Technology+Tools

ITEC 8231 Tech Tools Concepts and Resource File Tosha Wright April 25, 2011

The challenges presented in the classroom can be tackled by using technology tools that engage learners and encourage collaboration. Technology usage in the classroom should promote student achievement (Means, 2010). In an effort to captivate the interests of melancholy learners, teachers have explored a variety of new an innovative technology tools to motivate learners. Many of the technology tools available require high speed Internet access.

One such tool is the interactive white board. Interactive white boards can be used with a computer and projector to present and display information (Sibel, Atasoy, & Ozdemir, 2009). According to Sibel et al. (2009) the information displayed on the boards can be saved and shared with students and other teachers. Rochette (2007) also supports the use of interactive white boards in the classroom. Interactive white boards allow teachers to share a variety of media with students. The visual displays and tactile nature of the boards entice a variety of learning styles (Rochette, 2007).

There are many brands of interactive white boards. The Promethean interactive white board, the Activote, and the related software are an efficient means of meeting the needs of 21st Century learners. The Promethean Planet website also provides 27,000 free lesson plans, and has over 900,000 members (Promethean Planet, 2011). The Promethean hardware can be used with other technology tools to provide immediate assessment data. Educators also use the student response systems, Activotes, to collect data. According to the Promethean Planet website, 90% of educators used the Activotes for formative assessments (Promethean Planet, 2011). In contrast, Costello (2010) does not support the use of commercial classroom response systems because they are expensive. A more effective method would be using free software and any device with Internet access (Costello, 2010). Costello suggests using Survey Monkey as a free alternative to commercial student response systems. Teachers can create surveys and collect student responses online (Survey Monkey, 2011).

Promethean flip charts are valuable teaching tools. The flip charts can be used to teach a variety of subjects. Many teacher created flip charts are available on Promethean Planet. Promethean Planet is a resource used by educators to share information. Flip charts can be embedded with links to web pages, games, Power Points, documents, videos, and pictures (Promethean Planet, 2011). The information available on the McGraw-Hill website which complements the fifth grade reading series can also be embedded into Promethean flip charts. The interactive version of the reading book and games can be used with a simple mouse click (McGraw-Hill, 2011). Valuable classroom time is saved because the transition time between activities is reduced to a few seconds. Research supports the use of interactive white boards in the classroom. Shenton and Pagett studied the use of interactive white boards in seven fifth grade English classes. This qualitative study consisted of interviews and observations of the teachers and students using the interactive white boards (Shenton & Pagett, 2007). Shenton and Pagett (2007) found that the teachers who were more technologically savvy had students annotate and use the interactive white boards more than their colleagues. Jewitt, Bezemer, Jones, and Kress (2009) compared how interactive white boards were used in English classrooms in 2000 and 2006. Jewitt et al. (2009) found that interactive white boards can be used to improve word development and fluency skills for elementary students. Students were more engaged in the learning process because they were able to annotate and interact with media using the interactive white boards (Jewitt et al., 2009).

Another method students can use to interact with the white board is using programs available on the Internet. A variety of literacy related websites offer free interactive stories. Story Place, Old Mr. Crow, and Story Online provide students with the ability to interact with electronic versions of stories. Students can also manipulate the content on these websites to create original stories (Charlotte Mecklenburg Library, 2011; Kidoons Network, 2011; Story Online, 2011). According to Ertem (2010), the animations in electronic versions of stories help struggling readers.

Interactive white boards are also presentation tools. They can be used with programs like Microsoft Power Point, Study Island, Class Works, and Discovery Education. Study Island and Class Works are fee based programs that require subscriptions, but provide excellent standards based content and games. The programs can be tailored to fit the needs of individual students (Study Island, 2011 & Class Works, 2011). Both programs also provide student assessment data that can be used to improve instructional methods in the classroom. Microsoft Power Point can be used to teach a variety of English language arts lessons. Power Point presentations motivate and engage students (Elder-Hinshaw, Manset-Williamson, Nelson, & Dunn, 2006). One quick method for finding instructional material for power point is to use an Internet search engine, such as Google, along with a skill to locate free teacher created power points (Google, 2011). Pete’s Power Point Station and Mr. Dunn’s are excellent resources for elementary teachers( Pete’s Power Point Station, 2011; Mr. Dunn’s, 2011). Discovery Education’s website provides media and lesson plans that can be used with interactive white boards. Teachers can search for content using the state curriculum standards and elements (Discovery Education, 2011). However the use of software programs is not a substitute for direct instruction (Means, 2010). Means compared student software usage between one low achieving school and one high achieving school. Means (2010) found the use of software to improve reading and math achievement scores did not result in higher student achievement.

The ultimate use of the interactive white board is to show students how to become creators of digital content. Elder-Hinshaw et al. (2006) found multimedia projects compel students to identify main idea and read for meaning. Interactive white boards allow students to use content from across the curriculum to collaborate and explore new ideas (Rochette, 2007). Projects that require students to use technology involve the use of higher order thinking skills. Students can use Web 2.0 tools like Animoto, Tagxedo, and Wikispaces to create media which can be presented using an interactive white board. Animoto and Wikispaces are fee based, but provide basic services for free (Animoto, 2011; Wikispaces, 2011). Students can use Wikis to write book reports and short stories (Sze, 2008). Tagxedo can be used to create word clouds of varying shapes (Tagxedo, 2011). Educators can use text clouds to teach alphabetical order, pronunciation, synonyms, vocabulary, and to introduce books (Stockdale, 2008).

