Wednesday, June 2, 2010
tech tools/apps
What would I like for tech tools/apps for my classroom/work? Hmmm, definitely a class set of committed computers (like 20), Elmo with projector, classroom printer, may even think a Smartboard may be fun to have. Dragon speak for kids who need assistance getting work on computers, digital camera/video camera......the list goes on. Apps? Learned a bit about Google Apps a few weeks ago at a workshop......not sure how to pull it together yet. Probably set up a class website with student access and work, assignments maybe?, resources for classwork at least...sometimes needa direction myself. I guess using the current curriculum outline would guide me in this area.
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6 comments:
I would love your wish list of supplies - especially the Elmo. I was introduced to Elmos last year and just loved them. No more overhead projectors. No more running to make a copy of something. It's great technology and requires no preparation. Unfortunatley, I am at a different school this year - with no Elmos, only 3 computers in my room, and just and old overhead. Oh well....
Thanks Beth, I would love to have the supplies on my list....but at the present, I do have an overhead, a shared computer cart, and a shared projector which at this point are all very helpful in what I do...but there are many time limitations and retructuring of a lesson based on who else needs the cart or the overhead....Funny how the technology can make things happen so quickly, but we have to wait to use or even get the equipment. Mike B.
What is an Elmo, please? Could you direct me to sources to help me find this?
Ged, An ELMO is an overhead porojector which uses a camera instead of a light mirror system. It can project items off your computer screen, and any student work right off their own paper...think of it as an "opaque projector" which requires no transparencies....althoug I think it could use those too if you wanted it top. Mike b.
Mike, I think that your list of hardware requires makes the idea of a software/app wish list a little off. I have been researching free web 2.0 tools, applications, browser extensions for more than a year to post discoveries on my digitaltext blog I have at work (Landmark College). We do not have a shortage of hardware available to faculty but we do have a shortage on willingness to try something new. I ended up writing the blog so that I could communicate with the students both current and alumni because that audience has always been eager for helpful information. When I think of applications like glogster.com (there is an edu glogster for primary and secondary classrooms where the creations are kept private from the rest of the web), I just go crazy with teaching possibilities using universal design principles...and it is free so you would only need download the software and log in allowing you the freedom to present information in a variety of ways and if the students had internet access at home, they could do their homework in a different format - I have focused on learning disabilities - than a print copy of the same information that is covered with misspelled words and incomplete sentences. I think that with open education resources, open course, open content, open source...exploding all sections of ed into (possibly too much) in options for formats but they all depend upon a computer with an internet connection. Maybe some day in the future, some of the text book money could be spent on new computers with enough bandwidth to something like, ok lets all click on the link http://www.merlot.org/merlot/materials.htm?category=2516 instead of, ok lets open our textbook to page 53
I'm an optimist about turning our challenges with technology into opportunities..we could make creating a how to do something technical into task for the students to create.
Ok, Digital Dame, you make very good points....I think a big part of the "whose going to use technology" question is also "who knows where to find the tools to use". You have a lot of info already from what I cab tell. So yes, the more freeware/tools etc we can access online, the better to share with others, but also we must show those who are tech nervous how they can do something better or quicker and get their students more excited about learning. Something as simple as an Elmo has generated enormous curiosity in 4th/5th grade students this year in showing their own work. Imagine what a wiki could do! I myself am already amazed at what I learned these past few weeks...much of which is quite simple and all very doable by many. Thanks for the response. Mike B.
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