Technology in the classroom

It is crucial that we integrate technology in the classroom for our students on a regular basis. Without the use of technology, teachers will have a huge gap between the communication of student and teacher to maximize learning in the classroom.

These days, we are teaching a new type of student. These children do not react well to the old standard of teaching that used to involve lecture, memorization, quiet classrooms, and book tasks. These students are stem from a new culture of video games, music videos, mp3 players and computers. These new overactive minds make it difficult not to integrate technology in the classroom. If you don't incorporate any technology in the classroom, you are clearly setting yourself up for failure and setting the stage for a room full of boring students that will literally do anything to entertain themselves, on your time.

Technology in the classroom has come a long way. When I was in school, technology was computers that had, very simple games, according to today's standards, that involved spelling "hangman" with a black background, on the computer, and orange letters. I didn't even get to experience the Internet until I went to college. Now students have the ability to have laptops, and can pretty much get access to the Internet at any point and time, using a phone or computer.

I have learned to navigate the Internet myself and have picked up a few websites that have enhanced my classroom, as well as my students' learning experience.

Technology in the classroom should be used to enhance the learning experience of the student. One of my personal favorites is using up-to-date videos, through that gives great videos to teachers, and is accessible to parents if they set up an account that allows student to "watch videos" and learn at the same time. Brain pop (http://www.brainpop.com/) is also a great tool to use for students. It allows students to navigate as they please, play videos, test themselves and send the results to their instructor. Finally, another website that I use in the classroom, when giving notes or background information to a lesson is power points from science. This website is great for teachers and students that want to get a head start of the information or back to study something that they had a hard time grasping before. (http://www.pppst.com/science.html)

Technology goes well beyond the use of computers. I personally like to allow students to make ice cream in the classroom. They get to have an hands on experience and this activity can connect to previous information about what they have learned from the periodic table. This video gives students a different way of making "ICE CREAM" with Liquid Nitrogen. It gives a spin of the different ways you can end up with the same product. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hKY0orWnYfQ

Keeping students actively participating in class is not successful without the use of some technology.