Get involved! Help our students learn technology skills vital for great success!
Hello and welcome to Ms. Woidneck’s classroom blog. I wanted to start this blog to get parents involved and in communication with me instantly. I check this blog multiple times a day, and if you have a question that would be beneficial for many parents, please feel free to leave it as a comment on the blog. Currently, the PTA is having a fundraiser for technology in the classroom. I’d love for all of you to get involved in volunteering your time for fundraising efforts!
I’m sure many of you see your kids on computer games and are thinking, “My child definitely knows how to use technology – and it’s not for educational purposes.” But implementing technology in the classroom will help students learn the basic skills with technologies so they can keep up and excel in other areas of their life…and even their careers in the future! Technology is not slowing down and it is becoming a major part of all of our lives.
One of the types of technology on my wish list for our class is a Smart board. For those of you who don’t know, a Smart board is an interactive whiteboard that utilizes touch the same way a mouse or keyboard on a computer would. It allows all students in the class to view the same screen on a large projection that acts like a touch screen. Smart boards can increase engagement in learning process, show information in a large format so all students can see and participate, and lessons can be posted to web so that students and parents can access lessons. Some ways I’d like to use the Smart board include a lesson for students to learn the continents. I can set it up interactively and project different colors for different continents. Students can come up to the board and fill it in, all while learning the technology of a Smart board.
Another technology I’d like to get for our classroom is a few digital cameras. There are many projects that can be done where I’d like students to take pictures and I can help upload them to a computer, and use them in a slideshow presentation. When we go on field trips and do a summary of the field trips, I want students to see what they saw and learned visually to absorb it better and get a review. Digital cameras help the students become more involved with the subject and promote visual literacy. Both of these technologies will help students develop skills with technology that will help them throughout their lives.
I hope all of you can see the benefits for our students to start learning technology at an early age in the classroom. All of my students are talented and passionate about learning, and engaging them with these technologies will only help them grow. I encourage you all to get involved! You can post any questions or comments you have to this blog and I’ll be sure to get back to you! Thank you all for your time and dedication to your children’s education.
Best,
Ms. Woidneck
Reference
Mitchell, S. (2010). Information on SMART boards. Retrieved from http://www.ehow.com/about_5087930_information-smart-boards.html
Cavanaugh, T. (2006). The digital camera in education. Retrieved from http://drscavanaugh.org/digitalcamera/
DISCLAIMER: This blog is an assignment for an educational technology course at National University. It is not a real fundraising blog.
