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.