- Computers still frustrate me sometimes, but they have come a long way since the days when I was in school. I vividly remember spending all of my computer classes giving a "turtle" commands to move in different directions on a black and green screen.
- Rather than teaching students the programs and applications as curricular goals, the technology should be used as a very powerful tool to teach classroom content.
- By using the Internet to teach content, the teacher provides students with a plethora of resources that are easily searchable and free.
- Do not avoid using the Internet with the students in order to protect them from inappropriate material. Give students links to sites that are safe for children to explore. I was very happy to find a number of sites that review Internet locations to find safer and more reliable information for children. In my classroom, I plan to do this by creating Hotlists to guide the children to appropriate sites.
- In addition to being a powerful tool for research, the Internet provides opportunities for students to connect with people around the world. These people may be experts in their fields or children in other countries. Project sites such as http://flatclassroomproject.wikispaces.com encourage students to interact with people around the world to foster cultural awareness and respect. With future classes, I would like to use ePals (http://www.epals.com/) to help my students practice their communication and interview skills. Using this purpose-driven, email format would probably motivate some of my more reluctant writers to communicate in writing without feeling overwhelmed.
- If students have access to the Internet at school and at home, there are many Web 2.0 applications that replace the days of expensive software programs that exclude students from lower income families from having access to the most advanced programs. The Google document programs have many of the same capabilities as the expensive software applications. I plan to use Web 2.0 applications with students and to discuss their benefits with the class. For example, students can make presentations using the free Google presentation program.
- After listening to several podcasts, I realize that podcasts can be a wonderful source of free education for adults and children. I was surprised by the number of educational podcasts that have regularly published episodes. I can introduce the students to such podcasts and require that they listen to podcasts that support our curriculum. The novelty of this format may make students feel excited about learning new information.
Saturday, May 10, 2008
My Reflection on the Class
"Integrating Computer Technologies in the Classroom" has been a challenging, fast-paced class full of technology to which I had never been exposed before. Through the class, I have learned the following:
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