Classroom+Technology


 * Classroom Technology**

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= Description =

Classroom technology is applying science to the classroom. Technology is the term used for scientific discoveries that are applied in practical use. For example, a toaster was once considered a new technology. The science of electricity is used as a kitchen appliance, as opposed to pure science such as theoretically determining the age of the universe. Technology in the classroom can encompass an array of tools and equipment available for the classroom ranging from calculators, overhead projectors, computer projectors, laptop computers, presenters, student response systems and interactive boards, to system hardware and software, including gaming applications. By integrating the science of learning with equipment or computer-based technologies, student learning can be enhanced and advanced.

= = = Purpose =


 * To enhance student instruction and engagement in lessons via incorporating technology usage into everyday lessons
 * To familiarize students with tools, techniques and literacies that will serve them throughout life

= = = =

= Features =

Some of the key features of current and emerging classroom technology, through the above-noted IT types, will be: better, faster, more realistic visual representation through bright, high definition interactive whiteboards, immediate access to a vast amount of audio, image, visual material and documents linking to data-banks or virtual worlds, and quick and easy evaluation and testing that will be more entertaining and stimulating than merely kids filling-in blanks with #2B pencils. Classroom t echnology, such as student responders, are available to encourage active participation from all students in a manner that is collaborative, efficient and fun, as well as provide teachers with instant feedback to guide the lesson.

= =

= Strengths =


 * Encourages active student engagement
 * Encourages student collaboration locally; and potentially allows for global collaboration and communication
 * Encourages students to familiarize themselves with IT and skill sets that will be required of them for future employment or more intensive research in college
 * Provides immediate feedback
 * Generates discussions and more in depth learning opportunities
 * Prepares students for what is available post graduation
 * Allows learners to actively engage and interact with their learning
 * Provides a variety of tools for students to critically examine, obtain and present information.

**Weaknesses**


 * Expensive
 * Frequent upgrades
 * Exposes students to the dangers of the Internet
 * Need for instruction/training for both teachers and students
 * Dependability
 * Not always used as intended
 * Temporary loss of effectiveness while instructors learn to use the tools

= Considerations =

Hardware
 * Resources needed for implementing online classroom tools:**
 * Bandwidth and processor speeds: For accessing blogs, data-bases, social networking sites, and virtual worlds, enough computing power must be present for each child to use the tool without frustration. This is particularly important for virtual worlds and could be a deciding factor in their use. Of course this means a cost to the school district.
 * Continuing education of instructors: Teachers must be educated about these tools and their capabilities. Online learning tools are expanding so fast that it will be a challenge to school districts to stay abreast of new developments. Teachers must first be aware that such resources as Second Life can be used as simulations, virtual field trips, and an entire virtual learning experience. The move away from the idea that a virtual field trip is just a game or a "filler" is perhaps the game-changer of early 21st century educational practices. Of course, in order for this to happen, all of these online experiences must be predicated on strong, sound pedagogy with best practices underscoring each learning object.
 * Continuing education of administration: Superintendents, assistant superintendents, and principals must first move away from the traditional thinking that virtual worlds, online blogging, and simulations are inherently unsafe or a time-waster for our children. A total cultural shift may be necessary for this to happen. Also, since the cost of hardware may initially increase, budget concerns may be a large constraining factor. Costs may be able to be shifted within districts: one such idea would be to shift some funds for textbooks toward online experiences, particularly in areas with robust online resources like social studies. This shift can happen only when the use of online classroom tools exhibits the sound pedagogy and best practices that we currently associate with face-to-face instruction.
 * Acquisition
 * Maintenance

Software applications
 * Storage and retrieval
 * Technical support
 * Training
 * Willingness of staff to adopt
 * Level of integration with other technologies
 * Impact of immediate feedback in a group setting on students who may struggle with material (will it become a de-motivator)


 * MOBILE DEVICES**


 * Considerations for mobile devices:**
 * The Joan Gantz Cooney Center at Sesame Workshop focuses on digital media technologies in children’s education. Pockets of Potential: Using Mobile Technologies to Advance Children’s Learning, 2009, explores mobile learning on many levels. A link to the PDF of this publication can be found at http://www.joanganzcooneycenter.org/pdf/pockets_of_potential.pdf.
 * The author, Carly Schuler quotes Elliot Soloway in saying “The kids these days are not digital kids. The digital kids were in the 90’s. The kids today are mobile... mobile is the new way.” Key topics include the current state of mobile learning, key opportunities and challenges and market trends and innovations. Appendices present examples of current mobile learning research and initiatives both within and outside of the USA.


