Training Technology Using To Kill A Mockingbird

Final Project:

I am presenting some Selected Guided Practice Activities for Teaching to Kill a Mockingbird with help from Technology. Although I like to think that my students have been exposed to a wealth of pedagogical strategies during their participation in my Methods for teaching High School and High School Alternative American Literature they still ask questions about how one weaves these strategies together to help students interact with and make meaning from a longer work of fiction. Provided below are a sequence of selected guided practice activities one might implement before, during, and after the reading of Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird. They are culled from the suggestions of a number of Writing Project teachers. They are presented in bullets as a skeleton plan for a literature unit rather than as a full-fledged demonstration lesson and they culminate with various options for writing without taking any specific writing task through the process to completion. (Note: Page numbers referred to are from the 35th Anniversary edition, 1995, Harper Collins.) We will follow the standard TEKS E.1 All students will read and comprehend general and technical material.E2. Read with developing fluency a variety of texts, such as novels, poetry, drama, essays, research texts, technical manuals, and documents.E5. Respond personally, analytically, and critically to a variety of oral, visual, written, and electronic texts, providing examples of how texts influence their lives and their role in society.

 

 

 

Lesson 1: Prereading

 

·         Before starting to read To Kill a Mockingbird, ask students to read “The Sneetches” by Dr. Seuss or, better yet, show the video. “The Sneetches” is the tale of how the StarBelly Sneetches discriminate against the Plain-Belly Sneetches, excluding them from games and weenie roasts, and how Sylvester McMonkey McBean bilks the town out of all of its money by putting on and/or removing stars on the persons of Sneetches to the point that no one can any longer tell who’s who. Ask students to do a quick write in reaction to the story. They may be reminded of the holocaust, write about prejudice in general, or focus on who the Star-Bellies are at their school. Have students share in small groups and then discuss the themes of the story as a whole class.

 

·         Create a context for the novel by reviewing the time frame in which the novel was written (in the 1950s during the Civil Rights Movement) and the time frame it focuses on (the Great Depression of the 1930s). Scott Foresman (Lange, 1997) has an excellent Novel Works Kit on Mockingbird complete with biographical information on the author, memorabilia from the 1930s (including sheet music for songs, photographs, a letter to Eleanor Roosevelt, an anti-lynching poster, newspaper articles on the Scottsboro case, etc.), color art transparencies, a time line, etc. Give small groups several documents each and have them teach the class what they have learned, using power point. After groups report, ask students to turn to a partner and relate what had just been shared to their reading of “The Sneetches.”

 

During Reading

 

Chapters 1-8

·         Read the first three paragraphs of Chapter 1 aloud.

·         Ask students:

·         What kind of a narrator does this novel have? How do you know?

·         Do you agree that this story will be a flashback? Why or why not?

·         You have already been introduced to five characters. Who are they and what is their relationship to one another?

·         What events will the novel trace?

·         How does the writer arouse your curiosity and build suspense?

·         Have students stand and follow the description in paragraph one to imitate Jem’s injury. This may increase their investment in finding out what happens.

·         As students are reading Chapters 1-8, ask them to create character charts for Scout, Jem, Dill, Boo, Calpurnia, Atticus, and Walter. The character chart should include:

·         Character’s name • A quote describing the character’s appearance

·         A quote spoken by or about the character that shows personality

·         A one sentence description showing the reader’s thoughts/ideas/ reflections/speculations about the character

·         After students read Chapter 1-8, have them reread the description of Maycomb on pages 5-6 and find other details about Maycomb from the subsequent reading. Then, ask them to draw a picture of Maycomb, using details from the text in their sketches. (Students can turn this sketch into a map when they read Chapters 9-10) here they will use Glogster.

 

Pose this journal activity:

 

Imagine you are Boo Radley at the end of Chapter 8. In his voice, write a diary entry using Inspiration of what is happening from Boo’s point of view. Include mention of specific encounters between you (Boo) and the children. You will need to draw inferences about Boo’s diction…keeping in mind the background information we have on him.

