Land of the "free"? Not where technology is concerned...

     The Promethean Planet website provides several templates for use with Prometheus SMART Boards.  The Who Wants to be a Millionaire Template is engaging for students because they can actively manipulate the images projected on the screen, whereas in a traditional classroom setting, students remain confined to their desks (Roblyer & Doering, 2012, p. 147).  Furthermore, Interactive whiteboard use in the classroom can promote powerful learning.  Interactive whiteboards require two components: “hardware, or equipment, and software, or programs, written to perform various functions” (Roblyer & Doering, 2012, p. 11).  Interactive whiteboard activity software used in conjunction with interactive whiteboards produce programs where teachers can create or modify templates, “in much the same way as they would use PowerPoint’s program and resources to create slides” (Roblyer & Doering, 2012, p. 147).

     I would use the Who Wants to be a Millionaire Template for review days.  Students would approach the board to select their answer, and because there is a time-limit for each question, students could practice their time-management testing skills.  According to Roblyer & Doering (2012), teachers face three questions when applying technology use based on problem-solving: how to motivate and engage students, how to support students’ learning needs, and how to prepare students for future learning (p. 25-26)?  Interactive whiteboards successfully address each of these concerns by empowering the student and rewarding them for participating. 

     Although Roblyer & Doering (2012) declare that interactive whiteboards are growing in popularity, there are essential conditions for technology integration in schools (p. 147).  Administrators, teachers, and school districts must share the same motivation and passion to equip students with technological resources (Roblyer & Doering, 2012, p. 65).  This includes, but is not limited to, the fact that implementing such technology in the classroom would further support curriculum concepts or skills (Roblyer & Doering, 2012, p. 66).  Additionally, Roblyer & Doering (2012) suggest that schools should adopt policies and an informed technical support team, even if it requires teachers to attend development workshops (p. 68). 

     Of all the essential conditions for technology integration in schools, funding poses the most significant challenge—especially where the field of social studies is concerned.  Social studies is not a tested field; therefore, other core subjects are more likely to receive funding for technology support.  Social studies teachers assume the responsibility of finding funding for their classrooms, often from outside resources.  When social studies teachers emphasize the benefits of software support tools, such as interactive whiteboards, their classroom is more likely to receive funding.  Software support tools improve efficiency and productivity, produce an attractive appearance, promote information accuracy, and support collaboration and sharing among students (Roblyer & Doering, 2012, p. 140-141).  Schools should conduct wide-spread implementation of interactive whiteboards in the classroom, but they must first construct a proper foundation to ensure that students experience the highest-level of benefits from these tools.

References

Roblyer, M.D. & Doering, A.H. (2012). Integrating educational technology into teaching (6th ed.). Columbus, OH: Merrill Prentice Hall.

Because all technology is created equal?

Advantages of Integrating Technology

As technology continues to advance, the social sciences has begun to view technology more as an aid rather than a foe.  Roblyer & Doering (2012) explain that teachers originally saw technology as a tool to teach specific content and skills, “However, as teachers began to see technology making profound changes in social, civic and economic functioning, they saw value in more constructive uses” (p. 336).  Organizations continue to expand technology’s capabilities and functions for the social studies classroom.  From simulated problem-solving environments, such as The Oregon Trail, to geospatial analysis, “uses of these technologies are becoming written in social studies standards throughout the nation” (Roblyer & Doering, 2012, p. 341).  The most imperative use of technology in a social studies classroom, in my opinion, is electronic research.  Roblyer & Doering (2012) declared that, “Internet sources give students and teachers up-to-date information they could not obtain easily from other sources” (p. 341).  Access to primary documents is at the heart of the entire history field.  Primary sources are what historians construct or build their arguments on and are how we develop an understanding about the events of the past; however, this point poses one of social science teachers’ greatest challenges.

The following like highlights the advantages of integrating technology in education according to the National Math and Science Initiative:

http://www.nms.org/Blog/TabId/58/PostId/188/technology-in-the-classroom-the-benefits-of-b

Disadvantages of Integrating Technology

Although technology aids in understanding key concepts and skills, the misuse and expense of certain technologies are disadvantages.  Certain technological software can be expensive, and, “Social studies teachers have to make the case that the expense of these resources is worthwhile due to increased achievement or other benefits while also understanding how to use constructivist technologies effectively” (Roblyer & Doering, 2012, p. 336).  Ironically, the most significant disadvantage of integrating technology in social studies classrooms includes its most pertinent advantage—electronic research.  Roblyer & Doering (2012) declare that, “students must learn where they can look for various kinds of data and facts they need to complete research in school” (p. 341).  Teachers must encourage their students to practice good website evaluation skills to ensure that the information they are presented with is reliable.