All of the technology tools available for use in the 21st Century classroom can impact student learning. Technology resources and lessons must be linked to standards based practices. Rote learning should be minimized. Students need to use technology tools to collaborate, explore, and communicate with others (Beauchamp, 2004). The trick is not to use just one tool, but to use the tools available to create lessons that are student focused. The future of technology tools in the 21st century classroom is constantly evolving. Educators must adapt to the needs of the students as learning becomes more global.

References

Animoto, http://animoto.com/intro/animoto?gclid=CJiRqcbQuqcCFSVa7AodPV1K_g Retrieved

on April 10, 2011

Users can create slideshows. Upgraded services are available for a nominal fee.

Beauchamp, G. (2004). Teacher use of the interactive whiteboard in primary schools: towards an

effective transition framework. Technology, Pedagogy and Education, 13(3), 327-348.

Retrieved from http://pdfserve.informaworld.com/989050__751266932.pdf

Charlotte Mecklenburg Library: Story Place, http://www.storyplace.org/ Retrieved on March 31,

2011

This website provides both English and Spanish versions of stories. It is for elementary students.

Classworks, http://www.classworks.com/ Retrieved on April 10, 2011

This web based software program provides interactive lessons and games for elementary

students. It is fee based.

Costello, P. (2010) A cost-effective classroom response system. British Journal of Educational

Technology, 41(6), 53-54. DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-8535.2010.01118.x

Discovery Education, http://streaming.discoveryeducation.com/ Retrieved on April 10, 2011

Users can access lesson plans, videos, and images. You can also save or download materials for

future access.

Elder-Hinshaw, R., Manet-Williamson, G., Nelson, J., & Dunn, M. (2006). Engaging older

students with reading disabilities: multimedia inquiry projects supported by reading

assistive technology. Teaching Exceptional Children, 39(1), 6-11. Retrieved from

http:www.search.ebscohost.com

Ertem, I. (2010). The effect of electronic storybooks on struggling fourth-graders’ reading

comprehension. The Turkish Online Journal of Educational Technology, 9(4), 140-155.

Google, http://www.google.com/ Retrieved on April 17, 2011

This website provides users with free access to email, calendars, web site creation, documents,

readers, and other services.

Kidoons Network Old Mr. Crow, http://www.oldmrcrow.com/books?s=48f4e45a4da1d6302e384

Retrieved on March 31, 2011

Users can access reading content for early elementary students. You can also custom and print

stories.

McGraw-Hill Reading Series

http://activities.macmillanmh.com/reading/treasures/stories/storylist/51.html Retrieved

on April 17, 2011

Users can access games for spelling and vocabulary stories related to the reading series. There

are also links to science, social studies, and technology related lessons.

Means, B. (2010). Technology and education change: focus on student learning. Journal of

Research on Technology in Education, 42(3), 285-307. Retrieved from ERIC Database

(EJ882507).

Mr. Donn’s, http://www.mrdonn.org/ Retrieved on April 15, 2011

This website provides access to a variety of free educational power point presentation.

Pete’s Power Point Station, http://www.pppst.com/ Retrieved on April 13, 2011

This website provides access to a variety of free educational power point presentation.

Promethean Planet, http://www.prometheanplanet.com/en-us/ Retrieved on April 10, 2011

This website allows users to access lesson plans, flipcharts, and to purchase grade appropriate interactive white board content.

Rochette, L.C. (2007). What classroom technology has taught me about curriculum, teaching,

and infinite possibilities. The English Journal, 97(2), 43-48. Retrieved from

http://www.jstor.org/stable/30046787

Shenton, A, & Pagett, L. (2007). From ‘bored’ to screen: the use of the interactive whiteboard

for literacy in six primary classrooms in England. Literacy, 41(3), 129-136. Retrieved

from http:www.search.ebscohost.com

Sibel, S., Atasoy, B., & Ozdemir, S. (2009). Board’s I.Q.: what makes a board smart? Computers

& Education, 53(2) 368-374. DOI: 10.1016/j.compedu.2009.02.012

Stockdale, J. (2008). Using a text cloud to introduce text. The Internet TESL Journal, 14(6). Retrieved from http://iteslj.org/Techniques/Stockdale-TextCloud/

Storyline Online, http://www.storylineonline.net/ Retrieved on March 31, 2011

Retrieved on April 17, 2011

Users can view a variety of stories that are narrated by celebrity authors. There is an option to

show the book texts as the stories are read which is good for struggling readers.

Study Island, http://www.studyisland.com/ Retrieved on April 10, 2011

This fee based website provides students with an opportunity to practice standards based

materials in a game format. Teachers can receive email updates on students’ progress and

assign practice lessons.

Sze, P. (2008). Online collaborative writing using wikis. The Internet TESL Journal, 14(1). Retrieved from http://iteslj.org/Techniques/Sze-Wikis.html

Survey Monkey,

http://www.surveymonkey.com/partners/efax.aspx?cmpid=&mkwid=smGBvVz2c&pcrid	=6730097180&gclid=CPre2-7RmqgCFYXu7QodlCzHHg Retrieved on April 13, 2011 This website allows users to create free surveys which can be accessed by anyone with the link.

Surveys can be answered by anyone with Internet access including mobile users.

Tagxedo, http://www.tagxedo.com/ Retrieved on April 13, 2011

Users can add vocabulary and word list to create custom pictures and word clouds. The services

provided by this website are free.

Treasures 5th Grade Reading Book Online,

http://www.mhln.com/corsair/isbn/MMH/FL09/pe/treas_g5/treas_g5.html?chapter=null&	page=null&anchory=null Retrieved on April 17, 2011

This website provides access to the Florida version of the McGraw-Hill Treasures reading series.

It allows users to view the reading textbook and reads the material on every page.

Wikispaces, http://www.wikispaces.com/ Retrieved on April 13, 2011

This website provides free web pages for educators. There are a variety widgets that can be used.