Using Technology in the Classroom

Technology can be a powerful tool in a science classroom, but what's equally, if not more important, is knowing how to use technology in an effective manner.

• Choosing an effective, engaging, accurate app. There are a lot of science apps I've seen with inaccurate information. It's important to have accuracy so kids aren't practicing and learning wrong information. It needs to be engaging, interesting, fun or it will be difficult to keep them from doing something else on the device or not using the device at all. Time will be required to research high quality apps. If you know any, post a comment!
• Monitoring the class. There is no sense handing out iPads, assigning an app to play around with, then sitting at my desk. I will likely have a room of kids playing on Facebook or Angry Birds. Walking around will be important not only for making sure they are on task but to be available for questions also. If I can be next to a student and see they are struggling it will open up opportunity for a question; the same student may be less likely to get up out of their desk to come ask a question.

In my technology class last week the professor used Instant Audience Feedback. An open ended question was proposed and students could text, tweet, or type in feedback on a website to answer the question. Immediately I thought this might be good to use while lecturing. Sometimes kids might be hesitant to interrupt to ask a question; they simply don't want to interrupt or they are generally shy about asking questions. The scrolling feedback on a screen would allow questions to be asked anonymously and with out much interruption. I could glance at the screen and incorporate the answer, or go back a few steps to re-explain something. Possible implications of abuse - submitting inappropriate feedback - solutions to this I'll need to give more thought to. Any suggestions?

Another use of technology I've been thinking about recently is video use. I can remember getting instructions for a lab, reading it or verbally from a teacher, and thinking, "huh?" Some of my classmates would know exactly what to do, but for me, I had to see it. I'll be looking more into this.