The following link provides the advantages and disadvantages of integrating technology in the classroom:

http://technoedu.weebly.com/advantages-and-disadvantages.html

Specific Activities, Programs, Etc.

Simulated Problem-Solving Environments (Roblyer & Doering, 2012, p. 338)

• Makes concepts clear and meaningful
• Authentic-learning situations
• Information application
• Decision making-skills

Virtual Field Trips (Roblyer & Doering, 2012, p. 339)

• Interaction with historic people, places, and artifacts
• Immerses the student in the content
• Inexpensive
• Unlimited access by students

Digital Storytelling (Roblyer & Doering, 2012, p. 340)

• Students can compare and contrast the past and present
• Exposes students to different persepectives and biases
• Reinforces geographic concepts
• Analysis and critical thinking skills
• Personalization

References

Roblyer, M.D. & Doering, A.H. (2012). Integrating educational technology into teaching (6th ed.). Columbus, OH: Merrill Prentice Hall.

"We" the People...

Search Engines

                Search engines, or searching programs, have become a popular tool when locating resources and other items of information (Roblyer & Doering, 2012, p. 219).  Search engines produce a list of topics or hits based on the user’s searching criteria.  As a teacher, learning to use search engines can aid in finding other avenues for teaching a concept, creating lesson plans, or locating updated materials.  Students benefit from learning how to use search engines, as well.  The amount of information that search engines can locate is exponentially large; therefore, students can find reliable answers to any question, after evaluating the websites’ content

Website Evaluation

                Conducting a website evaluation is imperative when looking for reliable content, because there are, “some sites that are works of complete fiction presented as fact” (Roblyer & Doering, 2012, p.255).  Roblyer & Doering (2012) highlight how no agency oversees the content within a webpage or its quality, and anyone can create a webpage (p. 254).  Because of this, blindly accepting any information presented on the internet is, “a risky practice” (Roblyer & Doering, 2012, p. 255).  To reduce such risks, I would teach my students to evaluate websites based on the procedures in the video below. 

Favorite Website #1

                The University of Wisconsin Digital Collections (UWDC) webpage is an online library of an infinite amount of resources.  Roblyer & Doering (2012) suggest that reliable websites should be easy to navigate, and that larger sites should, “have their own built-in search engine” (p. 255).  UWDC adheres to these characteristics, so I would encourage my social studies students to use this open-source website. 

http://uwdc.library.wisc.edu/

Favorite Website #2

                According to Roblyer and Doering (2012), “Wikis are a collection of web pages located in an online community that encourage collaboration and communication of ideas by having users contribute or modify content” (p. 223).  The embedded wiki is for a sixth grade social studies class and similar to the one I might use in my classroom—like a flipped classroom.  The website is easy to navigate and includes a search bar to locate content quickly.  

http://dte6ss.wikispaces.com/Class+Notes+and+Assignments

References
GCSC Library (2013 February 12). Evaluating websites. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aem3JahbXfk
Roblyer, M.D. & Doering, A.H. (2012). Integrating educational technology into teaching (6th ed.). Columbus, OH: Merrill Prentice Hall.

Oh! That Southern Heritage...

     Multimedia has become an imperative and dynamic tool in educational technology.  Multimedia aids students in remembering key concepts by providing a more tangible resource when covering topics.  Multimedia, or “a combination of media”, are photographs, sound, motion video, animation, still graphs, and text items (Roblyer & Doering, 2012, p. 172).  Hypermedia is the concept that grew out of multimedia and has become increasingly more utilized in classroom settings.  Hypermedia, or “interactive media”, is software that allows information stored in various media to be connected, usually via the Internet (Roblyer & Doering, 2012, p. 173).   Roblyer & Doering (2012) state that the, “combination of media such as video and audio with text makes them multimedia; the ability to get from one media/information element to another makes them hypermedia” (p. 174).

