Having electronics in the classroom gives teachers the opportunity to use every means possible to engage students in the learning process. But how do teachers know what gadgets are the most effective learning tools? There are plenty of new electronics surging the consumer market but, who knows how to incorporate them into the classroom? Teachers are already presented with the task of keeping up with the latest educational philosophy, trying new teaching techniques, and showing concern for the academic progress of each student in their class; and most of them do all of this on computers made in 2001. What I'd like to do with this blog is cover the basics of how to get a classroom into shape with the help of modern technology.
The best place to start learning about the classroom is the classroom computer.This could be the outdated model that came with the classroom or one that the teacher brought from home. Make a note of what it can really do. What is the operating system? A very important peice of information because the instructor will need to know what programs are compatible with the operating system. What video input and output options are on the computer? This is important information that the instructor will need to know for many fun projects. What resolution can the video card handle on the video output? How much memory is available for storage? How much memory is available for use (RAM)? Is the disc drive able to read or write CDs or DVDs? Does the computer have Bluetooth available? The school IT club should be able to answer any of these questions, but, knowing what quesions to ask can save the instructor a lot of time.
