Proposal for Schools

I think the utmost thing that needs to happen is to have schools work with each other. For example, many schools cannot afford one-to-one technology because it's not within the budget. However, some schools are able to accomplish this each year and often return the products used to either the supplier or throw them away even though they are still in good condition. I don't like playing "spoiled", but this is what my school used to do in Chicago. However, recently, they have begun to pass on the used technology to schools that cannot afford the new product. This needs to happen nationally or at least stately. Schools would be able to provide to each other with little cost - the schools with a higher budget can continue affording the newest of the technology while the less well-off schools can still receive the one-to-one technology. I know this idea is very far fetched, but I think that would solve some of the issues at hand with not only the budget, but trying to get technology into the classrooms.

20 Technology Skills

I am a geek and a nerd, depending on vocabulary preference. So when the question is raised, how technology-orientated are you for the classroom, I am proud to say very. My skills range from exploring new programs for both PCs and Macs to understanding how each part in a computer works. Out of the 20 skills, I'm missing about 2 - though I have heard of them. Otherwise, I have experience in all other areas. Technology is extremely important for the classroom no matter the subject so I would like to use it as much as possible in my classroom.

A Virtual Field Trip

For English, a lot of places are limited with what the curriculum requires. I think one of the most important pieces of literature for students to learn, however, is Shakespeare. The virtual field trip offers many schools the ability to visit a play or scenes from a specific play that they're learning about. Shakespeare is very difficult to follow, especially if it isn't read out loud or students can't see facial expressions being made. The virtual field trips offer a remedy to this by allowing students to witness a play if they are regionally unable to do so. This would help them understand the difficult word of Shakespeare by allowing actors to incorporate emotions, facial expressions, and volume to the play.

If I could do ANYTHING I wanted via a Virtual field trip, I think I would ask a famous author or playwright to come and speak to the class. I don't have a specific at that point - perhaps J.K Rowling if the students are still interested in the Harry Potter series. This would get them more involved with writing, since it's a dying style of literature in an age where computers enable typing. She could discuss her creative style and answer any questions the students had after reading her books and enjoying them.

Effective in-class Experience with Technology

One of my most memorable experiences with technology in the classroom wasn’t when I was a student, but rather when my brother was. My brother and I attended the same middle school, but being four years apart, he was able to experience more technology as the school received grants and state funding to explore the ever-growing world that technology offered.

We were raised in one of the richer communities of northern Chicago, which gave us opportunities that some of my out of state friends were unable to experience. One of them was of the new technologies: SMART boards. As soon as they were offered for purchase, my school bought one for each room at the school. At the time, I had moved on to the high school while my brother remained with some of my favorite staff. When I would go to pick him up for my parents or simply drop by to visit, I got to experience the SMART board for myself which made me wish they existed when I was a kid.

The teacher who helped shape me into who I am today let me mess with the board while my brother played tour guide. For the first time, he was well versed with a piece of technology more so than I was and I think he enjoyed the bragging rights. Either way, the SMART board is one of the most inventive pieces of technology I have ever seen for the average classroom. Not only can it serve as a projector, but it can also serve as a touch screen for both the teacher and the students.

Students can doodle, handwrite problems on the ‘board’, and come up to present a project without needing to change screens. Learning stops being a simple lecture and becomes an interactive activity that teachers can use, especially to keep students moving around in a classroom. I got to watch the teacher write extra notes on a powerpoint presentation, extra formulas and hints that would have required extra handouts. For the school itself, I learned it cuts back on paper since the teacher doesn’t need to print out handouts but rather email them to student computers and present it on the board. It also would, in turn, save the teacher the time that would have been spent designing and printing the handouts for other important duties. Overall, the SMART board is truly smart for the average classroom, no matter the subject required.