POWER POINT PRESENTATION

Technology has become integrated in the classroom in so many ways, that we often don't even think about how we are using it. The Education World Tech Team offers lessons and activities to help educators make better use of technology tools for instruction, and to help students improve their technology skills within the context of the regular curriculum. Included: Integration activities that utilize the Web, PowerPoint, Excel, digital photography, SMART Boards, and more. "Using technology in the classroom is becoming easier for teachers," instructional technology consultant Jamye Swinford told Education World. "Students are coming to class with more skills. Whether a teacher requires it or not, most students use technology for their projects." Probably the technology tool used most often for student projects is the World Wide Web. WEB SITES "The Internet has many sites that easily lend themselves to classroom integration," Swinford pointed out. "A favorite of mine, Refdesk.com, has a Site of the Day section containing a wealth of useful and interesting Web sites. An archive also is available. Other useful sections of the site include a Thought of the Day, Word of the Day, and Current Events. All those sections provide a wealth of research and discussion opportunities. "Refdesk also has links to newspapers, listed by state and country. Foreign language classes can access online news articles in the language being studied," Swinford continued. "Dictionary and thesaurus links also are easily accessible. Translation links are available too -- all in one place on one page. If a student or teacher needs a starting page to find resources, I definitely recommend this site." "The Internet is loaded with activities for all types of classes," agreed high school science teacher John Tiffany. "I regularly try to integrate Internet-based activities into my astronomy class, my biology class, and my integrated science class for freshmen. Activities might include current readings on topics in the field, or activities that students can do. My astronomy class is small, so this year, I intend to give each student an e-mail account and post articles to my Web site. Students will respond individually, I'll post their responses, and have students respond to one another's postings." "Many times, I worked with a science teacher to help students use the Internet to learn about planets, hurricanes, earthquakes, and so on," said retired K-8 computer teacher/coordinator Betty Kistler. "We would locate appropriate sites and then I would create a Web page for students to use. The science teacher sometimes came into the lab with his students and guided the research; other times, he used the Internet on a big screen in his classroom. Students sometimes worked in pairs to answer questions. I found that most teachers felt more secure using the Internet in the lab with me or in their classroom if I was there. As time went by, they became more confident and comfortable with the technology (and the technology became more reliable too)." "In history," high school Webmaster Fred Holmes said, "a teacher might assign students to research different areas of a particular subject. Students would then go onto the Internet, collect pictures, information, and so on, and present the results of their research to the class. A study of Civil War battles would be an example of that type of activity; the teacher would assign groups different battles, the students would research their assigned battles, collect pictures, and then give a guided tour of the battlefield, telling what happened there." Internet scavenger hunts are another way to integrate technology into almost any topic or subject area. "I have my older students create online scavenger hunts for younger students," noted computer coordinator Jennifer Wagner. "It improves my older students' research and typing skills, and provides lower grade teachers with extra activities for their students." There is a number of Internet-based activities for all grade levels as bellow; Visit the Web pages of state and local historical societies when studying your state or locality; learn about the region's history and famous citizens, and access current information about your area. Puzzlemaker can be used by teachers and students alike to develop crossword puzzles, word searches, mazes, cryptograms, and more based on curriculum vocabulary and concepts. Brainbooster offers many activities that can be used to help students develop higher level thinking skills. ePals allows students to contact class or individual partners, work on writing skills, exchange weather information, compare communities, and make new friend...

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