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

From Cave Drawings to the Document Camera

I found this really cool video on Youtube that shows the advancement of technology in education over time.

This video is a visual timeline of the history of technology in education. Times have changed drastically from the cave age to the interactive age. Although I cannot relate to anything from the cave age, I do remember growing up in the 1990s and using the chalkboard and paper books. My elementary and junior high school teachers used the chalkboard and television frequently for lessons. I can remember watching movies on video cassette as both a recreational activity and part of a lesson.Sometimes, we even listened to recordings via cassette. In the state of New York, there are required state exams that students of certain grade levels have to take in order to continue on to the next level. There was a reading comprehension section that had a listening part, where students would listen to a recording via cassette and then have to answer questions about the recording after.
During high school, things became more advanced. I was introduced to the computer, the whiteboard, and the internet. High school teachers began assigning work that involved these three new advancements. We would sometimes use these advancements in the classroom to make learning more interactive. High school and college were very similar experiences for me. More of my work required the use of the internet and computer. Instructors required work to be typed. Blackboard and other Internet programs also played a big role in both my undergraduate and graduate careers. Currently, I have two online classes and one in class. My class that meets also has a huge online requirement to, as we complete all assignments online. This is very convenient to me because I can complete assignments anywhere at anytime, whereas I can remember staying at school after regular hours during my younger years to complete assignments. That is one thing I do not miss at all. Everything is available online and I enjoy using all of these technological devices and look forward to what is to come.

Technology In The Classroom

Welcome to my blog. I would like to say forgive me in advance as I am new to the blog world. This blog will focus on technology in the classroom and how it has advanced over the past few years. I can remember back in junior high, or middle school, when PCs were first introduced to the classroom. Now, we have smart boards, Macs, projectors, videoconferencing and all different types of Web 2.0 technologies being used in the classroom. This blog will contain may findings of new technologies used in the classroom. I hope everyone can learn from this.