 

Chapters 9-16 • Ask students to make a Time Line of the events in these chapters again they will either use a graphic organizer or Glogster to perform this task. (Glogster was developed in 2007 as a social network for teenagers allowing users to create free interactive posters - glogs. Glog®, short for graphic blog, is an online interface for mixing text, audio, video, images, graphics and more. Glogs provide canvas freedom with portrait and landscape options, an editing tool and simple drag & drop function for adding media. Glogster EDU was launched in 2009 to serve the educational community. Glogster EDU allows teachers and pupils to use glogs as instructional aids and share their glogs in private virtual classroom.)

 

·         Give students these study questions to respond to: • Scout is involved in three altercations in these chapters. Two are physical, one is not. Describe each and explain their relationship to the larger context of the novel.

 

·         Why do the people of Maycomb resent Atticus for defending Tom Robinson?

Lesson Two: Background research on Encarta.

·         Use the Encarta CD Rom in the library. It is designed to help your understanding of the book by giving you background details on the historical and geographical setting.

Lesson Three: Video: English Video Classroom

Ÿ  You can show the first 7 minutes of video.  The video should include details about the author and how her personal experience is used in the novel background to the problems in "The South" and the role of the book in raising public consciousness about civil rights. Students take notes as necessary.  Class discussion of any points can be raised.

Ÿ  Vocabulary: teacher places a range of words on the board (e.g. prejudice, fanaticism, discrimination, racism, bias, bigotry, intolerance, injustice, and so on. Gives students 10 minutes to look up words in dictionary and put them Quizlet for later reference to study and then discuss the differences so students gain a clear understanding of the ideas behind the terms, in order to enhance understanding of their reading. (Quizlet is a lightning fast way to memorize vocabulary lists. It's like flashcards, but much more fun and interactive)

Ÿ  Teacher hands out texts and reading schedule.

Ÿ  Teacher hands each student handout # 2 "poetry on prejudice". Explain that this will help alert them to one of the themes of the novel, and also give them extra experience putting together static images, (as I intend to undertake a study of static images later in the year).  Teacher goes over handout and draws students' attention to requirements of the assessment, discussing the visual and language techniques as detailed on the handout.

Teacher places students into pairs, they are to spend the rest of their period

discussing rough drafts and how they might go about communicating their ideas

visually. They can work together using Inspiration: So what is Inspiration 9

It is used for visual mapping, outlining, writing and making presentations, use Inspiration® 9, the ultimate thinking and learning tool. Brainstorm ideas, structure your thoughts and visually communicate concepts to strengthen understanding with the Diagram and Map Views. To take notes, organize information, and structure writing for plans, papers and reports, use the integrated Outline View to focus on main and supporting ideas and to clarify thinking in written form. With Inspiration's Presentation Manager, transform your diagrams, mind maps and outlines into polished presentations that communicate ideas clearly and demonstrate understanding and knowledge.

• Homework: students are to come to class with a rough sketch of their static

image, with such details as layout, color, symbol and font clearly indicated, ready for peer response next period.

                Footnote: English Video Classroom is available from You-tube or

 

Ÿ  The Culminating Activity is a Jeopardy Final Exam covering the To Kill a Mockingbird Unit. The exam is scored according to the percentage of correct answers.

Ÿ  Have students take the post-test.

Assessment

The pre and post-test is a true and false test that covers the objectives for the To Kill a Mockingbird unit. The pre and post-test are graded according to the percentage of correct answers. The Final Exam is a scantron test that includes multiple choice, true and false, and matching questions. In addition, there is a writing component for the Final Exam.

Results

The results of the pre and post-tests indicated that the students improved their knowledge and the Final Exam scores also reflected that most students met the objectives.

