Mrs. Shortridge's Class News

Welcome parents!

 I have some great news for you! The Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) is going to be doing a fundraiser to raise money for more technology and computers in your child's classroom.   Your participation in this fundraiser is strongly encouraged and needed.  

Retrieved from google images

Many parents do not fully embrace the idea of technology being implemented into the classroom because they are afraid that children will spend valuable education time playing games or surfing the net.  They do not understand the importance of technology integration because they were not taught this way.  Technology has become important in almost every aspects of our daily lives.  Shouldn't we prepare the future generation to be successful in society? According to the Center of Applied Research in Educational Technology(CARET), technology use in the classroom is beneficial for the following reasons: "it influences student academic performance, it develops higher order thinking and problem solving skills, it improves student motivation, attitude, and interests in learning, it helps prepare students for the workforce and the needs of  low performing, at-risk or with special needs can be addressed."

Interactive White Board, laptops and IPAD
usage in the classroom
Retrieved from
http://lmg.letmeget.net/blog/types-technology-used-classroom

Interactive White Board's or Smart Boards can be used with computers or projectors.  Teachers can load data directly onto it, which can then be shown to everyone in the class.  Images can also be digitally drawn onto the screen.   One example of this could be a teacher using this capability to teach a math lesson and working through each problem step by step by writing digitally on their screen which could then be projected onto the white board for all to see.   Another example could be of a teacher assigning a PowerPoint presentation for each student to complete and then having the student give an oral presentation in front of the class, using the PowerPoint application.  Learning is enhanced by the hands-on capabilities that students are able to utilize.   The cost of incorporating a whiteboard into the classroom would be about $2,500.             

 Retrieved from google images

Social media websites such as Twitter can help students learn digital citizenship, by connecting to the world around them.   I would set up a classroom twitter account and then as a class we would take turns posting our daily classroom news.  This would give students the opportunity to write by revising, editing and then posting. Students would be motivated to "tweet" their news because it would be their own idea that everyone, including parents, would be able to see and comment on.   Before we could use Twitter, we would need a laptop for the classroom.  The cost would be around $600.   See the video below for some other ideas on how twitter can be used in a classroom.

                                                  Retrieved from YouTube                                         

                                                                                             

Parent involvement in raising funds for new classroom technology is extremely important.  Students need to be challenged and motivated.  Technology is the key to this!  I want to encourage all parents to join in this discussion with their ideas and/or concerns.  I am available in the classroom daily or you can feel free to post on this blog to continue this discussion.

Sincerely,
Mrs. Shortridge






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