blog 6

I visited my old high school’s website for this assignment, Forest High School and was surprised at how much information I could access without having a login. On Mr. Crawford’s page, who teaches senior Macroeconomics and Government, I could even see the notes for his class. His site included a Meet the Teacher page, the calendar, syllabus, and then the module notes and practice problems. I went to another teacher’s page to see if it was common to have it so open to the public, and again was surprised at all the information available. Teacher websites are so important, they help students stay connected and up-to-date with their class and assignments. (https://www.marionschools.net/Page/43856) 

Chapter 7 was filled with awesome suggestions and opportunities for teachers to use technology in the classroom. Two that really stood out to me were electronic spreadsheets and presentation software. The spreadsheets would be so helpful when it came to organizing student information accurately, especially if it had to do with a budget or any numerical data. As the book says, “One of the key advantages of electronic spreadsheets over their manual counterparts is in their accuracy” (153). The spreadsheets calculate the numbers for you, and therefore, human error is not a possible issue. Presentation software is also extremely important because it provides teachers with a way to make their lectures stand out. With the use of graphics or hyperlinks, teachers can spice up their slides a bit to keep students interested. 

The Technology Sandbox was an awesome experience! I went last year with my class as well, but they had new gadgets and technology to explore. Something that always stands out to me is the virtual reality headset. I think it has so much potential in future classrooms. For example, in a geography class: looking at pictures in a textbook does not compare to the sights you can see with the headset on. Being able to almost experience the foreign places and locations the class is learning about would be amazing. I also think it would be a nice addition to a special education classroom. The students could experience a field trip to the zoo in the comfort and safety of their own classroom. This is important for students with, for example, Autism, who do not like crowds or noises.