Commercial Hypermedia Products

     Commercial Hypermedia Products are complex programs that use a combination of multimedia.  One specific type of Commercial Hypermedia are reference materials.  As technology has developed over time, reference materials are increasingly more accessible at little to no cost (Roblyer & Doering, 2012, p. 175).  Reference materials include almanacs, newspapers, encyclopedias, and conference proceedings.  Archives.org is a vanguard website that has photographed or scanned primary documents from court proceedings and uploaded them to the internet in an animated format.  The link below presents the official court proceedings of Alabama’s 1901 Constitutional Convention.  This constitution, which Alabama still enforces today, disfranchised blacks and poor whites while reestablishing white supremacy in the state.  John B. Knox, president of the 1901 Constitutional Convention stated that, “But if we would have white supremacy, we must establish it by law—not by force or fraud” (Second Day, 1901, p.12).  Having accesses to court proceedings like the above will enlighten students not only to the concept of disfranchisement and white supremacy, but also to the language used and prevailing themes expressed by those in attendance. 

https://archive.org/details/journalofproceed00alabrich

Multimedia Authoring Tools

     Audio and video production and editing systems, one of four types of multimedia authoring tools, are of growing presence in the classroom.  Roblyer and Doering (2012) declare that, “There has been an explosion in video editing and production to rival the rapid increase in word processing of documents” (p. 188).  Although these systems are most often used to produce school news programs or broadcast the morning announcements, video editing and production programs can be an exciting and engaging tool for students.  The primary issue with utilizing these programs in a classroom setting is that video production can be time-consuming.  I would group students in pairs when assigning a video production project and allot time throughout the year for in-class collaboration.  The students would produce and edit a ten-minute video on their chosen historical event or character, explain or act out the phenomena, and embed images and text into the video.  The pair will turn in a DVD of their video to me at the end of the year.  The link below provides information on how to use Adobe Premiere Pro, a multimedia authoring tool that I would encourage my students to use. 

https://helpx.adobe.com/premiere-pro/how-to/create-video-story.html?set=premiere-pro--get-started

The embedded video depicts classroom uses for AdobePremiere Elements 8, the student version of Adobe Premiere Pro. 

References

Journal of the proceedings of the Constitutional Convention of the state of Alabama. (1901). Montgomery, AL: The Brown Printing Company.

Roblyer, M.D. & Doering, A.H. (2012). Integrating educational technology into teaching (6th ed.). Columbus, OH: Merrill Prentice Hall.

Change / Time

The “Basic Three”

     According to Roblyer and Doering (2012), “three of the most widely used software support tools are word processing, spreadsheet, and presentation programs” (p, 112). In education, teachers utilize the “Basic Three” software programs because they provide four primary benefits: saves time, looks attractive, improves accuracy, and promotes socialization and collaboration among students.

Word Processing Software

     Roblyer and Doering (2012) declared that, “no other technology resource has had as great an impact on education as word processing” (p. 116). Word processors allow authors to modify documents rather than create new ones, which aids teachers with time management. Word processing documents can be easily shared with a teacher’s peers and with students via email or hard-copy. Because word processing has become less of a luxury and more of a necessity, educators place pressure on students to become proficient in typing. Roblyer and Doering (2012) state that this emphasis ostensibly threatens to extinct handwriting skills because of the diminishing opportunity to use such skills (p. 120).

Spreadsheet Software

     According to Roblyer and Doering (2012), spreadsheet software is an effective tool in teaching several fields: probability, meteorology, business, statistics, physics, mathematics and social studies (p. 125). Teachers most commonly use spreadsheets to organize numerical data, which can be useful in visualizing students’ grades and keeping track of the classroom budget. Although spreadsheets are an effective tool in the classroom, they pose a significant obstacle for students. Students are not as comfortable with using spreadsheets as they are with word processing. This uncertainty is, in part, due to the fact that the student has to know specifically what they want from the software and how to manipulate the data to get the results the student wants.

Presentation Software

     Teachers enjoy using presentation software because they can display pictures, diagrams, videos, and other important information as a visual aid when teaching. Unfortunately, some teachers misuse presentation software by lecturing directly from the slides rather than allowing the slides to supplement or compliment their lectures. Students can suffer from a teacher’s presentation software, as well. Roblyer and Doering (2012) highlighted how students can become distracted by and experience boredom from presentations (p. 130).

Classroom Use

     Timeline JS is an innovative and dynamic presentation software. Timeline JS computes data from a spreadsheet into a streamlined presentation. The presentation is open to the public, which promotes socialization and collaboration on projects. I would use the Timeline JS website to supplement my lectures and assign group presentations that would encourage students to use the program. The embedded presentation highlights U.S.-Japanese diplomatic relations leading up to Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor.

References

Roblyer, M.D. & Doering, A.H. (2012). Integrating educational technology into teaching (6th ed.). Columbus, OH: Merrill Prentice Hall.