Resources

Ÿ  Looking Closely at the Novel

Ÿ  Student Survival Guide to KLMB

Ÿ  To Kill A Mockingbird: Growing Up in the 1930s

Ÿ  To Kill A Mockingbird - Teacher Guide

Ÿ  To Kill A Mockingbird Teacher Resources

Ÿ  Pre and Post-Test

Ÿ  Final Exam

Student Handout # 2 "Poetry on Prejudice" (Contact Instructor for a copy)

 

 

 

Cognitive Learning Theory and how it relates to Technology Integration

Cognitive learning theory has always focused on how students process information and the best educational strategies educators can use to promote student understanding of material. I incorporate various technologies to highlight the diverse cognitive needs of individual students and promote knowledge that is easily accessible and promoted to long-term memory to be continually referenced as new knowledge which is scaffolded with already learned material. As educators we should stay continually abreast of current and new technological innovations as they can assist in greater acquisition of knowledge by the student and create more unique and creative learning experiences. It is up to us to vary our teaching strategies with the understanding that individual students process information in unique ways.

My students are no longer satisfied with learning through pencil, paper, and a book. They are surrounded by a world of increasing technology. Since that is the case, the job of an educator is to bring those same experiences into the classroom. Technology is the key to the cognitive learning theory of helping students create long term memory in retaining subject content. Our goal as educators is to change short term memory into long term memory. We want students to be able to easily remember what they have learned.

Using cues, questions and advanced organizers will help this connection to take place. Graphic organizers are something that we use daily in the classroom. There is not a better way to organize our thoughts or ideas during a lesson. These organizers lend themselves to technology use. Often times we create a graphic organizer through the use of Microsoft Word or Excel Spreadsheets. This goes hand in hand with summarizing and note taking as well. Students are summarizing information as they use a graphic organizer. This is note taking, without just copying something off of the board. These organizers “focus on enhancing students’ ability to retrieve, use, and organize information about a topic”

Students can process limited amounts of information at any given point in a class, but that information is far more likely to be retained in long-term memory if the information begin presented is paired with a unique experience or relies upon multiple sensory inputs during presentation Organizing and brainstorming software, such as Kidspiration, allow learners to add and organize information as it is being introduced.  This supports the idea that declarative facts are stored in long-term memory, and that long-term memory is improved by the connections made between ideas.  If data is not organized going in, retrieval will be more difficult or impossible.  Using organizing software also can give that visual picture. Virtual field trips takes this one step further and gives the episodic experience that helps with long-term memory.  If students are able to view important historical places online or take a live tour of a museum, that long-term memory will be strengthened and that concept will have a much more chance of being recalled at a later date. 

As a multiple core teacher, I was interested in how I could apply cognitive learning theory to my different classes, specifically math.  In reflecting on my own teaching, I realized that thinking through a problem out loud, which I do frequently with my students, supports the creation of an episodic memory for my students, especially if I am lucky enough to give my out-loud thought process the right amount of humor and able to make it interesting.  This is an important realization as I think it is important to realize some of these techniques are already being practiced in class, and now I have reason and theory behind them. 

 

 

My Understanding of the Constructivist Theory

The constructivist theory takes a key role in integrating technology. As stated, by Berryman (1994) “one aspect of constructivism is the social collaboration that takes place. Collaboration is a key in applying constructivist principles, whether the collaboration take place between teacher and student, or student to student.” As a teacher we, provide the scaffolding and support for students to acquire the appropriate skill. Collaboration is also not limited to one physical classroom. With the World Wide Web, collaboration can occur online, where students view peers as resources for support as well.

 

In any classroom, each student brings different skills, including computer-based skills, and unique learning styles to the learning process. Each individual can support the unique thinking and learning skills of another.  For example, multimedia has the ability to cater to individual preferences and support what can be described as constructivist pedagogy. Constructivists believe that knowledge is constructed socially using language; everyone has different social experiences resulting in multiple realities. This is important when maintaining a constructivist classroom while integrating technology while educators need to understand that learners will require a variety of different experiences.

