Blog Post 2: Handheld Devices

In his article A Year Without Paper: Tablet Computers in the Classroom, John Fons speaks on the experience that he had in his classroom using tablet-pcs instead of paper. He describes the types of hardware and software used by himself and the students, as well as their reviews of the use of the tablet in the class.
The students used “Compaq TC4200 tablet computers” which allowed them “to imbed “digital ink” into documents by writing on the screen with an electronic stylus” (Fons 2010, 481).The use of digital ink has many applications for education. Although the use of digital devices is often freeing for students, in that they are not required to care heavy textbooks and binders with them from class to class, the use of keyboards can slow students rather than help them, if they have not had proper practice using them. When taking notes on provided presentations, it would be easier to jot a few words down with a stylus, rather than struggle to type. The use of keyboards can also create noise that could potentially distract students from the lecture being given or the task that they have been assigned. The quietness of stylus use would be a great advantage in a library. While the hardware used by Fons would be beneficial for libraries, the software that he utilized to share lecture notes and other documentation would bring about even more positive change.
Fons (2010) made use of a software called Classroom Presenter to give students access to lectures and other assignments needed throughout the class. The software allows users to employ digital ink technology and distribute information, such as a teachers notes, in real time. What can be gathered from this article leads me to believe that the system used by Fons is very similar to Google Drive, with the added bonus of including a polling system within the program. The use of such cloud applications would allow students to participate in more discussion based learning, and make project based learning more easy to accomplish in groups. Libraries could benefit from cloud programs on tablet-pcs, as students would be able to more efficiently collaborate and the use of polling systems would give librarian lectures a better understanding of the students’ retention of information.
Overall both the instructor and the students where happy with the paperless classroom experiment that they preformed and like the use of tablets in daily classroom use. Many students even said that they preferred the use of tablets, because they were much more organized and could find past assignments without searching through mountains of paper (Fons 2010). This absence of clutter would make the use of tablets in a library worthwhile. Instead of giving handouts the librarian could create digital folders for individual classes which would allow students access at all times and help with organization. Rather than loosing the information that was handed out during a lecture the student would know right where to find it.
Access to tablet-pcs for use in the classroom and library would be highly beneficial to students and library staff, especially with stylus integration and the use of cloud applications for collaborative efforts.

Reference:

 Fons, J. (2010). A year without paper: Tablet computers in the classroom. The Physics Teacher, 48, 481–483. doi: 10.1119/1.3488196.

Class Projects

Blog Post 1: Technology Strengths and Weaknesses

As an educator I feel it is imperative for students to use technology in the classroom. Technology should be used as an aid to promote student learning as well as a tool for educators when developing or appraising their lessons and teaching styles.

Of the five International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE 2008) Standards, the first speaks to the importance of using technology to “facilitate and inspire student learning and creativity” (p. 1). Overall, I believe that I am strong in this area, as the use of technology in the classroom to get my students engaged in and excited about their learning is one of my passions. I like using such tools as Google Drive and online interactive lessons to facilitate my students’ learning. I understand how to make digital assessments and assignments for diverse learners (ISTE 2008). I have used online quizzes and polling software in the past and am familiar with assessing students using technology and am comfortable assessing my teaching by reviewing student data. I am proficient in the use of many types of technology including those used to communicate with my students, their parents, and my colleagues (ISTE 2008). Through a previous class I have created a website using Google Sites and am ready to use that tool, as well as many others, in communicating with my students and their parents.

While I am proficient in the use of technology in the classroom, there is always more to learn. I would like to find ways to encourage my students to use technology responsibly both at school and at home (ISTE 2008). In an effort to teach my students the importance of this responsibility, I will demonstrate efficacy while online, respecting copyright and the feelings of all people whom I interact with on a social and professional level.

I would like to learn new ways to incorporate technology into my classroom. Although I have used technology in the classroom quite a bit, there is always more that can be learned either through professional development or classes such as this one. I would like to learn more about techniques I could use to engage my students and learn more about emerging technology that I could make use of in the future. Technology, because it is used in the world at large, will continue to be used in the classroom. As technology evolves I would like to learn how to teach in new ways, so that I can connect with my students and professional peers and make learning engaging and exciting.

ISTE standards found at: http://www.iste.org/standards/iste-standards/standards-for-teachers