Kidspiration Software

For one of my projects in my Educational Technology and Design class, I used the Kidspiration software. Before this class, I had never heard of Kidspiration. It is a wonderful tool to enhance students’ learning and it is great for the visual learners in a classroom. The software is intended for students in grades K-5 and there are a variety of ways it can be used for each subject. According to the Kidspiration website listed below, “Kidspiration helps students: develop strong thinking skills, strengthen reading and writing skills, and build conceptual understanding in math.” This tool is easily accessible for young students, but also great for teachers. Teachers can use already made templates and lesson plans for their students or they can create their own. The software gives students a variety of activities in order to learn concepts, as well as to practice them. Kidspiration is a great tool to use in any classroom. The activities can be adapted to each individual learner and they give students the opportunity to learn in multiple ways.

For more information, please visit the Kidspiration website.

Image used with permission from www.flickr.com

SMART Boards in the Classroom

SMART boards are a great new technology that I feel should be implemented into every classroom. One of the reasons that I think the SMART board should be in every classroom is because using these boards is a great way to involve the students. Students can interact with each other, as well as the teacher. They will learn how to collaborate with each other and be able to play a part in their education. By using the SMART board, students will stay engaged in the lesson because they can play an active role in the lesson instead of just listening to the teacher. SMART boards are a great tool to use to enhance every type of lesson, even math lessons. They can also be used for students with special needs and are great for visual learners.

To find out more about SMART boards in education, check out the following links: http://www.brighthub.com/education/k-12/reviews/9759.aspx or
http://education.smarttech.com/ste/en-us/

Learn ways you could use SMART boards in the classroom by watching this YouTube video!


Photo: http://www.flickr.com/

Digital Kids Ruling the Classroom

“Teachers may be the masters in the classroom, but when it comes to mastering technology, a growing number of schools are turning to students.” This is a quote from an article I read entitled “When Digital Kids Rule the Classroom.”  This article talks about the importance of allowing kids to use technology in the classroom, and also the importance of allowing the students to teach the teachers some technology. The article also discussed how important it is to let kids use many types of technology instead of restricting them because using the technology will be a great aid in their education. I think that it is so important that we allow students to use many different types of technology in the classroom. The technology in the world is ever-changing and it is so important that students are exposed to this in school. This exposure will not only help the students, but it will help the teachers as well. Teachers will gain a better understanding of the technology and in turn will be able to come up with different methods of teaching using this technology.

To read more about digital kids ruling the classroom, please follow this link: http://news.cnet.com/2009-1041_3-6065108.html

Photo: iowaaeaonline.org/