Technology+Reflections

Technology Reflections I will use this page in order to reflect my thoughts on the technology used in our EIPT 3043 class. __Leap Frog__ - I really liked the Leap Frog technology. I think it is a great way to hold kid's attention-spans and is a fun way for them to learn. I did notice that the leap frogs are more geared for individual students rather than group work. Therefore, this would either be a good activity for centers or for parents to buy for th eir children and use at home. As a teacher I would use the leap frog for motivation in order to assist student's who were having difficulty with reading comprehension.  __iPad__ - The iPad is a technology that kids are so interested and amazed by; however, I think it would be easy for students to become distracted and use the iPad as a game rather than a learning tool. This being said, it would be an appropriate tool to use in the classroom if it were modified and had specific rules/guidelines.  __Children's Technology__ - I liked all of the children technology. The children's technology included a telephone, a computer, and a piece of technology that allowed you to easily change from one website to another. The telephone allowed students to make pretend phone calls to local businesses such as the bakery, pizza shop, or the fire department. I liked that they included 911 because I feel like that is important information that children need and it is a fun way to practice dialing, without getting in trouble. This would be great to use with younger children who are just learning to use a phone. The computer was small and allowed students to learn basic skills of a computer along with learning numbers and letters. I think this is a great introduction into real computers. This computer allows children to get familiar with keyboards, a mouse and a computer screen. The last piece of technology allowed students to change a character on the stand that would take them to new educational website. After they were on the website they used the regular computer to navigate the website. This is sufficient because children can choose their own website easily without having to type in a web address. The websites were also educational which aids in the student's learning process. I would definitely use these technologies in my classroom because they are very kid-friendly.  __Smart Board__ - The smart board is the only piece of technology that I am positive I will use in my future classroom. I know that SmartBoards are quickly becoming more popular and every classroom I have observed in so far has had a SmartBoard in it. Knowing how to use a SmartBoard is very important in today's schools. The SmartBoard can be used in various ways. This can range from very simple, as in using it as a white board, or more complicated when using it as an interactive board. I think all teachers should learn how to implement this technology in their classrooms.  __iMovie__ - I think iMovie would be an entertaining and beneficial way for student's to have their voices heard. It would be fun to make a class movie. Most of the technology would be used by the teacher but the children would be able to help record and use their creative acting skills. This give children ownership of the project and hopefully it would make them want to engage more in their learning and discovery while working on the video.  __Kidspiration__ - I really like kidspiration. I think it is an excellent learning tool for students because it is so kid-accessible. I like how you can create a map or web, then make comments on each part, and then apply it to a word document. It appropriately models the writing process for students in a fun, interactive way. I wish this would have been around when I was in school.