Reflection #1

Integrating Technology Into the Classroom, by Melissa Kelly.



What?

Kelly talks about technology in the classroom and the main reasons for having it. She says the first and most important reason is for research. There aren't enough non-internet sources for children to use in schools especially when researching obscure topics.

The second reason is for creating websites. Kelly says this is a great way to integrate technology into the classroom. Kids get excited about it and it's great for posting students' work, such as essays and poems, novel critiques, forums, etc. to be shared with others. Kelly also posts a link to help you figure out how to create a website.

The third reason for technology in the classroom is for online assessment. Kelly advises that this be used by those with knowledge of the internet, but that it is good for helping the teacher to grade online (or have self graded tests).

So What?

Kelly makes a good point about the uses of technology in the classroom - mainly the internet. The convenience of it as opposed to using the library is a huge factor. You don't have to remove the entire class to another location wasting time getting everyone there, set up and then getting them back. If a students asks a question in class you don't know the answer to, you can look it up on the internet in a couple seconds or have the student look it up.

Kelly lists a number of legitimate concerns for having the internet in classrooms, but answers each of those concerns with a solution. One of those concerns that I would have to agree with is time. How do teachers get everything done they need to and still think about getting technology involved? Kelly's answer is to just have one project a year that the class works on. This can be creating a website or simply using the internet as a resource. I think she makes a good point. Just because there is pressure to integrate technology into the classroom does not mean that every aspect of your class needs to be integrated. Start out slow and choose one thing to work on.

What Now?

I would imagine that at least in western WA, most classes are linked to the internet. I may be wrong. If a school I was working at did not have that kind of technology, I would strongly suggest it, perhaps using some of Kelly's counter-arguments for some of the concerns. She even has a link to companies that provide grants for technology to schools who don't have the money for it.

It seems to me that schools would want to be up on the latest technology and internet is just the tip of the iceberg. If they aren't even equipped with that, we are doing our students a dis-service and inhibiting them from learning all that they can. Internet in the classroom is a great starting point and then perhaps ease them into maybe getting SmartBoards, video cameras and other technology.