What Is Your Favorite Ed Tech Tool
By Paul Wurster
What tech tool would you pick as a favorite? In the article there were four choices: internet tools/resources, general productivity tools, interactive whiteboards and projectors, and portable digital devices. The tool that most teachers voted on that was their favorite was the internet tools/resources. These tools include: emails, search engines, creative commons, and more. But of these tools that technology has to offer us have been helpful in class, it has given the ability to help students and improve their education. It has also given the teachers the time and ability to improve their curriculum every year without starting fresh every year. A tool that I feel necessary is that general productivity tools that include word processor have been taken for granted. I know that without word processor several of my assignments would have taken me a great time to complete. In my opinion I feel as if general productivity should have been the favorite tech tool, because this is a tool that is of the most use in a classroom; from a teacher doing and setting up for their daily schedule/curriculum, to students doing their homework. But overall every teacher had their favorite tool but say that every tool has been a help in their classroom. With technology always improving and new tools coming out, teaching a classroom may change as technology changes and improves.
These tools are tools that I can incorporate in a classroom, especially the general tools. General tools is going to be a tool that I would depend on when setting up grades for the students, writing my curriculum/assignments as well, and even writing letter/notes for the parents. Not only will this tool be helpful for me as a future teacher but it will be helpful for the students as well when it comes to doing projects. I would be able to use word for written projects, and power point for visual presentation. Another component that would complete a classroom is the internet. The internet as become an important aspect in many people’s life. The internet holds pretty much everything: information on certain subjects to communication with others around the word. I feel that these tools help students learn more and have fun at the same time.
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I had no idea that there were so many technology tools available for teachers. While it is great that some school are able to afford such luxury, it is a shame that technology is costly and some schools are missing out on great educational tools. I was wondering if you can briefly describe or give me an example of general productivity tools and portable digital devices (webcams or video cameras?). I am interested in finding out the purpose these tech tools serve in the classroom.
ReplyDeleteAs a teacher, the tech tools I would probably utilize the most are Internet tools/resources and the whiteboard. I think the Internet would be a great tool to use in the classroom because it is convenient and it is a resource most students are comfortable in using this tool. The resources they use from the Internet can be used in the classroom or at home. Most importantly, showing students how to effectively and productively navigate through the Internet will make them better researchers. The whiteboard will be a staple in my classroom because it is much more visually interesting for students. Traditional writing boards,such as dry-erase boards or chalkboards, are flat and limited in space. Whiteboards also gives students an opportunity to be active participants. For example, they can solve problems from their desks and have their solutions projected onto the screen.
I would say that the technology tools I use the most are the Internet/email and Word processing and Excel spreadsheets. I also use scanning and photo editing quite often. I would say these are my essentials although they don't fit neatly into those categories.
ReplyDeleteI also wondered what portable digital devices were included in that category... Digital cameras, cell phones, iPods? I agree that interactive whiteboards and projectors could be very difficult to use, especially in this kind of economy and budget cuts. I personally like projects, but I would opt for a traditional whiteboard.
I would have to say that my favorite tech tool would be the Internet. The Internet has endless amounts of information for students to learn about. The Internet also has a lot of educational interactive websites. Showing students web videos can also help them remember things that we went over in class. General productivity tools also make a big impact in the classroom. Things such as power point presentations can help organize information in a way that students will understand. Word processor can also help teachers by more organized in the classroom.
ReplyDeleteEven though I chose Internet as my favorite tech tool I do understand that the rest of the options are also very important in the classroom. Portable digital devices such as scanners can help students personalize their work by adding a picture of themselves to their work. Personalizing their work will make it more valuable to them and therefore they will put more effort into it.