classroom integration

Technology integration in the classroom is a topic that I have been thinking about more often than not, due to my continued experience in the classroom. I would like to start with sharing my own personal experience of using technology as a student in my middle school classroom. In eighth grade, we were given PDA hand held devices to use. This became more problematic than not. Well I am quite aware that the year I was in eighth grade technology was only just beginning to appear, I think that it could have been handled much differently. Most student's did not understand the purpose of the technology (that it was to be used for school). Most students messed around and even a few were suspended for downloading games when they were supposed to be using it for school work. Since my experience as a student was not a pleasant one, I thought when I was in the teacher role, I would handle it much differently.

I had field placement in a kindergarten classroom last year. The school was in a lower budget district and did not have much technology. The few items of technology I witnessed were computers (probably at least ten years old), tape players, and videocassettes with headphones. I feel that the technology did immensely help the children and made it seem more fun for them. However, the students who were struggling could have benefited from more recent technology. However, my collaborating teacher maximized the usage of it and it definitely helped the students. I hope that I can use technology like this in my classroom.

Based on a previous course (CEP 452) and through this course, I am now aware that there are many different technologies that can be utilized in the classroom. Some are expensive and some are not. I hope that when I do become a teacher, I will be able to give my students the best technological environment so that they can perform a comfortable level and also feel comfortable with technology in general.