The Rise of Smart Classrooms

The presence of smart classrooms are quickly rising on university campuses all over the world. What are smart classrooms? According to Northwestern University Information Technology, smart classrooms are technology enhanced classrooms that foster opportunities for teaching and learning by integrating learning technology, such as computers, specialized software, audience response technology, networking, and audio/visual capabilities. They mostly contain projectors, projections screens, document cameras, dual-OS computers, DVDs, sound systems and other interactive electronics. They are being used to help the learning process at many universitites. Check out the smart classrooms web page at two universities below:

http://www.it.northwestern.edu/education/classrooms/index.html
http://www.unco.edu/it/smartclassrooms/smartclassrooms.html

IPad in the Classroom

Apple's IPad is used as an educational tool. It has many apps that include library features and textbook access for students. The use of the traditional textbook is decreasing due to digital technologies, like the Ipad. Students are purchasing these technologies to avoid purchasing textbooks. Textbooks are expensive and bulky, and are plainly going out of style. Why would a student carry around 3-4 textbooks when they can have an ipad with an app that stores all needed textbooks? With the ibook app, students can experience interactive diagrams and photos, instead of the traditional static photos, making school curriculum alot more interesting. The more I attend classes, I see more students with electronic book readers like the Kindle or the Ipad, instead of the traditional textbook. Although, I do not have one myself. I plan on purchasing one in the near future.

Visit Apple's site to find out more about the Ibook app.
http://www.apple.com/education/ibooks-textbooks/

IT companies are constantly working with teachers and professors on ways to advance technology in the classroom and get students involved. In this information age, the traditional way of lecturing can seem boring to today's generation. Therefore, teachers frequently use some of the latest technologies for class lectures. Salisburypost.com had a good article about the Rowan-Salisbury School System and  its use of technology in the classroom. This school system is a huge user of the ActivTable, which is a software that allows students to use handheld devices such as mobile phones to answer questions in class. Teachers discussed, in the article, how exciting it is to see the way students engaged in classroom activity with this software. The software also allows teachers to make enhanced PowerPoints and flip charts that grab students' attention. Here's a link to the article: http://www.salisburypost.com/News/031512-edu-Teachers-see-future-of-technology-qcd