Posts Tagged ‘Classroom’
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Gone are the days of simple chalkboard and chalk in the modern classroom. Digital technology has changed the face and the manner in which students are taught. One of the most intriguing ways the digital world has entered the educational arena is through the use of electronic response systems. This is just one of many new interactive solutions for the modern classroom
Also known as clicker or student response systems, students are provided a digital handheld device that they use to provide answers during classroom instruction. Instructors and teachers know that each student can now answer each question. This instantaneous response also provides information to the teacher as to which students may need extra help. In turn, students also feel more accountability on their part for knowing and understanding the material.
An example of how these systems are used includes traditional textbooks. Students are asked to read a particular section of a book. This is followed by a teacher asking questions and the students respond using their interactive devices. While most of these systems work best with true-false, or yes-no type questions, some systems will allow for a short answer.
These devices can also encourage student interaction and discussion. Teachers can generate opinion questions, which generally require a student to engage in a deeper thought process.
Students are also able to see the answers given by their classmates as the answers can be sent to a projector via the system. This again, provides an opportunity for students to interact and discuss the topic being taught.
Many educational systems are facing a budget crisis. When schools are facing a budget crisis they look to cut costs wherever they can. Many schools will cut costs even at the expense of a child’s education. Luckily, many schools are turning to parents to provide an educational setting that is both productive and beneficial for the students. Here’s a look at how parents are being called upon to help in the classrooms and help with the ever shrinking budget.
Parent Helpers. Many schools are asking parents to volunteer their time to help in the classroom. Parents are able to help with reading programs, our projects or even to help students learn mathematics skills and handwriting. Parent helpers are great way to provide extra resources in the classroom and allow teachers to focus on other educational needs.
Classroom Supplies. School classrooms need to be equipped with a number of classroom supplies. As the educational system budget shrinks classroom supplies must also shrink. Many teachers are taking their own money in providing classroom supplies for the students. However, teachers are asking parents to rewrite some of the classroom supplies that are necessary. Parents can help in providing tissues, paper, chalk and anti- bacterial wipes. For every supply a student’s parent provides is less of a strain on the teacher and the educational system.
Parent Expert. Many parents specialize in the number of different areas of expertise. Some parents can come to the classroom and teach their students how to play musical instruments or even teach them art. This allows schools to capitalize on the expertise of the parents without having to hire another extra teacher. This means students get that area of expertise without having to feel the strain of the educational system’s budget.
Most school districts have hard and fast rules about the use of any electronic apparatus in the classroom; if a teacher or administrator sees a student using it, they confiscate it. All this seems to do is make both students and parents mad. The students still bring their cell phones and MP3 players to school, and still have them confiscated.
However, there are a few brave schools which are working on thinking outside the box. These schools are actually allowing their students to keep their cell phones on their desks, and even use them in class. No, they aren’t crazy, nor are they allowing their students to run the classroom; all they are doing is trying to find a way that to utilize what the students are using anyway as a tool in the classroom.
So many modern cell phones have access to the Internet built in. Although our kids would rather play games on the Internet, they’re more than willing to use it for educational purposes. Actually, they’re much more likely to learn information that’s on the web, than they are to learn information that’s written in a book. So, when those students need to look something up, they’ve got their cell phone right there on the desk to do it.
These schools are still maintaining strict rules on how the students can use their cell phones in class. First of all, they can’t use it to text their friends; the only one they can text is their teacher. Since their cell phone is on the desktop, instead of hidden in their lap, it’s easy for the teacher to see if they are trying to text someone. They are also required to have their ringer on silent, without vibrator, so that they don’t disturb other students.
Will these schools succeed with these new ideas? That’s yet to be seen. But somehow, all this technology needs to become integrated into our educational system.
Amongst the various technological advances we can find in the classroom today is a wonderful tool called the interactive whiteboard. This is a touch-sensitive whiteboard, or marker board connected via computer to a video projector. Anything the teacher “writes” on the surface of the whiteboard is interpreted by the computer, and projected on the whiteboard as lines, shapes, text, and numbers.
That’s only touching the surface of what this wonderful device can do. Essentially, the interactive whiteboard is a large computer interface, putting both input and output on the same surface. Whatever you can put in the computer is projected right back on the white board.
That gives the average teacher a whole arsenal of new tools to use in the classroom. Tools such as: interactive web sites, computer generated graphics, any educational computer program you can think of, and even interactive video.
If you watch professional sports on television, from time to time an expert will analyze a particular play by one team, or another. They have a tablet which they write on, which interprets their marks and lines, then applies them to the image from the camera. Interactive whiteboards have that same capability. A teacher can be showing the students an educational video, pause it, write comments on the whiteboard, which become integrated with the image.
Imagine, a science teacher who can perform a dangerous chemistry experiment on screen? Since the experiment exists only in the computer’s microprocessor, nobody can get hurt. Or, how about an interactive human anatomy program to show students the digestive system. Since the teacher could zoom in, rotate the body, and add or remove organs at will, the explanation would be much clearer than possible with models, or pictures.
The applications of this technology in the classroom are literally limitless. I cannot think of a single area of study that wouldn’t be enhanced by putting this tool in the hands of the teacher.