| One of the real bonuses of modern classroom | | | | still be able to do this, but with the classroom |
| technology is that is brings the whole world into | | | | technology in place, you can get started straight |
| your classroom. With telecommunications, the | | | | away by accessing immediate news from the |
| world really has become a global village, and | | | | Internet, and that can include the news from that |
| communicating with the other side of the world is | | | | country. As soon as you get to your class, you |
| easier than ever before. If you thought that | | | | can find a link to a live news feed and find out |
| school students benefited from studying other | | | | exactly what's going on. |
| countries, seeing films and videos about other | | | | This link, of course, will be posted to your |
| countries and maybe having a penpal in another | | | | classroom website, plus a few other links you |
| country, then just think what they will be able to | | | | upload once you've found them. Next day, you'll |
| do with the Internet and new technologies in | | | | be able to direct your class to these links and |
| communication. | | | | they'll be able to do more research. One of your |
| What's more, classroom technology helps | | | | students - or you - discovers a link to an aid |
| students become more aware of issues and | | | | agency and you decide that this might be a good |
| problems facing the world - and can even help | | | | thing to get involved in. Instead of just getting |
| them take action. This not only educates your | | | | upset and feeling sorry for the earthquake |
| students about the big issues of the world, but it | | | | victims, you discover immediate ways your class |
| also has an effect on other people outside your | | | | can take action. |
| classroom that you may never meet. | | | | And things can go anywhere from there. Maybe |
| In practice, how does this work? Let's assume | | | | you can start a fundraising project to raise |
| that you have the following pieces of classroom | | | | money for the cause. Maybe you can get in |
| technology: a laptop with a wireless modem that | | | | contact with the agency and ask them more |
| is set up for Skype (with a speaker set) as your | | | | questions - this can be very gripping if you use |
| hardware, and a classroom website where | | | | Skype - your students can talk to someone who |
| students can post projects and helpful links - and | | | | actually is involved in the project. If you're lucky, |
| so can you. You've also got access to some of | | | | someone in your school or community has links |
| the older forms of classroom technology, such as | | | | with that aid organisation or another one that has |
| a DVD player or VCR. | | | | worked in other parts of the world. Getting in |
| Let's say that you were listening to your car radio | | | | touch with this person may lead to you getting in |
| on the way to work and you heard that an | | | | touch with people actually living in the country you |
| earthquake has hit a particular country. On the | | | | want to study. This use of classroom technology |
| spot, you decide to abandon the unit you'd | | | | will stop studies on earthquakes being just a lot of |
| planned on studying the weather and you'll look at | | | | facts but will make your students more aware of |
| earthquakes instead. The old way of doing this | | | | other people who are like them in many ways. |
| would usually involve recording video clips off the | | | | And that's one of the things that social studies |
| televised evening news, mixed with a few videos | | | | and current events is all about. |
| on earthquakes and tectonic plates. You'll probably | | | | |