Archived: Effects of Technology on Classrooms and Students A r c h i v e d I n f o r m a t i o n Change inStudent andTeacherRoles When students are using technology as a tool or a support for communicating with others, they are in an active role rather than the passive role of recipient of information transmitted by a teacher, textbook, or broadcast. The teacher's role changes as well. Project-based work (such as the City Building Project and the Student-Run Manufacturing Company) and cooperative learning approaches prompt this change in roles, whether technology is used or not. IncreasedMotivation andSelfEsteem The most common--and in fact, nearly universal--teacher-reported effect on students was an increase in motivation. The kids that don't necessarily star can become the stars. Teachers talked about motivation from a number of different perspectives. Kids like the immediate results. Technology is the ultimate carrot for students. The computer has been an empowering tool to the students. I see more confidence in the kids here. . . .
Technology in the classroom: Is it a good thing? As a former chair of student council at her daughter’s Toronto public school, Stacie Smith helped raise more than $40,000. Most of that money went into increasing technology in the classroom, including buying a set of iPads for the kindergarten class, laptops for the grade-six class and SMART boards for the teachers who wanted them. Three years later, Smith regrets that decision big time. “If I had to do it all over again, I’d make a different choice,” she says, adding that she feels the money could have been better spent on sports equipment. That’s because Smith has since learned more about the negative impact of technology on young learners—thanks in part to her position as a marketing and communications consultant for the Toronto Waldorf School, a private school that famously eschews technology. Read more: Your child’s first email account> Read more: How my family survived a tech-free weekend> Read more: How did your education shape you? Read more: The end of cursive writing in schools?
Digital Citizenship - Main Page Cellphones in the Classroom: Distraction or Tool? The final version of the National Education Technology Plan (NETP) was released last week, setting forth the Obama Administration's plan for improving access to and integration of technologies for teaching and learning. Among the recommendations the Department of Education makes in the NETP is a call for support for "efforts to ensure that all students and educators have 24/7 access to the Internet via devices, including mobile devices, and that states, districts, and schools adopt technologies and policies to enable leveraging the technology that students already have." The push for "24/7 access to the Internet" falls under another the auspices of yet another endeavor, the National Broadband Plan. But the call for better access to Internet-ready devices, particularly utilizing tools the students already possess is an interesting one. Because the device that is ubiquitous for American students isn't the desktop computer or the notebook or the netbook or the iPad. It's the cellphone.
Digital Citizenship How to Use Cell Phones as Learning Tools Does your staff need Educational Technology training? The K-12 Teachers Alliance can help you plan your in-service professional development at no additional cost. Regardless of your school’s cell phone policy, the reality in most schools is that students have phones in their pockets, purses, or hoodies. Why not get these tools out in plain sight and use them for good and not evil? Here are some easy to use strategies to use cell phones in the classrooms. Proven teaching strategies to boost your students' happiness. A few suggestions.on classroom activities that involve performance for... We point out some knowledgeable educators who quickly can become your trusted... Here are a few suggestions on how to motivate students intrinsically. Reasons why a class may be less likely to pipe up and interact during a lesson... Why Use Cell Phones as Learning Tools Cell phones are different from a computer lab filled with computers or a cart of netbooks because the cell phone is personal technology.
Using Technology In The Classroom Technology has always been a major focus on EducationWorld.com. This archive compiles many of the features we have done on the subject of using technology in the classroom. Many of these articles have been updated many times or even rewritten as technology changes. That said, due to the ever-changing nature of technology, there will be articles on this list that are a little past their prime period of usefullness. If there are any that you would like us to update or redo, please drop us a line. Social Networking Tips for Teachers Social networking in the classroom? Teaching? Fifth Graders Soar in the Blogosphere Across the curriculum, Gillian Ryan asks her fifth graders to respond in writing to the topics they discuss -- whether in math, science, social studies, or language arts -- and their ideas become posts to classroom blogs. Podcasts Promote Reading Librarian Malissia Bell has challenged students to create 500 podcasts describing their favorite books. Who Is They? Blogging? Quick!
12 Easy Ways to Use Technology in the Classroom, Even for Technophobic Teachers Everyone wants teachers to use technology in the classroom. But you're busy -- meeting standards, prepping students for tests -- and maybe you’re not too fond of computers, anyway. Never fear – there are easy ways to bring your classroom up-to-date, technologically. Do you have a iPad in your classroom for your use? How about iPads for students to use? What kind of Internet access is available at your school? What do you have to do to get Ipads for your students? Also try to find a technology “mentor” on campus – the computer teacher or just another teacher who uses technology more than you do. Perfect Ed Tech Activities for Beginners Do a PowerPoint “Game Show Review” Many tech-savvy teachers have used Microsoft PowerPoint to create review games based on famous game shows, including “Jeopardy! Have students complete a written classroom activity as if it was online. Ever have your students write a diary from the perspective of a character or famous person? Try a Webquest Do an email exchange