| There are many types of technology that can be | | | | are great for gathering data about what your |
| used in the K-12 classroom today. Our future | | | | students know before a lesson (preassessment) |
| classroom has become the present. Many items | | | | and after you have taught it (postassessment). |
| you might have heard about or seen, but not | | | | They are basically a small remote control that will |
| used. Maybe others are new and you haven't | | | | tell the class anonymously what they have |
| even heard of them yet. We will review a few | | | | learned, but is also able to print out a detailed |
| great technology options that can be utilized to | | | | report of each child's knowledge after class is |
| create a whole new learning environment for our | | | | over. This could be extremely beneficial in tracking |
| 21st century learners!o Electronic whiteboards are | | | | each individual student's progress.o MP3 players |
| becoming more commonplace in many classrooms | | | | are everywhere now. Most students of any grade |
| around the country. These interactive whiteboards | | | | have one or more. They are pretty much |
| basically consist of a board that usually mounted | | | | considered mainstream and if you have never |
| on a wall over your existing chalkboard or | | | | used one in your classroom, it is time to come |
| whiteboard. This board is connected to a | | | | into the now. Find a simple to use mp3 player, a |
| computer, which is also connected to a projector | | | | speaker system to hook it up, and add classroom |
| that will display a screen onto the board. You are | | | | appropriate music to it. I have math rap songs for |
| now able to pull-up websites, teach interactive | | | | instructional means, fun upbeat songs for |
| lessons and games with lessons created for the | | | | celebration, and slow rhythmic music for testing |
| device, and it will still be available to use as a | | | | or quiet sessions. Not only will students think you |
| traditional whiteboard, with the additional capability | | | | are cool, but the auditory learners will start to |
| to save your work, so you don't have to rewrite | | | | perk up with the addition of song into the |
| the day before's material again - just pull it up! | | | | curriculum on a daily basis. |
| There are so many features to the electronic | | | | These are just a few types of technology used |
| whiteboard, it is nearly impossible to keep up as | | | | for the classroom, with many more to be |
| the technology increases.o Accessories to the | | | | discussed in subsequent articles. For now, get |
| electronic whiteboard could include wireless | | | | those technology brain cells working and realize |
| interactive response systems or a wireless slate | | | | we must address the needs of tomorrow's |
| or keyboard. The interactive response systems | | | | learners because tomorrow is already here today. |