Hi, my name is Travis Jordan and today I would like to give a short, but yet critical presentation on the use of technology in our school. Feel free to stop me at anytime during this presentation and ask questions.
Every decision we make in an educational setting should be based on what is best for our students. Our current vision statement is to “recognize the uniqueness of our students and provide a curriculum that will prepare them for the future. My biggest question is…Are we preparing our students for the future? With technology changing at rapid pace, we need to keep our students engaged in it. They will be the one’s using it in the future, they are the next generation.
Included in this presentation will be a short overview of how we can make technology a priority and include it within our current vision. I will also include evidence of how technology can impact the learning capabilities of our students. Finally I will show two examples of new technologies that are out there and can be used in our classrooms.
Our vision statement says that we are going to prepare our students for the future. We can’t do this without incorporating technology into our curriculum. Transforming the Curriculum Project-Based learning gives our students hand-on experiences, and introduces them to the skills they will perform when they leave high school. We need to improve our instruction from a teacher-centered to learner-centered. The research shows that students learn in a variety of ways. We need to structure our instruction to their individual intelligences in order to maximize learning. Make reference to Howard Gardner’s theory of Multiple Intelligences Motivating Teachers We need to provide teachers with the opportunity to be introduced to new technology. We can’t expect our staff to be motivated to use technology, if they haven’t been exposed to it. Teacher-training sessions provide a great way to not only introduce technology, but to give the teachers instruction on using it. Research has shown that teachers are more willing to use technology in their classrooms if they themselves know how to use it.
Research shows that there are many benefits to using technology in the classroom. On average students who receive instruction thatis computer-based scored higher on achievement tests than those that did not. Using technology – students learn more in less time When technology is used, students enjoy their classes more. Higher Achievement scores can improve a student’s self-concept. Teachers are reporting that not only does technology improve their instruction, they also believe that it helps them meet instructional goals and objectives.
What are they? Personal Response Pads are a wireless keypads that students can have at their desks. The keypads allow the students to answer questions via their remote keypad and the teacher will receive immediate feedback on their answers. How are they used? The teacher has the program that is associated with the Personal Response System. When the teacher is using the program she can type questions for his/her particular unit and they will appear directly on the main classroom screen, and on the remotes that the students have. The students then can answer the questions (multiple choice, true/false, etc) and their answers will show up on the screen. The teachers can then download the data and use it for grading purposes if they so chose. An example is shown on the next slide, but lets first look at the benefits. What are the benefits? Increases student attention Eliminates the feelings a student may have if they answer a question wrong in front of the whole class. Improves teacher effectiveness – the technology makes the instruction easier. Reduces paperwork and teacher labor. Allows for timely assessment. Immediate responses. Motivates students to pay attention.
Go through the numbered areas on the slide.
What is Podcasting? How is it used? Podcasting is information that is delivered via web radio or web video for anyone to view. You can subscribe and listen to Podcasts through Podcasting software (ex. ITunes). Once you subscribe, you computer will automatically download the newest podcast when you access the software. The user than can transfer the podcast to other media players such as their IPod, or other MP3 player. You can create podcasts by recording audio and transferring it to your computer. Once it has been transferred you can edit it and compress it to an MP3 file. Once you have done that, you post it to a web server create an Really Simple Syndication (RSS) so people can subscribe to it. Benefits Podcasting addresses differentiated instruction. It allows the teacher to supplement their material using a different media to teach through. Students may learn better through the audio or visual characteristics that this product has to offer. Podcasting also incorporates the use of technology into the classroom. We have seen earlier how this can have a positive impact on the learning environment for our school. Uses for Podcasts Supplements course content. Can be used for study purposes – outside of the classroom You can record your lectures and students could access them at anytime. Example The following example is just a quick link to a Podcast that is out on the World Wide Web. - Play a sample of it.
We have gone over two vital aspects of technology, and introduced two excellent examples of using technology in classrooms. We have to move away from traditional teaching styles, and gear toward to student-centered environment. We have to ask our selves what is best for our students. There are many pressures out their for schools to reach Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP). Incorporating technology into our instruction is a great first step of reaching that goal. Thank You.
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