The Importance of Technology in the Classroom

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Shоuld thе children, thе future оf mankind, bе introduced tо technology аt а young age іn schools? Whаt іѕ thе importance оf technology іn classrooms? Lеt's find оut thе answers...

Technology іѕ еіthеr а boon оr bane, depending on how аnd fоr whаt purpose іt's being used. If technology іѕ used tо cure diseases іn people, tо help people communicate wіth each оthеr асrоѕѕ geographical boundaries, tо reduce human effort bу making things simple, easy аnd accessible, іt іndееd іѕ а boon. Hоwеvеr, іf science аnd technology іѕ used tо prepare nuclear bombs оr оthеr weapons оf war, іt іѕ harmful. Aѕ pros аnd cons оf technology have always bееn debated, wіth ѕоmе people arguing thаt іt's thе best thing tо have happened tо human race аnd ѕоmе totally against іt, іt іѕ often wondered ѕhоuld thе children, thе future оf mankind, bе introduced tо technology аt а young age іn schools? Whаt іѕ thе importance оf technology іn classrooms? Lеt's find оut thе answers...

Active Participation

Whеn students аrе learning thrоugh technology, thеу аrе thеmѕеlvеѕ looking fоr answers to their own questions. Thеу make thеіr own decisions rеgаrdіng thе information i.e. whеthеr іt іѕ relevant оr irrelevant. Thеу have control оvеr how tо uѕе оr present thіѕ information. Thuѕ, one оf thе main benefits оf using technology fоr classrooms іѕ thаt unlіkе а teacher-led classroom, whеrе students passively receive whаtеvеr information thе teacher іѕ providing, іn tech savvy classrooms, students аrе active participants.

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21st century Technology

Brittany Washburn

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digital tools ELA Featured Technology Teacher Technology tips

The Best iPhone App You Didn't Know About

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When I found out about this app, my jaw dropped. It is the answer to so much classroom frustration that surrounds giving directions and collecting data. The best part is that it is so easy to use and will transform your station rotation time.

Drumroll please...

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digital tools ELA Featured Technology Teacher Technology tips

Brittany Washburn

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Featured Technology Teacher

7 Tips for Transitioning from Classroom Teacher to Technology Teacher

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Are you moving from classroom teacher to technology teacher with no real training or notice? So many schools are adding a technology teacher because of the need for students to learn to use devices efficiently. What better person to put into the lab than someone who has been a classroom teacher with lots of tech integration, right? I agree, but I also totally understand how freaked out you might be right now!

In this post I'm providing 7 tips to help ease this transition. Go ahead and bookmark this post because you will be back for the resources.

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Featured Technology Teacher

Brittany Washburn

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Featured Technology Teacher

First Day of School Technology Plans

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So you got the technology teaching job, now what? Whether you're coming from the general ed classroom or you're a brand new teacher, these ideas will set you up for a successful first day of class with your students.

Technology Rules and Procedures

Students need to know what to expect when they come to your class (or if you're pushing in to their classrooms). Have a plan for your procedures for: how to come into the classroom, using the bathroom, how to ask for help, what the voice level expectations are, where to find extra headphones, mice, tissues, pencil sharpener, etc., what to do when it is time to go, where to line up, etc.

Get Creative

There are a lot of creative ways to do this, so don't just have students sit and watch you present a PowerPoint. Make a Kahoot that shares silly facts about you with the rules and procedures mixed in. Make a Padlet and have students share a fact about themselves as well as answer questions about the procedures. Have students jump right on PowerPoint or Slides and make a Poster of the classroom rules to review their skills while also reviewing procedures (this one is great for your older students). Make a QR Code Scavenger Hunt of your room and where to find things. The point is, get creative and get the students involved.

Computer Station Cards

This is a dual-purpose activity I created for the first class. If you have access to glue, scissors, and colored pencils then this will likely fill your lab time on the first day. It also then serves as a resource for your students for the whole school year because they fill in website logins, computer lab rules, and the keyboard hand placements (I only do home row). Click on the picture to check out the Computer Station Cards.

