I, too, use one of the most popular online community in Facebook. Typically, I use this to keep up with family in the United States and to interact with those in the school community where I work. School events, sport team communities, homework questions, and current events are all posted and discussed on Facebook. It is probably the most efficient way to communicate with students as they are constantly checking their Facebook page.
In addition to Facebook, my wife keeps a blog about our experiences in Hungary. Through this blog and others she has established relationship and connection with people from all over the world. It is amazing to meet people who are interested in missions, Hungary or both.
As a math teacher I use the resources provided by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM). NCTM has a user forum and a place to share favorite lesson plans. Texas Instruments also has a resource page where teachers can post lessons that integrate the TI-83, TI-84 or TI-Nspire graphing calculators. Here educators can communicate with one another and share ideas to use in the classroom.
Email, although not as trendy as other forms of communication, is still an efficient way to communicate with others online. This is a key way we communicate with colleagues, parents, supporters, family and friends.
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Thursday, January 19, 2012
Technology Adoption
Discovering new technology to use in the classroom is fun and exciting. However, the practicalities of obtaining the new technology and using it appropriately can be difficult.
One of the biggest limitations to adoption of new technology for teachers is time. Unless a teacher has previous experience with a certain form of technology during his or her life as a student, it will take a large time commitment to learn how to properly use a new form of technology in the classroom. I am only 12 years out of high school, but, as a student, none of my classrooms had computer projectors or smartboards. We did not learn on iPads or laptops. The school did not have wireless access to the internet and students did not have phones with data plans. As a teacher, if I desire to use these things in my classroom, I will need time learn what the technology can do and then how I can implement it effectively in my classroom.
Another limitation is funding. I teach in a private, international school that was founded for missionaries (although we do serve other international and local students). Our funding for technology is very dependent on enrollment. When enrollment is high, there is extra money for teachers to spend on exciing new forms of technology, but this is not always the case.
In my own short career as a teacher, one of the best ways to introduce new technology in the classroom is to attend professional training. For example, I am a math teacher and there are opportunities to attend week long training sessions on how to use graphing calculators, motion detectors, and computer software to engage students in the learning process. Usually these presenters will walk you through many different lessons and allow you to experience the technology as a student. This accomplishes two main goals. The first is that I can see how the technology can be easily and appropriately used in the classroom. The second is that it generates excitement about the many possibilities available to me as a teacher.
One of the biggest limitations to adoption of new technology for teachers is time. Unless a teacher has previous experience with a certain form of technology during his or her life as a student, it will take a large time commitment to learn how to properly use a new form of technology in the classroom. I am only 12 years out of high school, but, as a student, none of my classrooms had computer projectors or smartboards. We did not learn on iPads or laptops. The school did not have wireless access to the internet and students did not have phones with data plans. As a teacher, if I desire to use these things in my classroom, I will need time learn what the technology can do and then how I can implement it effectively in my classroom.
Another limitation is funding. I teach in a private, international school that was founded for missionaries (although we do serve other international and local students). Our funding for technology is very dependent on enrollment. When enrollment is high, there is extra money for teachers to spend on exciing new forms of technology, but this is not always the case.
In my own short career as a teacher, one of the best ways to introduce new technology in the classroom is to attend professional training. For example, I am a math teacher and there are opportunities to attend week long training sessions on how to use graphing calculators, motion detectors, and computer software to engage students in the learning process. Usually these presenters will walk you through many different lessons and allow you to experience the technology as a student. This accomplishes two main goals. The first is that I can see how the technology can be easily and appropriately used in the classroom. The second is that it generates excitement about the many possibilities available to me as a teacher.
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