Topic 7 - Instructional Technologies

I feel as if I am being introduced to new types of technologies each and every day. While this is very exciting and I love technology, I think that teachers (myself included) can get overwhelmed by the vast amounts of technologies out there. If someone shows me 10 new things I can do and I try to learn all 10 of them, I get lost. I try to embrace one thing at a time.

The biggest change in my teaching career was when I was blessed with Promethean board. It has truly revolutionized the way I teach. As I learn new things I can do on my board, I get excited to use it. It's funny to think about what a big deal it is to my colleagues and me. I guess because we grew up with chalkboards, this is totally out of the ordinary. The kids in my current class have had Promethean boards since they were in kindergarten, so it's all they know. I think you have to take a step back and realize that a laptop to kids is almost like pencil and paper. They are like little sponges just waiting to learn something and they pick up new technology so easily!

I use different types of media almost every day. We love to find videos on United Streaming that reinforce what we are learning, particularly in Science & Social Studies. We have made PowerPoint presentations to teach people about ourselves and teach people about various things we are studying. In these presentations, my students explore different designs, texts, transitions, colors, and layouts. It is a great way to practice writing and even my struggling writers are engaged.

One of the greatest tools that my campus has been blessed with is a COW (computers on wheels). We have one for my grade level, so I'm able to use it whenever we want. You should see the expressions on my students' faces when they see the COW rolling in. I have everyone's attention and everyone is ready to explore, create, and learn.

The most fascinating project I have done with my students is to create their own web page. This was a lengthy process, but definitely worth it. My kids were able to find their own clipart, explore their favorite websites and upload them to their site, practice good design qualities and layouts, and much more. They were able to create a portfolio for their work and show it to their families online.

My district has a technology day every January and we get to choose 2 different things we would like to learn. I love this because you can find something that will interest you and you can pick something that you will most likely use in your classroom. I love the format of this day because it gives you time to totally learn something and learn how to apply it and practice using it. We have a wonderful TIS on our campus and she is always happy to work with us to give us lesson ideas on how we can integrate technology in our classrooms.