new technology

A new technology that I would use in my classroom would be the video conferencing software and Skype. These tools would enable my students to receive additional information outside of the classroom. In addition to this teleconferencing and Skype would allow school to be held during snow days and other instances when class would normally not be held.

Chapter 11: audiovisual technologies

As an AYA studies major i have found that the more visual social studies is the easier it is to understand. I am very open to showing movies in my class as long as i have previewed them and determined that they are relevant to the class. I would go over a significant event in the textbook with the class then i would present a visual aid for the class to watch. For my emerging audio technological device I would most likely use a DVD player, but i would have no problem with using a VCR. These videos would mirror the material we covered in the book, which will strengthen the student’s knowledge on the subject. These videos can include reenactments, historical video programs or any other form of televised data. However i would be hesitant to present critically acclaimed movies, as they are not always historically accurate. In my classroom i would be perfectly happy with using an old overhead projector instead of a smart board as a traditional visual device. I would make sure the projections are engaging and up to date by only using full color projections. I would also hang reference posters in my classrooms, so my students could have relevant information available to them year round. I would also be sure to have cassette players with headphones available to my students as a traditional audio device. The headphones would be used so that children who need tests read to them can get the attention they need without disturbing the other students. I will also provide books on cassette so that students who have trouble reading can still keep up with the rest of the class. I also believe that schools need to implement some form of computer software to strengthen their typing skills. I would use the cheap e-books, so my students could write papers effectively while in school. For my emerging audio device I would create online webcasts of the material covered in class. This is an effective way to make sure that children who were absent from class are able to understand the material when they return to class.

Would i prefer to teach in a classroom with more or less digital technology why or why not?

I would prefer to teach in a classroom that had many different types of technology available to me; however i would be very particular on which types of technology i would actually use in the classroom. Although most technology is helpful i wouldn’t want to use every type of technology available just to use it. I would want the technology to actually contribute to my student’s educational experience. One type of technology i would use is the new interactive whiteboards or the smart board. I feel like this particular type of technology can satisfy a diverse number of learning styles at the same time. It has pictures for visual learners, audio learners still have the convince of listing to the instructor or have the new option of having the presentation read to them. The interactive white board also allows kinetic learners to go up and physically draw or write on the smart board. I would also consider using the data projector (which satisfies the same learning styles), if my school could not afford the interactive whiteboard. I am also attracted to the idea of having scanners in the classroom. This way my students would be able to access a digital copy of the material from class, if they lost or forgot their paper copy. In conclusion i am in favor of having digital technology in the classroom, as long as the teachers use the technology in a way that will benefit the student’s education.