 * Challenges for mobile devices:**
 * Cultural norms and attitudes may negatively regard mobile learning devices
 * If devices are multi-functional, students may be easily distracted
 * Poorly designed devices may detract from learning
 * Trends and innovations include the ability of devices to receive location-based data, platform consolidation and touch screens
 * Some students will not have the monetary access to mobile devices with internet on it


 * 20,000 Pennsylvania K-12 students already mobile learners**
 * Although one usually thinks of cell phones when the term ‘mobile learning’ comes up, there are other ways for students to be on-the-go learners that involves a fairly recent type of classroom technology. Most of Pennsylvania’s 12 public, cyber charter schools now issue laptops as the computer of choice, allowing our state’s 20,000 K-12 cyber students to school any place there’s a WiFi network. Some families even have a broadband subscription so they can school any place they can get a signal. These students can be found learning in theatres, besides sport fields, in coffeehouses, in airports and hotels, in state parks, in other states and countries, at friends’ houses, at the library, in the backseat of a car while their parents drive the PA Turnpike . ..
 * Public cyber charter schools became an educational option in Pennsylvania in 1997. Some of our state’s most popular cyber schools include:
 * [|Connections Academy], [|Pennsylvania Cyber Charter School] (from whom current American Idol contestant Aaron Kelly graduated), [|Agora] , [|Pennsylvania Virtual Charter School] , [|Pennsylvania Leadership Charter School] , and [|21st Century Cyber Charter School].
 * Some public school are taking a more progressive role in encouraging student engagement. Why pay for laptops if students already have the computing abilities on their personal devices? Students are attached to their mobile devices - like cell phones and iPods. There are many ways to incorporate the technology they already have and love using into the classroom. This year some local school districts changed their Acceptable Use Policies to allow using personal mobile devices for educational purposes in the classroom. The response from the students has been phenomenal. They are excited to continue using their mobile devices outside of class, which means the learning is continuing as well.


 * Electronic Textbooks and Open Content**
 * Not only are Smartboards replacing overhead projectors, electronic textbooks (some free) are already an option for students at some universities, and the Open Content movement is giving teachers new options in curriculum. Can’t find the perfect textbook for your class? Assemble your own collection of pertinent information and make your own textbook (physical or electronic) by piecing together open content information from collections like [|Connexions], [|MIT's OpenCourseWare], or [|Carnegie Mellon's Open Learning Initiative]. The [|2010 Horizon Report] has a chapter on Open Content, (also a chapter on Electronic Books) that predicts the time-to-adoption horizon of one year or less. The report describes the Open Content movement as getting //“... away from the idea of authoritative repositories of content and towards the broader notion of content being both free and ubiquitous//.”


 * Considerations for students:**
 * One thing that must be considered is the access for students to become fluent with technology inside/outside of the classroom. Some students who have more access will show more immediate proficiency.
 * Computer and Web literacy must be instructed and guided to early and new students using technology.
 * Laying out specific parameters and modeling best practice will lead to strongest results.
 * Although many students are familiar with social networking and gaming sites, many students are unfamiliar with best practices regarding online research and evaluating information online.
 * Students who have limited or no access to technology at home may not be as proficient with basic computer skills, thus impacting their confidence and ability to engage with the classroom technology.
 * Teachers need to allow knowledgeable students to be technology helpers in the classroom and be willing to learn from students.

= Leading Tools =

__Hardware__
 * **Overhead Projector**
 * **Data Projector**
 * **Computers**
 * **[|Flip Video Cameras]**
 * **Digital pens and touch screens, such as [|Wacom's Bamboo pen & touch screens], allow students an alternative way to enter data into computers and manipulate data once it's there. **
 * **Document Cameras**
 * **iphone**
 * **ipod-** **[|Creative Uses for iPod touch in Education]**
 * **iPad**
 * **USB devices allow students to store projects and work on them at different places.**
 * **ENO Boards allow interactivity combined with a magnetic and dry erase board.**
 * [|Interactive Whiteboards]
 * [|Interwrite Pad]
 * **[|Mimio]**
 * [|**Promethean's ActivBoard**][[image:ltencyclopedia/IWB_011.jpg width="171" height="129" align="right" caption="ActivSlate" link="http://www.prometheanworld.com/"]]
 * [|SMARTtechnologies]
 * [|PolyVision]
 * [|eBeam]
 * [|Notebook software]

