The classroom of the future is not part of the Jetsons any longer.We now have technological capabilities that even twenty years ago, were thought to be unbelievable.A technology- based classroom would be outfitted with these technological advances.With the studies in multiple intelligence learning, we have an obligation to provide any technology that will help all children learn.
A classroom in today’s public school system has children of varied abilities, developmental stages, and learning styles.It is our responsibility to make every effort to reach them.By limiting class size, we would be able to outfit a classroom with enough computers to have manageable scheduling of computer time.To prepare lessons and computer activities, the students must be able to use the system as needed.Realistically, a computer per child is very rare in a classroom.A wonderful alternative is the AlphaSmart keyboard.A class set of 30 keyboards and a storage cart would be a big asset.With this keyboard, the students could record entries and download the contents on a computer.AlphaSmart Company provides software that will allow the teacher to construct test or tasks, load the assignment onto the keyboard.This piece of technology is invaluable to students and teachers.A field trip would take on a more structured, beneficial tone with this technology.Portable keyboards would mean the students could record responses immediately.Students on homebound instruction would be able to maintain a connection to the classroom and assignments during an absence.
The students are able to explore the biology of animals without the trauma of dissections.Simulated lessons and activities give students valuable experience without leaving a classroom or paying hundreds of dollars.Teachers can construct these simulations and virtual field trips to fit the curriculum and standards as needed.To have tailor-made lessons for a class is a wonderful aspect of technology.Reteaching can be done in various methods
Electronic portfolios would become a requirement to track a student’s growth.Transferring a disk from school to school is much easier to manage than a paper file.Electronic portfolios could be used for student assessment.Hyperstudio or Power point is a useful tool for constructing electronic portfolios.Teacher accountability may necessitate the use of electronic portfolios.Students will use the electronic portfolio to demonstrate the skills needed in this digital society.An electronic portfolio may give an example
The debate about training students on the special skills needed for new technology is not a point.As teachers, we are the first to prepare our students for the world outside of the classroom.A technology-oriented classroom provides a student a place to produce quality work.Teachers need to face another issue.Do we forgo certain skills because technology makes them obsolete?How important is handwriting when we have word processors?
Assistive and adaptive technology would be a must for the classroom.Assistive or adaptive technology was once thought to be for physically impaired student.Now this technology helps learners that may just learn on a more kinetic or auditory level.Text readers are being used to read a student writing piece.A test reader reinforces editing skills.Some of the student publishing software includes a text reader.This would help students see and hear how their piece is composed.The focus on testing requires teachers to find any accommodations for the lower achieving student.A text reader is such a device.
E-books also have a place in the technology-oriented classroom.A student with limited access to a public library could download the material and read it at another time.
This brings up an important aspect of the technology-oriented classroom.Copyright issues will have an impact on the classroom.If any software is introduced in the class, licenses become a financial issue.Licenses may cost.The site license may cost as much as $300.00.
In putting together a technology –oriented classroom, the most important component to remember is the student.The teacher must have a curriculum that permits students to usethe computer.Activities must be varied to keep student interest in the subject.Teacher resource web sites should offer some help without exposing the students to inappropriate information.The software that allows safe surfing is important.School districts have such capability.Acceptable use policies are needed for protection against liability.Teacher have the task of surfing the web for acceptable and useful web sites.In a technology – oriented classroom, an internet resource should be available for teachers to find content specific information and activities.MarcoPolo is a search engine that offers only content related sites.It displays teacher demonstrations, applets and lesson plans.This site is partner with quality education companies such as National Geographic.This would be a valuable resource for a tech classroom.
When planning a technology-oriented classroom, there has to be some management system to allow record of assessment.The teacher may be using an electronic portfolio, but how would it be assessed?How would records be maintained?
Some school systems are using Grade Power or Teacher Toolbox to electronically record assignments and even publish reports for parents to retrieve.
Distance learning would be available in this classroom to benefit students withy long-term illnesses, or homeless situation.If a student were to be able to get to a library, they would still be able to complete classes and submit assignments.The Christa McAuliff Academy is an example of a virtual school.A virtual class would be helpful for students that may be located away from English speaking schools.Video conferencingor web cams could be a helpful component in this “techno-class”.Parent conferences can be conducted at any time.Workshops and inservices could be conducted in each building with little expense to the district.Children’s plays and productions could be broadcast to parent that are at work.
The funding and legal information needed to design a technologically equipped classroom are often a surprise to a novice.There are government initiatives that have provided funding to equip schools with at least the basic internet connection.Technology organizations provide information and workshops to assist in setting up technologically –oriented schools.The CoSN – Consortium of School Networks provides such workshops for administrators and technology coordinators.
While this imaginary classroom is being put together, there is still the matter of the children.As some articles on education technology suggest, we must be concerned with the amount of technologywe expose our children to.It is vital that we use technology to build on problem solving, research and critical thinking skills.Are we about to remove the human contact and replace it with computers?The perfect technology-oriented classroom has very structured activity using the technology.The students in this new classroom must be able to take the information gained and process it with student-teacher interaction.Curriculum integration is critical in a technological classroom.Teacher must be able to formulate activities for multiple-intelligence learning and cross curriculum instruction.In this classroom, a web quest may be used to introduce a theme or unit, and provide research material.The finished products of the quest can be constructed by teams of students and displayed.The integrated lessons could be shared on the internet.Another content sharing technique would be a central website to store lesson plans and ideas for a district or state.The internet is full of sites that contain shared lesson plans.
A CD-writer would be helpful as a form of record of student production.A CD yearbook would also be a good way of preserving the ideas and activities that have worked well in the class.
There is also the possibility of ultimately conducting state or district testing on line.There are disadvantages to this, but the availability of test scores would be the goal.
The design and construction of a technology-oriented classroom has so many possibilities, but the main purpose is clear.With all the new technology and digital capabilities, teachers are still looking for the same outcome.The ultimate goal of educators is to equip students with critical thinking skills that will allow the discovery of any solution to any problem and the communication skills to present a point of view.The content areas illustrate concepts, but the goal is still the same.Technology permits the user to illustrate the concepts and problem solving in a variety of ways.There is a place for technology in every content area.Each lesson can have a technology component.When the students evaluate their experience in a technology-oriented classroom, they will find that they come away with skills that are useful on many levels.Basic computer applications such as word processing will be life-long skills.The confidence gained will above all, the most valuable result of technology.As an educator, I find that I have a renewed enjoyment of teaching because of the new technology that is available now.The ideas produced for teaching are fresh and delightful for me to teach and for the children to learn.A personal goal of mine is to be a curriculum specialist with a focus on technology.Working in a location that is just beginning to experience technology would open up a wonderful aspect of the education field.