Welcome to Ms. Richter's Educational Technology Blog!

The purpose of my blog is to encourage our schools PTA to support fundraising efforts for more computers and technology in our classrooms. I invite you to browse this blog and encourage you to actively participate in discussions. This is the best place for you to keep up with our PTA's fundraising goals. Please feel free to visit this blog anytime and leave your ideas, thoughts, comments, or concerns on our fundraising efforts to better our classrooms with technology.

Our role as teachers and PTA members is to support our students, fellow parents, teachers, and staff. We are dedicated to the quality of each child's educational experience. Through the efforts of our membership, volunteers and staff members we are able to:

• Sponsor many educational and fun family activities
• Provide new opportunities to increase parental involvement
• Provide programs that will assist parents and teachers as they raise, educate and protect our children
• Encourage new ideas, new programs, and lots of enthusiasm and fun while learning
• Support and represent the children, parents, and faculty to promote a safe, healthy academic environment

Why The Need For Technology in our Classrooms?

The need for technology in schools to enhance learning and to be prepared for students future careers is ideas that has been around since the invention of the first computer. Educational technology in classrooms can be used as media and audiovisual communicators, instructional systems and instructional design, vocational training, and the basic idea of educational computing.

Research is the largest reason to use technology in the classroom. The Internet offers students a wealth of information that cannot be found in textbooks and school libraries.

It is also important to consider the institutional knowledge base of schools and districts as a factor in technology in schools; it provides a foundation for an effective system that helps to provide stability to the educational system

Why Some Parents Are Concerned

With the largest benefit of technology comes the biggest concern. Some parents have expressed concerns about the validity of technology in the classroom because of games and the massive amounts of information available to students, including some that may be inappropriate.

Our Solution: Unlike public computers, schools have the ability to restrict what is viewed on the Internet. Teachers in our classrooms with computers check on students constantly to make sure that students are not accessing questionable material. Our teachers also utilize the 'history' feature to examine what students have searched. Students using computers at our school also understand and have agreed to the guidelines put in place by our school that leads to disciplinary action if students use our computers for questionable purposes and information.

How Technology Enhances Student Learning

Technology leads itself to countless learning opportunities in and outside of the classroom. Technology also enhances student learning through two major theories that our classroom focuses on: Direct Learning and Constructivist Learning Theories.

Based on the readings of Roblyer (2010):

The Direct Learning Model is used:

• To remedy identified weaknesses or skill deficits
• To promote skill fluency/automaticity
• To support efficient, self-paced learning
• To support self paced review of concepts

The Constructivist Learning Model is used:

• To foster creative problem solving and metacognition
• To help build mental models and increase knowledge transfer
• To foster group cooperation skills
• To allow for multiple and distributed intelligences.

*For more information about these two theories see http://www.indiana.edu/~reading/ieo/digest/d169.html or http://www.learningandteaching.info/learning/constructivism.htm

Ms. Richter's Classroom Technology Wish List

SMART Board (Interactive Whiteboard): A SMART Board is a combination of the simplicity of a whiteboard and the power and tools of a computer with a SMART Board interactive whiteboard. SMART Boards bring interactive learning to a whole new level and enhances the learning environment in unimaginable ways. And the best part, it is EASY to use.

Digital Cameras: Digital cameras can be used to enhance any project students would normally use photos or other types of graphics enhancers. They also provide students with a great resource to remember what they saw on field trips and ways to document and enhance projects.

Laptop Computers: Laptop computers provide students with the freedom to work from their desks without the constraints of wires and heavy equipment. Laptops help students work on projects, enhance lessons, and practice quizzes (among countless other applications). These notebooks also will increase enthusiasm among students as well as teachers.

Technology Lessons Can be Based on Recognized, Credible Education Theories
As teachers, parents, community members, and responsible adults, we understand that all students are different and learn best in different ways. By understanding a student's strengths and weaknesses in Self-Directed and Constructivist Learning, we can help students become more successful and maximize the use of technology in the classroom. Integrating multiple intelligences with technology into the classroom involves changing our ideas about teaching and learning. It requires addressing individual differences and provides a range of activities and experiences to facilitate learning. Technology can be used to facilitate learning in both of these learning styles. There is no "right way" to integrate intelligences or technology into the classroom. The key is to understand students needs is to provide the most effective learning environment for students.

Let's Get Blogging!
Our classroom needs your help! This blog is meant to encourage communication between parents, teachers, and community members. Getting involved is the best way to help our students become better learners. The benefits of raising funds to increase technology in our classroom will lead to limitless possibilities and improvement of our students academics and excitement towards learning.

Please post any comments, questions, or concerns on this blog to help promote communication and the success of our fundraising efforts!

-Ms. Richter

References
Roblyer, M.D. & Doering, A.H. (2010). Integrating educational technology into teaching. Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon.

DISCLAIMER: This blog is an assignment for an educational technology course at National University. It is not a real fundraising blog.