Why Technology?

All the hype is about technology in the classroom. Why all the hype? Is it really that important? Do we want to spend all this money to bring the digital world internally? I say yes! That is where our students are and where they are going. We need to get on board and not hold them back. Move ahead!

Games on my Google Page

I have uploaded several PowerPoint game templates to be used by teachers in classes. To see my Google page, go to:
http://lcox67.googlepages.com/

Educational Games

Here is a great game site for computer education:

http://www.quia.com/cb/8260.html

How about this one for Economics:

http://nobelprize.org/educational_games/economics/trade/index.html

Creating a Business

This is a neat lesson to combine art with business:
http://teachers.net/lessons/posts/1017.html
Students create an imaginary business and in art class design a log for the business. Then in computer class, they create the business cards, letterhead, posters, flyers, etc., for this business. This is a lesson I have done several times and it works really well.

Lesson for grades 6-12
Technology used: Word, InDesign, PhotoShop or any number of other software programs

Career Scavenger Hunt

Here is a lesson plan for a career scavenger hunt:
http://teachers.net/lessons/posts/929.html
Student go to a website and read an article. Then they answer questions from the article. This lesson involves technology from the standpoint of going to a website and searching for the information there rather than going to a textbook.

Age group: 7-12
Technology used: Internet for doing the searching

Teaching Excel Charts/Graphs

This is a lesson plan for teaching graphing in Excel:
http://www.lessonplanspage.com/CIMathGraphingWithMicrosoftExcel68.htm
It gives a procedure for teaching Excel graphs to students.

Lesson Plan for Understanding Computers

Here is another lesson plan for a computer class:
http://school.discoveryeducation.com/lessonplans/programs/understandingcomputing/
It has ideas for presenting a very visual lesson on understanding what computers can do. There are some great discussion questions to get students thinking about what computers have done for us and our society.

Lesson for ages 7-12
Technology used: computers and Internet

Do you have a Technology Vision?

Before we jump on the bandwagon, do you know where you are going? Here is an article that addresses that:
http://www.edutopia.org/creating-vision-knowing-trends
This is an interesting thought to be considered by all teachers and tech department people. Do we want to add blogging or podcasting to the curriculum because it is the hottest thing in the techno world? Each school should look at what is new and investigate how and if it will enhance the curriculum or if it just another trend. The current generation of Digital Natives is quite comfortable with all the Web 2.0 skills including blogs, wikis, and social networking. But before we bring those into the classroom, educators need to have a vision for why they are being brought to the classroom.

Digital Discussion: Take Your Class to the Internet

Here is another great article on taking blogging to the classroom:
http://www.edutopia.org/set-up-classroom-blog
Here are some of the things you can do with a blog in your classroom:

1. Classroom management - Teachers can use blogs to help with classroom management to have a place to post assignments, rules, etc.
2. Learning journal - Don't we all want students to write more? Use the media they like--online communication.
3. Online notebook - Keep your students from losing their assignments by using a blog. They can post it there and never lose it.
4. Class discussion - By having students discuss online, students aren't intimitated by those in class who tend to "hog" the discussion by always having a comment to make.
5. Personal expression - Students have the freedom to create using a blog. It is a great place for their creative freedom.

One of the problems to work out ahead of time is the grading issue--isn't that the issue with most anything teachers do in class?

Why blog?

There is a great article on why blog--especially applicable for educators. http://www.unc.edu/~zuiker/blogging101/readwrite.html
One of the reasons to read blogs is because it is the media that is out there. For students, they are encouraged to write through blogs because it is their world. They will write much more if they are given this media in which to work rather than word processing an article. Just as with any website out there, however, students need to be warned to be cautious of what they read. You can't believe everything you read on a blog. The world of blogs is called a blogosphere.

Lesson Plan for Teaching Computers

Here is a good lesson plan for teaching the history of computers:
http://school.discoveryeducation.com/lessonplans/programs/inventioncomputertechnology/
The lesson covers the history and also has adaptations for older students.

Lesson for age 7-12
Technology used: computers and Internet