 

Instructional technology was meant for two uses in schools: learning about computers and using them to create basic skills. As this was being developed in schools, it turned more into computer literacy, where students learned many different things about the computer, including: terminology, programming, ethical and social uses of computing and much more. In order to implement this technology, the teachers and aides had to be trained in the technology first, in order for their students to learn. (Berryman, 1994)

 

The constructivist theory states that students are given tools to construct their own knowledge. Applying the constructivist theory with technology integration can allow students to work to their fullest potential. Constructivist learning wants the educators to adopt the idea that each learner will construct, obtain, and interpret their own knowledge differently. This active process and allows the students to make sense of their world. When it comes to integrating technology into classrooms, constructivism has not always been the root theory. Previously, the philosophy of technology instruction followed the idea of Instructivism. Instructivists argued that using an instructional system design model could be useful to identify what is to be taught, determine how it will be taught, and evaluate the instruction to determine if it is effective. Although this could be effective as far as evaluation, the constructivist point of view has also developed and is now considered when integrating technology instruction. (Berryman, 1994)

 

When maintaining a constructivist classroom while integrating technology, educators need to understand that learners will require a variety of different experiences. This is why a constructivist may consider these three questions when it comes to any type of instruction: First, What does it mean to know something? Second, how do we come to know it? And third, how does this knowledge influence our thinking processes? The constructivists argue that the systematic process offered by instructionalists is a problem because there is nothing systematic about how we learn or construct knowledge. Also, activities need to be incorporated so that learners experience real world relevance while using technology. One benefit of using technology for instruction in today’s world is that communication technology has allowed for constructivists principles to still be maintained; constructivists see technology as a powerful learning tool. As educators hold strong to their learning theory beliefs and design their classroom around those theories, it is important to note that technology is not an instructional choice anymore, but a necessity in today’s classrooms. (Berryman, 1994)

 

 

Berryman, S. (1994). Cognitive science: Challenging schools to design effective learning environments. New York: Columbia University, Teachers College, Institute on Education and the Economy.

Chapter 5 and 6: William Kist

I really enjoyed reading The Socially Networked Classroom by Kist’s because it attempts to navigate the socially networked classroom and their struggles against the barriers that we all encounter—lack of technology, lack of support, lack of time, and, of course, standardized curriculum and testing. Their experiments weren’t always successful, but each attempt gave them insights that helped them further refine their methods. It also demonstrates how Social networking in an unlimited tech environment, some teachers are able to work in a kind of filter-less bliss. For these teachers, they don't need to worry about having to mimic Web 2.0.

They can use the real thing live, seemingly with few difficulties. Also, this chapter includes some “off campus” settings in which Web 2.0 activities may be housed—such settings as libraries, afterschool clubs, film festivals, and home. He spoke of Web sites like Facebook and Twitter and how they have transformed the way young people interact and communicate. With appropriate guidelines students' social networking skills can be harnessed to develop new literacies and deepen teaching and learning in the 21st century. I have found out with experience from implementing these creative ideas in my class that it really helps my students learn.

He also points out that With this accessible guide for Grades 5 - 12 teachers of all levels of technological expertise can help students develop the new literacies necessary to succeed in a digital Web sites like Facebook and Twitter have transformed the way young people interact and communicate. One example given in his book is that After months of looking, there was only one teacher he could find who admitted to using Facebook unfiltered within the school day in a K–12 setting, and even this teacher said that it “flew under the radar screen” of his school's administrators. We set one up for our classroom to discuss books and it is wonderful. To see them put their thoughts down and discussion about those thoughts is amazing from my special education class.

