Skype Interview : Uses Of Technical Equipment

In the twenty-first century, when almost everyone has a laptop or smartphone, many different perspectives have arisen regarding the use of technology, specifically laptops, in college classrooms. Some people are completely in favor of allowing the use of laptops in the classroom. These people are part of Generation Y, meaning they are young, often in their teenage years or twenties. Others think laptops are too distracting and want them banned. These people tend to be older, and are members of the baby-boomer generation. However, members of Generation X support a solution that lies in the middle: allow laptops in the classroom, but have specific rules on their use put in place. Some schools tend to have stricter rules than others. For example, Bentley College in Massachusetts has a system that lets professors turn off internet access in their classrooms. In contrast, Columbia’s business school and Loyola Marymount University’s law school take a more relaxed approach. They think that since college students are adults, they should be able to control themselves and use laptops responsibly. Surfing the web during lectures will not lead to a passing grade, and professors at Columbia and Loyola Marymount think students are old enough to realize that.

The first set of questions were used to see what technology teachers use and how often they use them. The seven different devices that were surveyed are computers, smart boards, mobile devices, tablets/iPads, digital cameras, clickers, and televisions/projectors. Each device was rated based on use either daily, weekly, monthly, yearly, or never. Using this data we can see which devices are used most and least by teachers. These charts also show us which devises teachers and students are most familiar with in the classroom. The most significant statistic from this first set of questions is that 91% of teachers use computers daily and weekly in the classroom (Fig.

The Board of Education for the Rowan Salisbury Schools are fully aware of how twenty-first century technologies can affect the manner in which our teachers teach and our students learn. It is the goal of the district to provide a safe and nurturing atmosphere that is technologically rich. Providing every student and employee with access to these tools is meant to enhance and improve the learning experience that will ultimately improve the academic achievements of all of our students. The use of the District’s resources are not a right, but come with responsibilities for proper care and use of all district owned technology. The Board also reserves the right to place restrictions on the proper care and use of its devices.

The article 7 Habits of Highly Effective Tech-leading Principals was about principals and their effectiveness in changing the technology culture within the school. The article begins by telling how that schools systems need use more technology and that often there are teachers on staff that want to do new initiative things in their classrooms but are being held back by school policy or staff that don’t want to change. Students are technology oriented and as school we need to reach the students and communicate the lessons to them on their terms. The article talked about how so many schools do not allow students to use their phones in the school. I understand the liability issues but are we truly preparing them students for the real world.

We were able to present an Instructional Technology Plan that guide major adoptions in technology for the schools with special emphasis on the integration of technology to teaching and learning. Once implementation began we were able to see Interactive Whiteboards in every classroom in the High School and most core content area classrooms in the middle school. Elementary was reserved to a second year and every classroom and School Library was included in the initiative. The plan was owned by the stakeholders and they were engaged in professional development to take full advantage of the technologies.

At SEIS, technology is a vital tool for learning and communicating who we are, what we value and how we represent our family, school and community. Because our technology choices affect us and others, and because the use of technology is a privilege not a right, the expectation is that all students will abide by and support this agreement in school. While we understand that any of us can make a mistake, we believe that living according to these values is critically important. Infractions will be enforced using the SEIS Student Code of Conduct. By signing this policy, I agree to:

Before a school approves of technology usage in school, some factors to consider would be

know when it is appropriate to use technology and when it is not. Students will not be

General Background: Technology is continuously advancing, and appears to be changing annually! With the increase in technology comes, not only, new gadgets and gizmos, but new possibilities. Today’s generation of children are being born into a “technology fish bowl”. Many people believe that technology is simply used for recreational purposes, but that is not entirely true. In fact, technology is beginning to appear in several school districts around the country. “As the use of electronic teaching and learning tools has increased, technology in education has become a key focus for educators at all levels.” (Flair, I) Technology is the future… Educators need to understand that they are instructing the citizens of our future. With that being said, techniques and tools of “tomorrow” need to be applied inside the classroom today with our future generations. Implementing technology can be a difficult road, can have both positive and negative possibilities, and can change the layout of a curriculum. “Using electronic and digital tools is seen as a way to enhance learning and provide a beneficial experience for all students.” (Flair, I) Technology for educational purposes is something that is strongly encouraged, requested, and expected in today’s education system.

The need that prompted this project proposal is that of providing more technology training for teachers in order to address the ongoing desire for increased student achievement rates in our school and district. In the upcoming school year, our district will be rolling out a 1:1 initiative to provide devices for each student in our school (and all other schools in the county). The problem that comes along with this initiative is the lack of knowledge and training that teachers have received to prepare for this roll out. Paul Gorski (2005) describes the “digital divide” that exists in schools as being about more than just the physical access to technology but, more importantly, the equity of access to internet and technology. In his discussion about the need for a systemic shift in thought and action, he suggested actions taking place such as providing more effective and more complete teacher training on how to use computers and the Internet in progressive, pedagogically sound ways. Another action that should be present in this shift is ensuring that all students and teachers have equitable access to up-to date software and hardware, and relevant training for how to use them. No matter how many technology devices a school receives, they are ineffective if the students and teachers do not have relevant training for how to use them.

Today, if you enter an average elementary classroom you might find a computer cart with twenty or thirty lap tops, all with hook-up to the internet. The teacher usually has either a desk top or lap top computer, sometimes both, for keeping track of important information. Technology has, in many ways, positively impacted the educational field. Michigan has made using technology a necessity. With help from the Freedom to Learn Program, improvements in classroom technology, and special programs used to assist educators, teachers become familiar with the new technology.

A teacher has the right to allow and control how personal devices are used in and out of the classroom once students are on the school compound.

Obviously, teachers will have to ensure that teaching with electronic devices stays academic. Students will be tempted to text their friends, check Facebook, post twits, or simply browse for a non-academic content. However, there’s a simple way to make sure that students use their electronic devices for educational purposes. First, instead of a giving a lecture in front of

Prior to rolling out the one-to-one computer initiative, the researchers reviewed literature stating the positive benefits of “ubiquitous computing”, whereby students had access to a variety of media and technology devices to use at their discretion (Storz & Hoffman, 2013). Additionally, the authors discussed the possible implications of having more technology resources for student use, such as off-task behavior while online or lack of professional development for teacher to effectively implement the technology tools within their daily lessons. Storz & Hoffman emphasize the importance of listening to student and teacher feedback as the key element of making changes within schools, and cite instances of success from taking feedback into consideration when making changes as well as the dangers of not listening to the needs of teachers and students when creating policy. Having sensitivity to the real needs within the school

In attempt to be proactive, school administrators have sought to bridge technology and make it a mainstream component of classrooms across academic disciplines. Interestingly, it has been discovered that incoming teachers are more accepting and willing to embrace technology versus their counterparts. They are more willing to adapt these devices into the design