There are many emerging technologies. I am going to discuss three of them today by describing them and giving you their advantages and disadvantages in the classroom. Overall emerging technology is opening a whole new educational experience for teachers and students.
The first technology I am going to discuss is E-Books; they can be very practical in the classroom. According to an article from e-Schools News, E-Books are economical and practical. E-Books can be cheaper than buying physical books for every person in the classroom. With E-Books it is easier to have up to date current information, because it would cost less to update. I see E-Books being useful and cost effective, but some people have a hard time reading information off of a computer screen. The other problem is that some students might not have a computer, which means students would have to take turns in the classroom. It can lead to problems with self-esteem because some students read slower than others and if they are taking turns students may make fun of a slower student and hassle him or her to hurry up.
The second technology I am going to discuss is Global Virtual Classroom (GVC), this is where classrooms from all over the world can work together to build projects. This program allows students to work together and prepare for their generation which will involve working with other countries. It teaches kids how to collaborate and computer skills. I feel that this would be a good technology to use in the classroom because it teaches kids computer skills which they will need in their future since computers are a major part of our society. It also teaches kids about other cultures and teaches them they can work with people from other cultures. It makes it possible to get new ideas from teachers around the world. GVC gives you an opportunity to make connection with different cultures, which will gives you a better idea understanding of what you are teaching.
Lastly, I want to talk about Leap Frog technology. Leap Frog provides students the opportunity to play with electronics that are not as complex as computers. This company provides lots of games that encourage students to learn. A few examples are Interactive Libraries that have books that interact with the students and help them to read or make them think about the book. They also have personal handheld devices in which you can plug different cartridges. After visiting their website I learned that they have classroom tools as well as individual tools. As a teacher in preparation I feel having this knowledge is useful because I feel that Leap Frog Products are beneficial to the classroom and they are definitely something I would try to get for my classroom. Also, if I have student struggling with reading or another subject I might suggest to their parent about getting a Leap Frog device to help the student. Leap Frog can benefit the student because it is educational, yet fun. Most kids enjoy using technology and are easily engaged by it.
Overall, I feel technology is good for the classrooms to a certain extent. I do not agree with all the different technologies such as E-Books but I find some very beneficial to an extent. As teachers we need to make sure we are not using too much technology in our classrooms we do not want to the students to lose the personal interaction.
Sources:
http://www.leapfrogschoolhouse.com/do/findpage?pageKey=plt
http://www.virtualclassroom.org/clubhouse/3A.html
http://www.eschoolnews.com/news/top-news/index.cfm?i=32553&CFID=1590149&CFTOKEN=76324248
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3 comments:
Kyla, thank you for your insight on the research you did on emerging technology. I really like that you gave the advantages, as well as the disadvantages of the different resources. I really like that you mentioned that it may be difficult for all studnets to utilize ebooks, as all students may not have access to a computer or the web at home. This is important to point out, but realize that you may be able to use the school's technology lab, or classroom computers for this. But your right, not all schools have this as a resource either. Although ebooks and other technology is a great tool for student's learning, it can be hard to use because of financial reasons.
I agree that Ebooks can be very beneficial in classrooms. Especially for schools that can not afford classroom sets of books. I had never heard about GVC's until now, but it seems like another good way to introduce students to computers. Leapfrog technology seems to be very popular. You did a good job of explaining what each technology was and how it could be used. Nice Job!
I did my blog on both the Global Virtual Classroom and E-Books. One thing I really liked about the GVC was reading some of the testimonies. Did you happen to look into any of them? One teacher talked about how their school’s sister schools are in Norway and Japan. She was able to have her students talk to students from these schools across the world. I think that would be really fun for students to have pen pals across the world. I really like the Leap Frog program. I didn’t know that much about it until reading your blog. I really like the interactive books and helping the children read. One of these types of programs would be great for maybe a station in the classroom. Each of these technological tools sound like they could benefit the classroom.
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