Using images in Education….!

Watching the slide show “using images in edu’ encouraged myself as a practicing teacher to use images in the classroom. This may involve the sue of Flickr or PowerPoint presentations. It was stated that images allow a child to remember and to process new information into images. This allows a child to continuously recognise what is being learned. As children learn from their experiences, images are able to provide children with these important experiences. i believe images are a great way to introduce a subject, create opinions, encourage critical thinking and stimulate students writing and extend their language. With the use of digital images within specific KLA’s will provide teachers with specific support needed within a lesson. For example, during an art lesson, students curiosity and creativity may be encouraged by images on specific topics or other artists.

However, a teacher needs to take into consideration of what images are chosen, the layout and what description is provided for each image used. This will enable positive use of image within the classroom.

Images will increase the use of the right-hand side of the brain and generate response in the left- the ultimate goal in educational lessons!!!

Smartboards improve student performance???

The article ‘ Study links interactive whiteboards to improved student performance’ discusses the use of smartboards in the classroom and the overwhelming positive results in maths, english and science have had. It states that ’student performance in maths, english and science have improved considerably between 2002-2006′. This obvious due to the hands-on activities students are able to do within the class. Students are able to use softwares and media, in front of the entire class to demonstrate ways to master the knowledge of these KLA’s. Smartboards have greatly increased the confidence of teacher with the use of IT as well as teaching in general. Smartboards offer a physical interpretation of what the student’s are trying to learning. Instead of the teacher trying to explain what is expected during a specific lesson, students can be shown. Maths, english and science are key KLA’s in using the smartboards as online activities and worksheets are used to demonstrate examples rather than teacher diagrams on the chalkboard. With the continued use of smartboards both students and teacher will greatly benefit from the use.

Facilitating Technology in the Classroom

I recently read a post on the blog ‘facilitating technology in the classroom’. This blog discusses the interesting and important ways to introduce technology into the classroom. This blog discussed the advantages of using media such as Photo story3 and Podcasts within the classroom. I believe that this would be a great idea and movement in the future for education. Enabling students to create their own individual work with media will generate motivation and expand their use of technology and creativity. However, consideration needs to be taken into account. Students defiantly will enjoy the use of technology with other KLA’s, however the practicing teacher needs to manage their teaching activities with the prescribed curriculum of those KLA’s involved, needs to manage time and restrict the use of these media software. This will allow students to increase their knowledge in softwares as well as allow them to expand their knowledge of education in other ways other than paper and pencil. The use of blogs by students could be a great use of communication. Students can learn of their homework and what is expected of them, as well as parents being able to communicate with the teacher and understand what is expected of their child. Therefore i believe that technology should be incorporated into the classroom as a positive means of education.

Online Schooling

I recently read the article ‘Kansas launches tuition-free online public high school’ posted on The Journal. I decided to make a post on this article as i believe it is important and would be great in Australia. Although this article is based on High school i believe that primary students should also be provided with the opportunity to learn and study through the internet. This article discusses the ability for disabled, home-schooled and students who lives in rural areas an opportunity to learn at an equal level to those students who attend the schools. The great choice of providing this opportunity for free would allow students who have financial difficulties to learn in an ample amount of time. The article also states that schools will provide laptops and riemberce the cost of the internet which is so intriguing and positive. This gives ALL students the opportunity to learn and enhance their education. This idea would be great in Australia. Students who have language difficulties would be able to learn off their computers and not fall behind, students are able to educational learn through technology and would give students who are unable to attend schools the ability to learn throughout the entire year. Limitations in this concept is that teachers already have a lack of time to teach students and are constantly using their own time, thus in using the online tutorials the teachers would have to use a lot of their own personal time. Another limitation is that students may not follow learning outcomes and indicators and become distracted. However overall i believe that providing students who are disadvantaged the ability to learn at home, using technology, is defiantly a great concept.

Laptops in schools to improve reading, writing and independence

Recently i read the article ‘Study shows classroom laptops can improve reading skills’ posted on k-12 computing blueprint. When reading this article i was intrigued by the statements made concerning the positive effects of laptops in schools. The article states that laptops allow less teacher talk time and more individual and group work time. I also believe that laptops will allow less teacher talk time whereby students are able to research and follow easy instructions and complete on task work. However, my concern with laptops in the classroom is that children will be constantly distracted by the computers and will therefore fall off tasks. The article also states that the students will find learning “more interesting and motivating”. This is defiantly true, however teachers will need to be well aware of each individual’s participation in the class and their ability to stay on task. Therefore i feel as a teacher i would encourage the use of laptops in the classroom, thus introducing technology in the classroom. However teachers need to maintain strict guidelines and restrict the use of laptops to specific learning activities, timing and/or KLAs.

Vod Post

This is my Vod Past which i created on the 13/03/08. I discuss the use of coolmaths.com a website great for students to use to encourage mathematics in the classroom and home.

pheebs.mp4