Technology in the Classroom

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Technology in the Classroom
Past Present
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What is technology?

• technology (n) applied science or a
  technical method of achieving a practical purpose

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Misconceptions

• Technology is inherently good or bad
• The only good technology is hi-tech
• Technology will make teachers obsolete

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Types of Technology

• High Technology
• Computers
• Databases
• Search engines
• Email
• Wireless
• Electronic files

• Low Technology
• Blackboard (the traditional squeeky kind, not our
  grading software)
• Card catalogues
• Snail mail
• Paper clips/staplers
• Filing cabinets/ paper files

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The Average School

• Mixture of modern and obsolete computers
• No formal strategy for replacement
• Internet- uncertain speeds

• Television
• VCR
• DVD
• Graphing Calculators
• Scientific Equipment
• Tape recorder
• Overhead Projectors
• And all expected
• low technology

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What we need

• Technology does no good if teachers do not know
  how to use it!
• How do we get teachers to use the available
  technology?

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Training Methods

• College Courses
• Workshops
• Self Instruction
• Peer tutoring
• Students and others
• Online

Has your education prepared you to use all of
these?
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The Internet
The Most Powerful Research Tool Currently
Available
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What is the Internet?

• International collection of computer networks
• Estimated 700 million users in more 200 countries
  and principal territories (1/9th of world
  population)
• No one company or country owns it
• Google searches over 8 billion websites in less
  than 0.5 seconds
• Commitment to share resources

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Internet in the Schools

• Expect the unexpected- Practical internet
  connection speeds?
• Virtually all public schools are internet
  connected
• 92 of classrooms are connected
• 96 of town, 93 of rural, and 88 of city school
  rooms are connected to the internet
• Internet Computer/student ratio 1998 12 to 1
  2002 5 to 1
• NCES Fast Facts Website Links

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Whats being done?

• The U.S. Department of Education Technology Plan
• National Technology Plan PDF file Website link
• page 28-State Initiatives Virginia is one of the
  leading states.

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National Education Technology Plan Seven Major
Action Steps and Recommendations

• 1. Strengthen Leadership
• 2. Consider Innovative Budgeting
• 3. Improve Teacher Training
• 4. Support E-learning and Virtual Schools
• 5. Encourage Broadband Access
• 6. Move Toward Digital Content
• 7. Integrate Data Systems

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Final Thoughts

• Is this class helping to prepare you to face the
  challenges of technological awareness in the
  classroom?

• This doesnt mean everyday, but on a frequent
  basis.

• Technology is here to stay and teachers need
  to learn how to incorporate technology into the
  classroom.

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The Future of Educational Technology
I do not fear computers. I fear lack of them.
-- Isaac Asimov
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Network Computing

• What is it?
• Within a classroom
• Within a school
• Within a school system

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Laptops/Desktop Computers

• Per student
• At each desk
• Loan Programs

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Software Packages

• Word Processing
• Internet Access
• Database
• Minimal requirements

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Staffing Questions

• Differentiated Staffing
• Training

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Costs

• Substantial Investment
• Viability
• Worth

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Classroom Application
Computers are useless, they can only give you
answers. -- Pablo Picasso
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Why

• Student Needs
• Education Needs

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When

• Now
• Future

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How

• HTML
• Topical web searches
• Treasure hunts
• Virtual field trips
• Image searching/creation
• Vacation planning
• Written interaction

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HTML

• According to the Virginia SOLs, all eighth grade
  students will be able to use HTML to create web
  pages.

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Topical web searches

• Utilizes the World Wide Web and the Internet to
  research any number of topics and activities.
• Useful for both teachers and students

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Treasure hunts

• Allows teachers to narrowly define what the
  student will be researching.
• Gives students definition in many skills

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Virtual field trips

• Similar in design to Treasure hunts, but these
  are more narrowly focused still.
• Designed as group activities
• Great for Study Guides

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Image searching/creation

• Activity designed to give students artistic
  reign over images.
• Greater capabilities with computers than are
  normally seen in art classes. Less messy too.

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Vacation planning

• Interdisciplinary unit designed to create a
  fictional trip to any given destination.
• Allows use of varying degrees of technology

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Written interaction

• Allows real time and asynchronous communications
  between people at a distance using chat room and
  ICQ technology

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Closing Thoughts

• Technology is dominated by two types of people
  those who understand what they do not manage, and
  those who manage what they do not understand.
• -- Anonymous

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Closing Thoughts

• If automobiles had followed the same development
  cycle as the computer, a Rolls-Royce would today
  cost 100, get a million miles per gallon, and
  explode once a year, killing everyone inside.
• -- Robert Cringely

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Closing Thoughts

• The most overlooked advantage to owning a
  computer is that if they foul up there's no law
  against whacking them around a little.
• -- Porterfield

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