__Student response systems__
 * **ActiVotes/ActivExpressions**[[image:ltencyclopedia/IWB_015.jpg width="177" height="133" align="right" caption="ActivExpressions"]]
 * **[|Quizdom]**
 * **Turning Technologies**
 * **Smart Response**
 * **Classroom Performance Systems**


 * __Software applications__**
 * **Vision Software**
 * []
 * **Web 2.0 for the Classroom Teacher**
 * []


 * **[|AskHerePA] is a free service for Pennsylvania residents to have 24/7 access to reference librarians through online chat. This is very useful for 6th-12th graders who are stuck finding research materials, college students needing assistance, or teachers who can't find what they are looking for on the Internet.**
 * **[|Discovery Education]**

[]

= **Open Source Options** =


 * ** Apache Open Office ** - Microsoft Office replacement that include word processing, spreadsheet, presentation, drawing, databases, and mathematical equations/formulas.
 * ** Audacity ** - Audio editor and recorder.
 * ** Blender ** - 3D drawing and animation.
 * ** Calibre ** - E-book management.
 * ** GeoGebra ** - Geometry, Algebra, Spreadsheets, Graphing, Statistics and Calculus Software.
 * ** Gimp ** - Photo editing replacement for Adobe Photoshop.
 * **Inkscape**- Vector image editor similar to Adobe Illustrator.
 * ** Moodle ** - Learning platform.
 * ** Scratch ** - Programming language developed by MIT.
 * ** WordPress ** - Blogging platform.


 * Open Source Software to go with WiiMote on [|Sourceforge]**

Ideas for Professional Development

 * How to Make Technology Interactive in the Classroom: Even though teachers are integrating technology into the classroom more than ever before, teachers need training on how to use technology in ways that don't turn Interactive Whiteboards into just another static piece that students view.
 * Starting a Flipped Classroom: Class time being more and more valuable, flipping the classroom is a very attractive option for not losing material presentation, while gaining in classroom time back.
 * How to Incorporate Vodcasting and Podcasting into Assignment
 * Using Technology to Teach Collaborative Skills
 * Allowing students to use equipment, even low tech cameras and devices, can lead to creative and entertaining learning opportunities.
 * Allow students to create and maintain wikis as a method of collecting notes, assignments and projects for later use as a study resource.
 * BYOD (Bring Your Own Devices) programs are starting to appear across the education world. Allowing students to use devices which they are already familiar with can help student, motivation, collaboration and achievement in the classroom.

Resources/Publications**
[|The Wired Classroom] Creating technology enhanced student-centered learning environments by Jamie McKenzie

Future
The future is a consideration that everyone should take into account when making decisions on actions today. Classroom Technology has advanced throughout the years. There are many new tools that have advanced beyone an overhead projector or a smart board. One thing that has not changed is the goal of the tools, to enhance the learning experience and improve learner outcomes. In the following [|article] there are several future technologies expected to prevail in the classroom. Technology will utilize [|biometrics] such as voice, heart rate, and facial expression to evaluate comprehension and performance. Augmented reality glasses are also expected to have a presence in classrooms. This technology can enhance teaching media through layering data on top of the reality we see. A good example is making the Great Wall of China come to life during a history class. Lastly, multi-touch surfaces are anticipated to gain popularity and use in the classroom. The student’s desk can easily be converted into a multi-touch surface so the student can gain access to videos, tutorials, and resources throughout the world in just one touch.

Watch this video about multi-touch surface desks: http://youtu.be/uJ7z2OefkRQ



Inevitable
Classroom technology is inevitable today. That is because of the learners and the mobile technology. Today Google hangout, Facebook, Twitter Devian art, YouTube is the technologies we use as a learner and educators. They expand our knowledge, inspire ideas. It helps us connect with one another across the globe any time of the day. Education has no physical boundary because of the technology.

Microsoft for education, Apple and education, Adobe in Education and Opensource programming for children These sites offer lots of resources for teachers that how they can use technology effectively in the classroom. Using these sites as a reference the teachers can learn how to use a particular technology based on their need and time.Technology is a language that the teachers need to learn to communicate with their students. all are a reflection of the role of technology in the classrooms today. These changes should inspire the educational system to use technology as a great tool for learning and teaching. Another site that encourages teachers to use technology in a in-depth way is The ISTE Professional Learning Network. This isite has lot of information and seminars for the educators.