In chapter six “Refill” which is this final chapter, returns to some of the overarching themes we educators continue to encounter as we grapple with the implications of screen-based communication tools. Being a high school teacher, I often think the transition in the monitoring of students is abrupt as they graduate from high school. I usually have to cover a study hall a couple of times as part of my schedule, and I think how odd it was that we, as a society, expect our students to ask permission to leave a study hall because they are done or to go to the bathroom, while the very next day, after graduation, their whereabouts are their own business. This kind of in-school restriction seem arbitrary and unnecessary to me when in the midst of it. Yes I know some may skip or roam the hallway but they will suffer the consequences just as they would in the real world.

 

Kist, W. R. (December 9, 2009). The Socially Networked Classroom: Teaching in the New Media Age. Thousand Oaks: Corwin Press Inc.

Chapter 3 and 4 Summary

Among teachers, a frequently expressed hesitation about using Web 2.0 revolves around whether they have time to “fit” new media into their already crowded curriculum. “Will I have to take time to teach them how to work with twitter or blogger is a common question. “I barely have time to get through my curriculum map as it is without throwing in a five-day tutorial on using iMovie.” Teachers tend to feel that they need to get students completely comfortable with whatever tool they’re using before making an assignment. And they feel they have to do it themselves. Fortunately, this is one of the easier questions to answer.

Kists gives great examples and ideas on how to do all this for example in chapter 3 he focused on classrooms in which the students and teachers participate in a kind of offline-online world hybrid. Most of the teachers that have commented wished they could teach in a freer environment, their idea being that one doesn't learn to drive by watching movies about driving. But an increasing number of teachers actually are getting access to a less-filtered Internet experience, and the assignments they develop prove to be quite tantalizing to the teachers and classrooms.

This chapter marked our place in the whirlwind transformation of Internet technology that launches users in a surprisingly sudden (and often unnoticed) leap from Web 1.0 to Web 2.0. Kist shows educators both a mirror and a map, explaining where we are and where we might go in this vastly rich frontier of knowledge and learning. The paths he shows us “ (Kist, 2009)spill into layered networks of inter-crossing connections and intersections—a true 'web' of knowledge—replacing old, tired, and narrow paths." This chapter provides examples of assignments and assessments that include at least a taste of Web 2.0 at school. First, the issue of staying safe online is addressed with examples of how some educators are dealing with this challenge. (Kist, 2009)

In chapter 4 entitled “Grande”: Kists speaks of how social networking in a high-tech environment. He also acknowledges that there is an increasing number of teachers are in schools that allow students to have unfiltered access to such sites as Blogger, YouTube, Google Docs and other applications. These teachers are able to more fully realize the learning opportunities that Web 2.0 applications afford. This chapter includes ideas for how to structure assignments in schools that allow for some Internet surfing that is less restricted. (Kist, 2009)

Kist, W. (2009). The Socially Networked Classroom: Teaching in the New Media Age. California: Corwin Press.

 

Chapter1 and 2 Summary

         When I was told we were to read this book I thought to myself, “Great another how to book of stuff we already know everything about”. Instead, I am slapped in the face with what Kylene Beers opens The Socially Networked Classroom with which is a forward in which she describes asking a principal “What type of student will not do well in this school?”  This of course caught my attention because this insightful and unusual question leads to the principal admitting that the students who will struggle most in his school are those preparing for a 21st century career. This text grabbed me right away, and I started flagging all sorts of ideas even in the earliest chapters. We as educators see this all the time, with some high risk students we work with, who don’t have the everyday access to technology. In his book he states the quote of “We’re creating another generation of students who know how to consume information, when what we need to be nurturing is a generation that knows how produce new ideas.” Kist’s background as a teacher enables him to interact with educators on their level and provide realistic examples and resources. (Kist, 2010)

           Kist begins by explaining new media and social stereotypes then introduces the reader to the new literacies of social media. Depending on the individual access of the reader to technology, Kist then provides ideas, guidelines, and strategies to implement in the classroom.  Every chapter provides real-world examples and resources, classroom questions, and samples of rubrics and worksheets. Kist describes how we can prepare students for the 21st century by linking together literacy, technology, and social media. I try to do this all the time in my classroom with literacy programs such as Start to Finish, Star fall and IXL. Through this process we will create a generation of students who can not only produce new ideas, but also effectively consume information as well on paper. 

