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=Educational Technology Tools=

//This Wiki highlights useful educational technology tools and best educational technology practices in the classroom.//


 * Feel free to edit and add pages.**

What is educational technology?

Technology in Education is a wonderful thing in the modern world. Although the concerns, students have been able to develop "higher order of thinking skills" that are beneficial to them in order to enhance their learning. There are many aspects of technology that can enable teachers to help their students grasp the understanding of technology in the classroom, through the Internet, and now, even outside of the classroom! Technology has been used through a wide variety of important channels to help students learn better. Using technology in the classroom provides tools for inquiry, communication, and construction. To learn more about technology in classroom use, teacher training, tips, and more, read articles in [|Technology in Education]

Additional information in different aspects of education technology such as the latest applications, tools for special needs children, funding for technology in eduacation, and magazine articles that include opinions and the latest news in educational technology can be found in the following website. This website is a great overview of educational technology and it's a great way to get comfortable with the realm of technology tools in the classroom. http://www.thejournal.com/

Education technology can be using the internet as well as other technologies in the learning experience. It is important to understand that there is more to educational technology than desktop computers. Other technologies that can aid education include graphing calculators, microscopes, television equipment and even pocket PCs. A good website describes the importance of educational technology, but it also describes the National Educations Association`s positions on technology and eduation. It describes how more funding is needed to be able to incorporate technology into the classroom. It also describes that it is important for the educator to be involoved in decisions when it comes to planning and purchasing education technology. The educators themselves know what is best for their students and should explore exactly how technology can help them with their lessons. It discusses issues from funding to available technology for the classroom, to the teachers becoming involved in developing programs and becoming computer literate. The website is http://www.nea.org/technology/index.html. It is a short page but has alot of important information.

The governement has been taking steps to improve educational technology in schools throughout the US. The US department of education created a National Educational Technology Plan in 2005 for a push towards more educational technology in the classroom. The plan includes an overview of where we are right now and steps to take for the future. It includes examples of schools that are already using educational technology in their classrooms and how they have gone about doing so. This link provides a write up of the plan and everything it entails. http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/os/technology/plan/2004/index.html

In addition to the government taking steps to improve educational technology in schools throughout the US, there is another program known as the National Education Association (NEA) that is finding ways in order to fund more technological advances in the schools. The NEA believes that not only students, but teachers must be very computer savvy as they should know how to collaborate with other educators around the country, even miles away. So, in order to make sure everyone keeps up to the standards, money is raised for the funding of the technology in the schools around the country. http://www.nea.org/technology/index.html

http://www.ncrel.org/sdrs/areas/issues/methods/technlgy/te900.htm Technology is now used as a tool to ehance the learninging in a content area or other school settings. It enables students to learn in ways that were once impossible. Some schools offer their students different technological tools to help them in their studies. Technology is very beneficial in the Special Education field. It gives the students control over the direction of their learning and the speed at which they learn. It motivates students and does not judge them if they answer questions incorrectly.

Portable Digital Assistants, also known as PDA, has become a vital staple in certain classrooms. This website talks about how classrooms are using them and also talks about certain studies that proved the use of the PDA's were very beneficial and also improved the students use of technology. For example, the PDA's were used in health class to help keep track of calorie intake and to keep logs of physical actvity. For more information, visit the following URL ; http://www.education-world.com/a_tech/tech083.shtml

Apple invented the ipods, as a more advanced form of a MP3 player. But did anyone ever think that ipods would be used in classrooms? This USA today article explains that today, ipods are being used to for students to download lectures, as well as assignments and virtual tours of campuses. In a column, it highlights four universities and what they use the ipods for. For more information, visit http://www.usatoday.com/tech/products/2006-03-14-ipod-university_x.htm

The Office of Educational Technology which is also known as OET has created a way to affect students through technology. This office works to help implement the ideals in No Child Left Behind. The OET, in addition, has done some research and have evaluated the importance of technology and how it contributes to students and overcomes the issues in No Child Left Behind. This can be read more at http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/os/technology/index.html

As mentioned before, SmartBoards are quickly replacing blackboards and chalk. This article highlight the many benefits of using one, such as being able to watch movies, without all the equipment, then being able to learn a lesson in geography. The SmartBoard also shows and explains to students how to use tools such as powerpoints, word docuents, excel, etc. This article is located at; http://www.scholarsearchassoc.com/MICRA020503.htm

The Student Tablet PC is an extremely useful way to present information while taking notes. this tablets acts as a combination of notes and a computer. it enables you to take written notes but at the same time cut and paste, change the color of font, and other fun computer type applications. this is a great tool because it enables the student to take notes in his/her own manner but at the same time they can present the information in the clearest way for themselves. in addition to this, the students can look up information just like a computer. for more information about the tablet visit http://studenttabletpc.blogs.com/the_student_tablet_pc/2004/12/how_about_an_ov.html

ICTE, the [|International Conference on Technology and Education] is a conference where teachers of technology from more than 50 nations come together to discuss new and improved ideas concerning the use of technology in education. This confererence is one of the longest in that it has convened for 19 years thus far, and is continuing to do so. This conference allows teachers to share ideas and discuss different teaching techniques which you can use in teaching technology and has been very productive.

Since more and more teachers are incorporating technology into their lesson plans, schools are finding it more difficult to provide the proper current equiptment because they do not have an endless budget. However the company IBM has given schools solutions to their funding problems as well as finding new ways to incorporate computers and other technology tools into campus big and small around the company. For more information on this program go to http://www-03.ibm.com/industries/education/doc/content/solution/2744531110.html?ca=AG_LOB_Education&me=psearch&met=google_6N2CA&re=classroom_technology

Some children feel like when they go to technology classes and have to downgrade their thinking. The things they teach in technology classes, and the teachers that teach these classes move incredibly slow. The classes teach microsoft office and internet basics, but dont dive deep into interesting technological information. Students use excel, power point and word often, and most students surf the web daily, so they really do not need to be taught how to do these things. Technology in the classroom needs to fit the student's work level. Students don't realize they learn things from their own personal play time, but they do. To learn more about student's and their technology go to http://education.guardian.co.uk/elearning/story/0,,2074232,00.html

http://www.superkids.com/aweb/tools/ Superkids is a great websites for teachers to know about. It provides educational tools such as worksheets of many different subjects that can be used in class and at home. Superkids provides educational games that teachers can print out and play with the children in class to make learning the lesson more fun and interesting for the children. The website has printable games such as hangman, and interesting random facts such as quotes said by famous people in history that can be used for a "quote of the day".

http://www.netsupportschool.com/index.asp This website introduces a new educational tool called NetSupport School. NetSupport School is a program used in computer- based classes, in which teachers can instruct and monitor what the students are doing on their computers. It allows the teachers to monitor the websites that the students are using. It also enables the teacher to record all mouse, monitor and keyboard movements so they can review it at a later time, or replay it to the class. This is a great program because computer- based classes are greatly increasing, and there needs to be more ways for them to be monitored.