students are able to explore and research topics that are being discussed in class, on their own. They no longer have to resort to just finding the information in text books, or old encyclopedias in the library. Students now can search the web and find anything they want to find about certain topics. They can also create presentations based on information they learned in class and on the internet, to share their knowledge with fellow classmates.

Teachers are also benefiting. Teachers are now able to create science experiences without any materials, other than a computer, develop math games and crossword puzzles, using simple websites, they are able to create websites to connect better with parents, make movies and podcasts for their students to view, and much, much more. This is making a teachers life easier and also providing great resources for the children they are teaching.

Younger elementary students have some great advantages and opportunities to use technology. The students might not be able to create a website, or podcast, but they still can use and benefit from technology. One example would be to have the students create images of the alphabet with their fellow classmates. The teacher then can record their voices saying the alphabet and create a video for the students to use and practice with at home. Another way is to have the students play simple electronic games. There are many computer games out there that help students with patterns, shapes, simple addition, and various other things. These games give the students practice on certain topics, and help their fluency with the topic. One thing I have always found fascinating was the books that teach you how to read. These books have a pen that go along with them and students can place that pen on a word they are having trouble with and the book will help them out by saying the word out loud to them. This provides practice for the students when the teacher cannot be around, or if they do not have help from their parents or caregivers at home.

In the upper elementary grades students can basically do anything they want with computer programs. I believe that teaching them the basics will be the first step. Students need to first understand how to use and make Word documents, PowerPoint’s, spreadsheets, and research information properly. After that, students can learn programs to create websites, movies, podcasts, slideshows, etc... These programs will help the students to explain and demonstrate certain topics they are learning in class. For example, students could be learning about tornados in their science class. Students could create a website showing everything they had learned about tornados for their teacher to assess them by. Students could include links to websites they used, pictures they took or found, movies that they created from experiments in class, and sounds that tornados make for effects. This allows the student to explain what they have learned without writing a formal paper, or taking a formal test. This also allows the student to share their knowledge with other classmates to gain further knowledge.

Mary Scroggs Elementary School is the kind of school I want to teach in. Every classroom has computers, and access to more if needed. There is a program available to families who do not have the financial ability to own a computer with internet access. The school also tries to connect parents and caregivers to each classroom by creating webpage’s that are updated daily. The students are involved by having the morning news said and taped by students, and is aired to every classroom in the building. Every teacher in the building seems to be proficient in their computer skills, which I believe is key to having students take full advantage of different technologies that are available. Overall this school is providing students with a great education through technology, and it seems to be liked by most parents and students.

This semester has taught me a great deal about technology. I have always been good at figuring programs out and creating multimedia presentations, but I never knew the extent that I could use technology in my future classrooms. I found the podcast to be a great way to talk to students without having to physically be there. It provided information necessary for students to prepare them for an upcoming assignment. This is a great way to connect to students when you cannot physically be there. Another thing I found to be a great learning experience was the creation of our webfolios. Learning how to create a website will definitely be an asset to my future classrooms. I also know and feel comfortable teaching students how to create their own website, based on information they have learned. I know this will be incorporated into my classroom. The wolf journal project is another great thing I learned this semester. This project will provide access for all students to be able to read the book even if they cannot read at the level the book is written at. This would not be as easily possible without the use of media.

Overall, this semester has changed the way I thought about technology. I know now that I am comfortable figuring different technologies out. I also know that I will incorporate as much technology as possible into the classroom, because of all its benefits to students.

With technology today, anything is possible. The only problem is that knowledge about certain programs and websites is often not taught. This is holding students back from creating and researching what they want. As a teacher, it is a responsibility to provide students with the information necessary for them to do whatever they want to do. Therefore, I know I will do my best to provide that information to my students because I would never want to be the one who is holding them back, from anything.