Hello Parents! You all have been so helpful and cooperative in the past years that we come to you again for support.
Yes, it is that time of year where the PTA and I ask for your encouragement for a fundraiser to bring in more computers into our students' classrooms! The meeting will be held in the cafeteria after school this Thursday (November 3, 2011) at 3pm. We will go over ideas and design a plan to make this fundraiser a great success!
We'd love to hear your creative ideas, so come on over next week and lets start brainstorming!
Does technology really enhance a students learning?
It is understandable for parents to raise concerns that technology may not be as effective as the traditional classroom setting where the teacher is the only educator in the room, however I assure you that while making these changes, the students were our top priority. Here are a few of the many benefits of promoting technology in the classroom:
-Students receive instant feedback when using technology compared to waiting to be called on by a teacher who tends to 30 other students.
-Promotes independence: they research on their own instead of disturbing other classmates asking for help.
-Many students may not have traveled outside of their state, maybe even their city, so using the internet to network with individuals from other parts of the world will help them gain a taste of what is out there.
-Technology enhances motivation as well as productivity for all students.
-Disabled students rely on technology to help them keep up with their respective grade levels; whether it is a vision, hearing, or any other sort of impairment, technology helps students in need receive that special aid.
Wish list-The two types of technology I request to have in the classroom:
Amazon Kindle Touch 3G
-The Kindle allows students access to thousands of books right at their fingertips.
-Not only does it store books, but it also offers magazines and newspapers. This feature is most important because it helps the students keep up with the latest news on what is occurring in the world around them.
If I were to give the students a book report, they could easily access their Kindle and flip through the e-pages to complete the assignment. If they came across a word they do not understand, all the student needs to do is select the “Text to Speech” option and the Kindle will read the word aloud.
Mac Book Air.
-The Mac Book Air introduces the students to the latest technology and encourages to explore the craze behind a Mac.
-I chose the Mac Book over an iPad is because it allows students to type on an actual keyboard, which will in time improve their typing speed.
If I assigned a biography on Benjamin Franklin, and asked for information about his childhood, accomplishments, as well as images of his inventions, the student could simply obtain all of the information off of the Mac Book.
For further information regarding the Amazon Kindle Touch 3G and the Mac Book Air, please go to http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005890G8O/ref=sa_menu_kdpwtso33 and http://www.apple.com/macbookair/, respectively.
Here at this school, we are huge advocates of technology in the classroom. Having these tools exposed to our students will benefit them a great deal. Technology spices up the classroom scene and keeps them intrigued.
I encourage discussion so if you have any questions, concerns, or comments, please feel free to post it on this blog. If we all work as a team, hopefully we can get technology in the hands of the students by the end of this year! Let’s make this happen!
Roblyer, M.D. & Doering, A.H. (2010). Integrating Educational Technology into Teaching (5th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc.
DISCLAIMER: This blog is an assignment for an educational technology course at National University. It is not a real fundraising blog.
