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Technology Education – When Classroom Technology Needs Troubleshooting & You’re Stressed Out!

admin — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 11:25:50 +0000

One of the most common gripes of teachers working to integrate technology into their classroom is that they find themselves troubleshooting technology more than instructing.

I would be reporting from some alien nation if I didn’t acknowledge and agree with you that working with technology will bring some technical issues. Add into that equation the variable of children!

The first step in dealing with this problem is accepting this so that when it happens it doesn’t cause you any anxiety or stress.

One way to combat some of the stress is to always encourage students to save often for “when” the computer malfunctions, not “if” it will happen.

I also have a string of comments available for problem times:

“Bummer.”

“Man, I hate when that happens!”

“Why don’t you try another computer?”

“I sure hope you saved recently.”

“I bet next time you’ll save!”

Another way to deal with the technical issues is to use your students as the experts. As you troubleshoot an issue with a student, talk out loud and explain what you are doing. Then when the issue arises again, send that child to help the other. Remembering that the students of today have always had technology and technological issues as a part of their life, they are very understanding and patient….more than we are as adults!

By using these couple strategies you may find that you feel less stressed as you acknowledge that technological issues are just a fact of life when you use multiple computers with a class of children.

By: Kathy Cothran

Video Conferencing and Education

admin — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 01:07:43 +0000

How Video Conferencing Can Support Education

Video conferencing technology is all the rage among corporations. Recently educational facilities have begun taking advantage of video conferencing technology to support learning and education. Video conferencing equipment can help facilitate instruction and provide distant learners with a host of resources and access to content providers, teachers, librarians and more.

More and more teachers are adopting video conferencing as a method of enhanced communication and instruction. Many California schools are using video conferencing to connect with one another and produce networks carrying large volumes of video and text data to educational facilities, teachers and students. Other people that benefit from video conferencing technology include librarians who can use video conferencing to develop strategies, provide resources and improve the quality of their service and delivery.

Video conferencing And Learning

Video conferencing facilitates learning by allowing remote or distant learners to meet regardless of their location. Students can take classes at multiple universities. In essence classes that are not available at one location may be available at another through video conferencing. Video conferencing can also benefit non traditional students who are not able to attend classes during normal hours.

Video conferencing can also be used as a career or employee training tool. Many colleges are now collaborating with local businesses to offer students certification and business training. Expert subject matter delivered from individuals in the field is easily delivered to students using this new technology. Student can also take advantage of mentoring services offered by companies in distant locations using video conferencing technology. The possibilities are virtually endless.

By: Frank Owen

Distance Learning and Its Trends

admin — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 22:14:18 +0000

Distance learning companies must face the challenges of selling their wares into the K-12 market and overcoming the lack of teacher training to use their new products, but there is still a lot for them to be excited about-the increased emphasis on school accountability and the forthcoming increase in student enrollment.

Industry experts discussed these trends during a panel at Fulcrum’s Third Annual Education Technology Finance & Investment Institute in Arlington, VA this month. Demographics show that by the time the echo baby boom reaches school age, a large number of teachers will be coming up on retirement.

U.S. Department of Education figures indicate that K-12 enrollments will continue to increase by less than 1% per year through 2006, when the trend will reverse itself and enrollments will begin to decline. At the highest point of the curve, the nation will have a projected 54,457,000 students enrolled in grades K-12, an overall increase of 3.3% from 1998.

“These factors will be a huge driving force in requiring schools to look for new solutions,” said Sally Narodick, CEO of online advanced placement content provider Apex Learning. Narodick and others said they believed technology would become an increasingly important part of helping schools cope with teacher shortages.

The education industry is also counting on the movement toward increased school accountability to drive sales of electronic offerings.

There is Still a Lot to Overcome

The technology and content developers have admitted they might not have all the right programs that prove technology is needed in schools. “The industry is in a painful and early emerging stage, but is in fact learning a lot,” Narodick said.

Part of the pain in this emerging stage comes from selling cutting-edge technology to a less than tech-savvy customer. Companies have little choice but to provide some form of teacher training. NetSchools provides on-site teacher training for one year to every school that purchases its hardware and networking solution that provides a laptop computer to every student and faculty member in a school, said Thomas Greaves, vice chairman of NetSchools.

Lightspan also provides support to its customers through its staff of 100, which does not come without costs. “It’s an expensive proposition for companies and schools,” said Winnie Wechsler, executive vice president and general manager, Internet and broadband services for Lightspan. At Lightspan, the training budget is spread across the Internet and CD-based segments of the company.

Merely getting the product to an audience is also a difficulty distance learning companies are overcoming by partnering with established businesses. “Partnering is the only way to get to market in the timeframe it needs to be reached,” Roches said.

A marketing and selling partnership can include listing products in another company’s catalog, posting click throughs between Web sites and installing programs on hardware prior to shipping.

By: Mathew Simond

The Role of Technology in Education

admin — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 21:16:28 +0000

In the current age we live in, technology has become an important component. Every day there is some new gadget or software that makes lives easier and improves on the technology and software that already exists. Making lives easier is not, however, the only role technology plays in our lives.

Technology is playing an increasing role in education. As technology advances, it is used to benefit students of all ages in the learning process.

Technology used in the classroom helps students adsorb the material. For example, since some people are visual learners, projection screens linked to computers can allow students to see their notes instead of simply listening to a teacher deliver a lecture.

Software can be used to supplement class curriculum. The programs provide study questions, activities, and even tests and quizzes for a class that can help students continue learning outside the classroom.

Technology has also become part of many curriculums, even outside of computer and technology classes. Students use computers to create presentations and use the Internet to research topics for papers and essays.

Students also learn to use the technology available to them in computer and tech classes. This ensures that after graduation they will be able to use the technology in a work setting, which may put them ahead of someone who didn’t have access to a particular technology or software in their own school setting.

As technology advances, students have better access to educational opportunities like these. When something new and “better” is revealed, the “older” technology becomes more affordable, allowing it to be used in educational settings, even when schools are on a tight budget.

Technology has also advanced to help children even before they’ve started school. Educational video games and systems for young children helps them prepare for school and in some cases get a head start on their education.

There are people who may say children are “spoiled” by technology. Instead of being able to add a long column of numbers in their heads, for example, they turn to a calculator. Regardless of these arguments, technology is an important part of today’s society. By incorporating it into the classroom, students will be better equipped to transition from the classroom to the work place.

By: Paul Steinberg