Read a Book

I also love a good read aloud for the first day. The Computer Teacher from the Black Lagoon is a favorite of mine that is great for any grade level.

Grab it from Amazon (affiliate link)

Have Students Log In

I don't wait to have my students practice logging in to their computers. It is a skill they will need forever so why not jump right in? For my youngest students I prepare labels or cards with their login info to have in front of them. One year I was really fortunate and the TA's came for the first 10-15 minutes of class to help students get logged in (until they got the hang of it). For older students, I print a spreadsheet for each homeroom class with their usernames, which I store in a folder at the back of the classroom. I teach students that if they need to go look it up, it is there for them to access without needing my help. As new students join the school I hand-write their usernames on the spreadsheets.

Do you still have questions? I'd like to invite you to join my Facebook Group, the Technology Teacher Tribe. It is like a virtual professional learning network and the collaboration is awesome! Come ask your questions!

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Featured Technology Teacher

Brittany Washburn

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Common Core ELA Kindergarten Technology

Digital ELA Activities for Kindergarten for the Full Year

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Do you wonder what is the best way to integrate technology in your kindergarten classroom? Do you wish your students could be more independent when you use technology in the classroom? These digital ELA activities for Kindergarten accomplish just that.

Unit 1: Alphabet Letters and Rhyming Words

Digital ELA Activities for Kindergarten for the Full Year

• All 26 letters of the alphabet in a click and drag plus typing activity

• Match uppercase and lowercase letters (plus a blank version included to make more of your own)

• Choose the beginning letter for rhyming words based on a picture (plus a blank version included to make more of your own)

Unit 2: Sort Objects and Count Syllables

• Sorting Objects by color, shape, number, and other common sorting types. This is GREAT click and drag practice. Blank pages included for you to make more if you'd like.

• Counting Syllables of words with 1-5 syllables. 10 pages with 5 words each.

Unit 3: Opposites and Question Words

• Match opposites by labeled pictures AND words. 2 levels of the same opposites.

• Choose the correct question word to complete the sentence.

Unit 4: Prepositions and Capitalization

• Practice prepositions by clicking and dragging the preposition into the sentence to match the picture.

• Practice prepositions by placing objects in a scene according to directions.

• Choose the correct capital letter to begin a sentence.

• Read sentences and decide if the letter I is correctly capitalized.

Unit 5: Punctuation and Spelling

• Practice punctuation by sorting, clicking and dragging an end punctuation to a sentence, and typing an end punctuation for a sentence

• Practice spelling by adding one missing letter to a word and then typing the full word

• Practice spelling CVC words by clicking and dragging the letters needed to make the word

Unit 6: Nouns, Verbs, and Sentences

• Practice nouns and verbs by sorting, labeling, and typing

• Build, expand, and identify sentences with click and drag activities

Unit 7: Shades of Meaning and Real Life Connections

• Practice shades of meaning by finding the object that isn't like the others, sorting things into categories, and identifying synonyms

• Find real life connections to feelings, homophones, real or not real, and categories

How to use Digital ELA Centers

So in the pictures here, I opened each activity in the Slides app on my iPad and used my fingers to click and drag and type. These activities also work perfectly on Chromebooks or in PowerPoint on any PC.

The Google Slides™ files are provided as full sets. I highly recommend making multiple sets broken up into smaller pieces.

For example: If you know you can get through 4 letters in one week, make a copy of the Alphabet set that has all but 4 slides deleted to share with your students.

In the matching and rhyming set, there is a slide at the end with all of the uppercase and lowercase letters so that you can make your own slides. There is a blank slide for each style for this purpose. Just copy and paste the letters where you need them.

If you’re using these activities at work stations, I recommend teaching students to “put back” when they are finished. They will get really good at it after practicing 2-3 times.