The document discusses three articles about using technology in the classroom. The first article discusses how educational games can improve student motivation, retention of material, and cognitive skills. The second article describes a project where students used iPods to record interviews and create podcasts, finding it improved their oral skills, work habits, and excitement for learning. The third article examines how Read and Write Gold software can help students with reading, writing, and accessibility needs by providing supports like text-to-speech, annotations, and customized learning. Teachers and students reported benefits from using this technology in the classroom.

1. USING TECHNOLOGY IN THE CLASSROOM By Emily Middlesworth

2. MENU Slides 3-5 Article 1, Considering Gaming and Cognitive Tools: In Search of Effective “Edutainment” Slides 6-8 Article 2, History to Go: Why iTeach with iPods Slides 9-12 Article 3, Implementing Technology: A Change Process Slide 13 Conclusion of articles Slide 14 APA citations and links to articles

3. CONSIDERING GAMES AND COGNITIVE TOOLS: IN SEARCH OF EFFECTIVE “EDUTAINMENT” BY JAN G. HOGLE “ Educational Games may offer a wide variety of benefits. Increases in interest and motivation, as well as improvement of retention and higher order thinking skills are worthwhile goals for an instructional tool” Can educational games be used as a cognitive tool in education? Gaming can motivate and interest learners Interest and motivation allows more time spent on the game itself, which allows a greater understanding of the instructions and more interest to continue the game in the future Longer time spent on the game allows more practice in the subject area, a pattern of recognition, a more efficient retrieval of concepts, and a better use of basic knowledge

4. ARTICLE 1 CONTINUED.. Increase retention of the material The development of cognitive skills requires long hours of practice with constant feedback This can be hard to do in a classroom setting Improves reasoning skills and higher order thinking Simulation and games improve several types of learning skills such as paying attention, self-encouragement, anxiety reduction, self-monitoring, etc. Other benefits of educational gaming Gaming can help in teaching students with disadvantages or underdeveloped language skills How do you decide which games are helpful? Know that a games success varies from person to person. Pick games based on personality type and ability Make sure you realize that effectiveness of the game Know that educational gaming won’t work for all People with high anxiety or stress may not be able to benefit from educational games

5. PERSONAL REFLECTION Based on this article, I have learned and seen studies made on children and educational games and I realize that educational games can be a great way for students to learn. In my opinion, I think that more teachers should integrate more educational games as homework or in-class activities in their classrooms. They provide a way to make learning fun for students, and that may be hard to do with the normal, in-class, lesson plans teachers may have, especially at younger ages. The article also provide many reasons why educational games work. Educational Online Gaming Here is an educational gaming site to explore!

6. HISTORY TO GO: WHY ITEACH WITH IPODS BY DEBORAH L. VESS “… iPods are not just toys and podcasting is not just a fad. When applications are based on solid learning theory and designed with appropriate outcomes in mind, they can transform the educational experience for students, build communities for learners, promote more active engagement of materials, and achieve the learning outcomes essential for the study of history.” iPods as a learning device Students at Georgia College and State University experienced a iPod project that allowed them to experiment with podcasting and applications to the iPod, such as the Griffin iTalk microphone, iTunes, and blog posting. The project included recording an interview with a person using an iPod, then create a podcasting of the interview and post blogs, weekly, throughout the course of the project.

7. ARTICLE 2 CONTINUED.. How did this project relate to the students learning? It created a greater confidence in the students oral skills by having to record their project again and again until perfected iPod recordings created a greater discipline in their work habits; more was involved then typical projects It promoted more of a reflection and a way to improve skills because their projects could be watched over a over again Experts in error correction, seeing your work and hearing your work allows you to see your mistakes More challenging than most assignments, such as writing a paper Podcasting allows students to be immersed in the subject, they can use iPods anywhere Created an excitement for learning. Using an everyday entertainment device to complete the project Broadens technology and its uses in education. Allow students to see the uses of iPods and allows more creativity and imagination in further education projects

8. PERSONAL REFLECTION This article really made the use of iPods noticeable. I had no idea that my iPod was capable of doing all of what was mentioned in the article. I think that the project allows students to be creative, and is more beneficial than most projects you have in History class. I think that if more teachers assigned projects like the one mentioned in this article, more students would be interested in learning and would get more out of it. This article proved the possibilities that technology has. We have so many resources at our finger tips and in my opinion more students and teachers need to use the technology that we have available to us. Here are some educational podcasts created to help students and teachers learn more about podcasting Podcasting in Education , Podcasting in Education Part 2, and Podcasting in Education Part 3

9. IMPLEMENTING TECHNOLOGY: A CHANGE PROCESS BY NEDRA ATWELL, MARGE MAXWELL, &ELIZABETH ROMERO “ Read & Write Gold blends educational technology with accessible instructional resources that allow students to control and customize the learning environment to meet their own unique learning style.” How can technology help students in terms of reading and writing? Read and Write Gold a type of technology that allows students to better their reading and writing skills Read and Write Gold can have students or educators mark ideas, extract outlines, create voice notes, add annotations, look up references, like a dictionary, syllables, synonyms, spell check, and much more It allows students to be assisted with their writing, and allows teachers to help through the program

10. ARTICLE 3 CONTINUED… Read and Write Gold Continued… The program can read back a students writing to them to show the student what their writing sounds like The program can be available to students through various Microsoft formats like Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc. How else can Read and Write Gold benefit students? Students with disabilities can use Red and Write Gold to hear their writing using different speech outputs, in terms of pitch, volume, tone, etc to better soon whatever needs they might have Helps students with self-concepts. Allows students with disabilities to feel more accomplished

11. SUMMARY CONTINUED.. Has the program been successful in the classroom? Based on the article, teachers have said the following about the software, “The students have enjoyed and benefited from using the program”, “It has helped my students become more excited about reading”, and “Students enjoy hearing what they have written. Sometimes it helps them figure out simple mistakes.” Students have said that, “it helps them concentrate”, “allows them to work at their own speed”, and that “students frequently commented that they felt less embarrassed and intimidated having the computer read questions to them”

12. PERSONAL REFLECTION This article made me look at technology as a very helpful tool available to students with every ranging ability level and students with disabilities. I think that if technology can really help students and positive feedback is given both from the students and the teachers, that it should be used in all areas of education. From this article, I have seen that technology can only help students and it allows them to use tools given to them to create a better outcome. The world is becoming more and more adapt to technology and we use technology in our life everyday, why not use it more in education?

13. CONCLUSION Students have a great interest in technology and collaborating technology into the classroom can benefit both teachers and students Technology seems to have more benefits than negatives Technology creates a whole new world of teaching, allowing students to be more creative and imaginative More learning is happening when technology is involved because students are enjoying themselves. Technology opens up the teaching world to an endless amount of opportunities Each technology, educational gaming, podcasting, and reading and writing help software, such as Read and Write Gold, can be used in a classroom and to better the students knowledge, creativity, and performance

14. APA CITATIONS Atwell, N., Maxwell, M., & Romero, E. (2008). Implementing technology: a change in process. Online Submission . Retrieved November 30, 2008, from ERIC database. Article Link Hogel, G. J. (1996). Considering games as cognitive tools: in search of effective “edutainment”. Retrieved November 30, 2008, from ERIC database. Article Link Vess, L. D. (2006, August). History to go why iteach with ipods. History Teacher, 39 . Retrieved November 30, 2008, from ERIC database. Article Link