            In the second chapter Kist writes, “Now we face an age in which we are shifting to a screen-based society in which much of our reading will be from a screen, and therefore reading will not only encompass print but also images, sound, and motion as well.  Visual literacy skills should be included if we truly want to prepare students for this new kind of reading.” (pg. 25)  I find this so exciting because I work with students who love to listen to stories and want to read like the others but have a problem with print. I know with some of the visual literacy skills I have taught my students have helped in their reading capability and comprehension. (Kist, 2010)

           The book is loaded with multiple ideas of classroom activities and provocative questions and the book is highly practical.  However towards the middle of the first chapter Kist asks three main questions he seems to cycle back to throughout the portion of the text I’ve read so far:

1. How do new forms (of text) transform writing?
2. Who is the audience for our writing in the new media age?
3. How do we form communities?

All three questions are very interesting to me, however the third one really has me pondering because I’m starting to see that Kist is really asking – How do we form communities both face-to-face and online? 

         What does it mean to “write” in each of these communities?  For example, if you have a Facebook page just take a moment to look at what you have posted.  Would you have said or shared the same things in real life? No I would absolutely not nor would I normally share pictures of functions with other people who are friends with your other friends. In the context of posting things online via blogs, social networks, wikis, or collaborative word processors like Google Docs Kist asks, “What does literacy mean when it’s increasingly public and collaborative?” To me any approach that encourages participation, in society and communication between its members, helps to build literacies. Literacies begin with and are enhanced by social engagement and, therefore, go beyond the individual. For individuals, literacies provide the means of participating fully in society. Current society often refers to the importance of “building a learning culture.” It is well understood that lifelong learning increases literacy skills in the individual and, as such, begins to build the foundation of a true learning culture. Imagine the learning culture that will be created through giving more attention to the foundational skills of literacy.

 Kist, W. (2010) the Socially Networked Classroom: Teaching in the New Media Age. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications Ltd.

 

 

My View on the Behavioist Theory

 

 

        Educational technology is viewed as both processes and tools, I feel it is important to begin by examining the four different historical perspectives on these processes and tools, all of which have helped shape current practices in the field. These influences come to us from four groups of education professionals. Because each of these groups emerged from a different area of education and/or society, each has a unique outlook on what educational technology is, and each defines it in a slightly different way. To some degree, these views have merged over time, but each retains a focus that tends to shape the integration practices it considers important. Educational technology as media and audiovisual communications perspective one grew out of the audiovisual (AV) movement in the 1930s, this movement produced audiovisual communications or the "branch of educational theory and practice concerned primarily with the design and use of messages that control the learning process” (Saettler, 1990). The view of educational technology as media to deliver information continues to dominate areas of education and the communications industry. As late as 1986, the National Task Force on Educational Technology equated educational technology with media, treating computers simply as another medium (Saettler, 1990).

       The next view originated with post-World War II military and industrial trainers who were faced with the problem of preparing large numbers of personnel quickly. known as instructional systems and instructional design this perspective was based on efficiency studies and learning theories from educational psychology, they advocated using more planned, systematic approaches to developing uniform, effective materials and training procedures. Their view was based on the belief that both human (teachers) and nonhuman (media) resources could be part of an efficient system for addressing any instructional need. Therefore, they equated "educational technology" with "educational problem solutions." As these training personnel began to work with both university research and development projects and K-12 schools, they also influenced practices in both of these areas. Behaviorist theories initially dominated and cognitive theories later gained precedence. In the 1990s, popular learning theories criticized systems approaches as being too rigid to foster some kinds of learning, particularly higher order ones (Robler A., 2010). Thus, the current view of educational technology as instructional systems is continually evolving.

