My Opinion

I think technology is very important both inside and outside of the classroom. It connects people and makes life easier in many different ways. Inside the classroom, technology is important because it can add to lessons. For example, some students learn better visually so they might do better researching information online or looking at pictures.

 Technology can also inspire students. Students will enjoy doing something different than the "norm". Treasure hunts and WebQuests can excite students! They might not even realize they are learning. In IT 7360, I have learned many ways to incorporate technology into the classroom from text messaging to online posters at Glogster! Students will appreciate that teachers are willing to make lessons fun and engaging. They will probably brag to their friends and parents about how "cool" their teacher is!


Parents will also appreciate the use of technology in the classroom. Websites and blogs are great ways to interact with parents. Websites make it possible for parents to know about activities going on inside of school and inside the classroom. Teachers can post class calendars, forms and documents, study guides, assignments, announcements, etc on their websites.


However, technology should not be used as a crutch. If a lesson is great without technology, a teacher should not add it just to add it. Students will get tired of this. Then lessons with technology will not seem fun to them. That will become the new “norm” and how can anyone top that? In addition, teachers should be prepared for technology to mess up! I had a professor spend all summer making lesson plans, activities, and online tests because she thought the class was going to be in a computer lab. It turned out that the class was in the most ancient classroom on campus! It only had a projector! All of the time she spent over the summer was wasted. She had to print out all her PowerPoint slides onto clear projector sheets and make her tests into paper tests.


Technology is a great thing! There are so many ways to have fun and be creative in the classroom!

Technology in the Classroom: Pros and Cons

Technology will be in the classroom (because of students) whether teachers incorporate it into lessons or not. Why not embrace it? Although technology can be intimidating, it is still very important to use when it can enhance lessons. Below I have listed some pros and cons. Even though there are negative aspects (everything has cons), I believe the pros outweigh the cons! Also, there are always ways to "beat" or overcome the cons!

Pros:

1. The Internet is great for research (student and teacher).

2. A classroom website is a great place to keep parents and students in the "know" about what is going on in school and in the classroom.

3. The Internet makes it easy for anyone to log on and take a test.

4. There are educational computer "video games"

5. Social networking can be useful in classrooms to connect students to students, students to teachers, teachers to parents, and parents to students. An example is NING.com.

6. Different study guides and homework help is available online.

7. It allows students to go above and beyond just learning from the textbook.

8. Technology can connect people from all over the world.

9. Technology can be used to enhance to regular lessons.

10. Students love the newest technology such as text messaging and social networking. Students will appreciate a teacher's willingness to learn about and incorporate things they like into the classroom.

Cons:

1. Equipment and software costs can be high.

2. There is so much technology out there (and new things are created each day). Teachers need to be willing to learn.

3. Websites can be biased and/or inaccurate

4. Students can now plagiarize more easily by just copying and pasting.

5. Some technology (especially iPods and cell phones) make it easier for students to cheat inside the classroom

6. Some students might not have access to computers or the Internet at home for assignments or research.

7. Technology can mess up sometimes, so be prepared for anything.

8. Answers are easily accessible. This lets students get away with not having to think for themselves sometimes.

9. Students will need supervision while using the Internet at school.

10. Some classrooms are not equiped with technology including the "basics" like a computer. I had a class at Georgia State University (Kell Hall) last semester and the classroom did not have a computer or any new technology. The only thing it had was an old school projector!

The Greatness of Google!

Creative Google Reel

Google is taking over the world...and rightfully so! Before taking IT 7360, I used to think Google was just a search engine...boy, was I wrong! It is so much more. In this blog, I will discuss many of Google's products that can be helpful inside and outside of the classroom. Click the link above to see creative ways Google has been used so far!

Google Alerts

With Google Alerts, you can get the latest news on any topic you want sent right to your email. You can set how often you would like to recieve alerts as well as how many alerts you would like to recieve per email. This product can be a great resource in the classroom when studying specific topics. For example, if you are studying natural disasters in a science class you can set Google Alerts to give you all of the latest news about natural disasters. Currently, there are 5,829 news stories on natural disasters. Some of those might make for a good class discussion!

Blog Search

Blog Search is an easy way to locate different blog stories based on certain topics including polotics, technology, and science. Like Google Alerts, this is a great way to find different (but relevant) information for the classroom.
*Remember: Make sure to check sources

Google Directory

Google Directory is like the regular Google search engine except that it is divided into categories. This makes it easier to find information on your topic. For example, if you are a science teacher teaching a lesson on DNA you just click Science> Biology> Genetics> Organelles and it takes you to websites about mitochondrial DNA.

Google Images

Google Images is a great place to find images for classroom projects especially because it features the LIFE photo archive. It includes pictures dating back to the 1860s (perfect for any Civil War projects)! It also has a sidebar of topics (people, places, events, sports, culture), which makes it very simple for students and teachers to find useful photographs.

Google Scholar

Google Scholar is helpful when conducting research. It has articles, theses, books, abstracts, and court opinions. One of the best features is that it has a time period option, which is great if you are looking for the most recent information available. It will even help you locate the full text of an article. Teachers should definitely share this resource with students.

Google Docs

This product is a great way for students to work on projects together. They can upload their papers and other documents onto Google Docs and share them. This is an effective way to collaborate on a project while being in different locations. It can also be used as a way to submit assignments online or even as a way for students to do peer reviews on rough drafts.

Google Groups

Google Groups is a fun way to interact with students in the classroom or from all over the world! It is similar to uLearn at Georgia State University. You can start discussions through the site or through your personal email account. If is great for group projects because anyone can share, view, contribute to, and comment on documents. Google Groups can also be useful because teachers can answer questions students might have as well as give feedback on any assignments (even after school hours). I recommend teachers have a class Google Group as well as individual Google Groups for student group projects. A fun project might be to make a Google Group with a class from across the country or even the world!

Google Translate

This product translates text in over 50 languages. It can be used in any subject, but will probably be most helpful to use in foreign language classes.

Google Books

This product allows you to search for books online. If the book is out of copyright, Google might even have the whole book available to read online! If the whole book is not available, Google Books still includes good summaries or even the first few pages of the text. There are also helpful links that take you directly to where you can buy the book or check out the book from a library.

Google Reader

Google Reader allows you to get up-to-date information from all of your favorite websites! This way you do not have to waste time going to each one individually. Just add your favorite websites and blogs to your Google Reader page. You can also search topics if you want to find new websites. This can be useful in the classroom because it puts all your information in one place. It is efficient and effective since there is only a limited amount of class time.

Google Mobile

Google Mobile is a phone application. Once downloaded onto your phone, you can get the most of the products I mentioned above straight to your phone!