There are some concerns in our public schools with the implementation of technology on a regular basis in our classrooms. I am a big supporter of technology in our schools because with the foundation of classroom learning and teachers that are trained for this new technology, our students could take learning to a whole new level. For some teachers, they are not sure how to go about the addition of technology in their classrooms. Some may view the computers as a place to research for a project. Computers are not only for research purposes anymore. There are many programs today that can include building a blog for instance, writing a story, or even creating presentations. According to Morrison and Lowther (2010) even those drill and practice sheets that teachers like to use are on a computer and can be good for the students to learn the ways of a computer. A lot of examples of technology in classrooms may point to doing research on the computer because the World Wide Web is a place where information is abundant.
To me, group work is most beneficial for students because they learn to take on leadership roles. One computer for each child may lead to seclusion of information. If there are four students for every one computer, this information is going through four different minds and can be interpreted different ways for the task at hand. This all may seem very time consuming, and it will be at first. But once the foundation is laid down for a lesson plan, it will get easier.
The integrated lesson plan or NTeQ is used to combine computer functions with class objectives (Morrison and Lowther, 2010). The objectives should be decided first and then you should use them to decide which functions of the computer would be beneficial to your students. This plan is important so that you the teacher know where you want to lead the class and how you are going to center the lesson on the computer. Then you can help the students to be clear on what is expected in the lesson and what the goals to be reached are. There are many aspects of your class that you must look at to decide how to arrange the plan. For one, how long each day can your students sit in front of a computer and not get restless (Morrison and Lowther, 2010). Using technology to execute a lesson plan should never be the only aspect to the lesson plan. You should first decide what is expected from the lesson, to make sure the objectives are clear and what to do after the lesson to establish that goals that have been reached. A computer cannot replace every lesson. It depends on what style of learning works best and how well it can be related to the lesson. Sometimes, Using graph paper and a pencil may be the best way to learn depending on a students learning style.
Navigating around the web can be difficult for first time users. Teachers can teach their students ways to use the web efficiently so time is not wasted on search results that have nothing to do with the lesson. The Boolean search is one way that students can search efficiently. If there is not time for the students to produce their own search results, the teacher can provide them with a list of sites that they themselves have found. This is one way to make sure that the students are staying on task instead of getting lost in all the information. This is usually not a problem because schools have developed networks that block certain websites and sometimes have academic programs that avoid opening a web site at all. Another way to use the computer and web efficiently is to use Google docs. As a teacher, this is a place where you can manage your student’s projects and your own paperwork. If a student has lost an assignment, they can log on to the class website and be transferred to Google docs to print the assignment. That means no more lost time handing out extra assignments.
Teachers can also use e-mail to communicate with the parents about problems in the classroom or events that are coming up. For parents and busy family members, there are video cameras that teachers can connect directly to the Internet so that these members do not miss out on an important presentation or play of the student (Morrison and Lowther, 2010.)
As you can see, there are many advantages and disadvantages to having technology in the classroom. In order to succeed in using this technology, certain training and outlines must be created so that the children may further excel in their education and teachers may contribute to their profession by working out the kinks in integrated lesson plans.
References: Many of the concepts are from the below source. Examples and opinions are my own.
Morrison, G. R., & Lowther, D. L. (2010). Integrating computer technology into the classroom. Boston: Pearson.