        Now we get to Perspective #3: Educational technology as vocational training which is also known as technology education, this perspective originated with industry trainers and vocational educators in the 1980s. They believed (1) that an important function of school learning is to prepare students for the world of work in which they will use technology and (2) that vocational training can be a practical means of teaching all content areas such as math, science, and language. This view brought about a major paradigm shift in vocational training in K-12 schools away from industrial arts curricula centered in woodworking/metals and graphics/printing shops toward technology education courses taught in labs equipped with high-technology stations such as desktop publishing, computer-assisted design (CAD), and robotics systems (Robler A., 2010) .

      As computers began to transform business and industry practices, both trainers and teachers began to see that computers also had the potential to aid instruction. This is when perspective #4: Educational technology as computer systems (a.k.a. educational computing and instructional computing) came to be. From the time computers came into classrooms in the 1960s until about 1990, this perspective was known as educational computing and encompassed both instructional and administrative support applications. At first, programmers and systems analysts created all applications. But by the 1970s, many of the same educators involved with media, AV communications, and instructional systems also were researching and developing computer applications. By the 1990s, educators began to see computers as part of a combination of technology resources, including media, instructional systems, and computer-based support systems. At that point, educational computing became known as educational technology (Robler A., 2010).

    As Teachers we are responsible for integrating technology into the curriculum and instructional program in order to enhance student achievement.  In my opinion, traditional testing methods are inadequate for measuring student achievement and knowledge.  Teachers need to assess all aspects of a student, not just their testing ability.  Alternative assessment is defined as "a process of gathering evidence and documenting a student's learning and growth in an alternative context."  These assessments can be used in a formative manner, to guide student learning during the lesson, as well as in a summative manner to assess learning at the end of a lesson.  More advanced students could develop a portfolio, electronic or paper, to display their knowledge of a particular topic or lesson.  Teachers can also use rubrics to assess students' work.  Rubrics can be used to assess the majority of students' work, such as, word processing assignments, spread sheets, power point presentations, and educational software assignments.

 
    The integration of technology into the curriculum and the classroom allows for the development of real-life skills and knowledge on the students' behalf.  For students to be successful in all aspects of their education, as well as in their future teachers need to facilitate and encourage this development. With this change, teachers need to be educated on how best to utilize this technology.  Most importantly, computers and other software and hardware should complement a teacher's lesson and not be the lesson.  Presently, computers are used most often for drill-and-practice activities, tutorials, and educational games instead of as a learning tool that complements the teacher's lesson. Placing computers in the classroom, where they are readily available, allows students to use them as a tool. This experience allows the student to become technologically competent.  The computer is used as a tool to enhance learning by relating it to real-world data in order to solve problems.  The lesson is student-centered and authentic while the classroom environment includes a variety of resource-rich activities.   
 
    The teacher can assign group Internet research reports instead of individual ones so every student can experience the computer.  A projection device could be hooked up to the computer so students can watch the teacher as she models computer use either through Internet searches, Power Point presentations, or to create and display data in spread sheets.  The computer should not be used as a reward station for the students who finish their work early because it punishes those students who are the most likely to benefit from computer use.

    Using technology in the classroom also increases parent involvement and encourages communication.  The teacher could develop a class web site where students and parents could go to read postings or discussions, ask questions, and find homework assignments.  Computer technology allows the students to extend their learning beyond the classroom by becoming connected with their community, other schools, and people and sites from around the globe.  Students can research the community through email and through investigating local newsgroups, and local businesses' web sites.  The teacher should provide the students with the opportunity to connect with students from other schools, either local or distant.  Students can learn about each other's culture and geographical location, and can share their work with one another.  Certain Internet sites provide teachers with the resources they need to contact authors, illustrators, or other important people through email so students can interact with them.

 

Robler A., M. D. (2010, july 20). education.com. Retrieved from education.com: http://www.education.com/reference/article/what-educational-technology/

Saettler, Paul (1968). History of Instructional Technology. New York: McGraw-Hill.