Saturday, September 14, 2013

New Technology



Module 1

Thornburg and New Technology

As a futurist, I believe that new innovations are constantly emerging because the former technologies are consistently being replaced or upgraded. Smart Boards are currently being used in my classrooms. The Smart Boards are defined by innovation and provides an improved for students to learn subjects. Teachers and students enjoy this new way of learning by being collaborative and making applications. There have been some challenges with using this technology, like consistent repairs. Maintenance is a consistent need because this technology is sensitive because some people are not careful when using it.
Students enjoy demonstrating their subject applications on Smart Board, like Math calculations and explaining their equations to the class. Even students who are too shy in classrooms want to make applications on the Smart Board. Therefore, students are interested and motivated about learning with this interactive technology. The benefits of using the Smart Board are very effective in helping students to focus and learn subject skills. I believe the Smart Board should be upgraded to prevent the frequent maintenance repairs. Maybe if schools could afford more than two per school, this could a preventive measure.
References
Thornburg, D. D. (2008b). Emerging technologies and McLuhan's Laws of Media. Lake
Barrington, IL: Thornburg Center for Space Exploration.









2 comments:

  1. also selected the whiteboard as my emerging technology - it is the Promethean Whiteboard. I use the board for everything, and love all of the interactive capabilities it gives us, from just a plain old whiteboard with great color and images, to a big movies screen, to interactive collaborative learning activities that involve the use of student response systems that allow interactively with the board at one time. The activ slate allows me to stand behind the students as we focus on the whiteboard and classroom management is much more simple, creating more time for creating knowledge. We have had these boards for over 6 years, and they have a long way to go before they will be fully emerged.

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  2. Hi Petti,

    Our group seems to be focused on SmartBoard technology. This type of technology has the potential to replace the dry erase white boards in the classroom. In teaching chemistry, I am able to draw out the molecules and move elements around with ease by dragging them to another spot while I talk through a reaction. Using the traditional white boards, I would have to constantly erase elements to show movement, and take time to redraw them. I have also come to a point where I make the animations before class, so all I have to do is hit play to see some of the reactions. Students have a blast in doing the same thing when I have them explain to their classmates who have yet to grasp the concept.

    What are some of the drawbacks of using SmartBoards in the classroom? Has your school district been supportive in offering training?

    Sanjay Sharma

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