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17 Benefits of using iPads in the Classroom

There are numerous benefits associated with the use of mobile computing devices such as the iPad and iPod. Many see the iPad as a versatile, powerful tool that is changing the face of education – both students and teachers have access to an unquantifiable amount of educational apps that can be purchased through the App Store. Content and material for all areas of learning from kindergarten through to university is readily available, offering a diverse method to deliver instructions and engage students.

Saving money by combining books, diaries, writing implements, calculators, word processors, etc. all in one media tablet.

Beginner or experienced, if you'd like to create a video for your class or research project and are looking for instruction, advice and information, this is the place to start. ETS Classroom Technology encourages the use of video within the Cal community and we are collating this grouping of tips, links and articles to further this goal. This section is expanding as we find and create more content, so check back often! Pre-Production Pre-production is the blanket term for everything that you do before the video shoot. There are many elements of creating a video that need to be planned for ahead of time in order to have a successful end product, many of which aren't obvious upon first consideration. 90% of a production should be an execution of an existing plan! Some fundamental questions What am I trying to achieve with my video? What am I going to shoot? What locations/people/resources do I need to accomplish my goals? What can I remove to simplify the process? Where is my video going to be shown and what do I need to do during production to make sure it displays correctly? If you answer these questions before you shoot, you will save a significant amount of time, money and frustration, and your video will be better for it.

can deepen student learning by supporting instructional objectives

ind creative and constructive ways to integrate technolog

y into your class.

1. Always run through a technology lesson before presenting it to the class -- and always have a back-up lesson prepared in case the technology fails.

8. Make it a class rule that students can help one another but cannot ever touch another student's computer. That way, you can be sure that learning occurs even when students help one another.

10. Keep a red plastic cup at each computer. When students need help, have them place the highly visible cups on top of their monitors.

Using Clickers (Personal Response Systems) to Facilitate Active Learning in the Classroom Clickers allow instructors to assess students’ understanding of the subject matter, receive immediate feedback and reinforcement for what is being learned, get shy and under-prepared students to participate, poll students’ opinions and preferences instantly, observe student misconceptions, and encourage peer instruction. Improving In-Class Discussion with Technologies Use principles of priming, integrating and reinforcing to improve in-class discussions. Use available technologies as tools for supporting these principles.

OverviewA survey of teachers who instruct American middle and secondary school students finds that digital technologies have become central to their teaching and professionalization. At the same time, the internet, mobile phones, and social media have brought new challenges to teachers, and they report striking differences in access to the latest digital technologies between lower and higher income students and school districts. Asked about the impact of the internet and digital tools in their role as middle and high school educators, these teachers say the following about the overall impact on their teaching and their classroom work: 92% of these teachers say the internet has a “major impact” on their ability to access content, resources, and materials for their teaching 69% say the internet has a “major impact” on their ability to share ideas with other teachers 67% say the internet has a “major impact” on their ability to interact with parents and 57% say it has had such an impact on enabling their interaction with students The survey finds that digital tools are widely used in classrooms and assignments, and a majority of these teachers are satisfied with the support and resources they receive from their school in this area. However, it also indicates that teachers of the lowest income students face more challenges in bringing these tools to their classrooms: Mobile technology has become central to the learning process, with 73% of AP and NWP teachers saying that they and/or their students use their cell phones in the classroom or to complete assignments More than four in ten teachers report the use of e-readers (45%) and tablet computers (43%) in their classrooms or to complete assignments 62% say their school does a “good job” supporting teachers’ efforts to bring digital tools into the learning process, and 68% say their school provides formal training in this area Teachers of low income students, however, are much less likely than teachers of the highest income students to use tablet computers (37% v. 56%) or e-readers (41% v. 55%) in their classrooms and assignments Similarly, just over half (52%) of teachers of upper and upper-middle income students say their students use cell phones to look up information in class, compared with 35% of teachers of the lowest income students Just 15% of AP and NWP teachers whose students are from upper income households say their school is “behind the curve” in effectively using digital tools in the learning process; 39% who teach students from low income households describe their school as “behind the curve” 70% of teachers of the highest income students say their school does a “good job” providing the resources needed to bring digital tools into the classroom; the same is true of 50% of teachers working in low income areas Teachers of the lowest income students are more than twice as likely as teachers of the highest income students (56% v. 21%) to say that students’ lack of access to digital technologies is a “major challenge” to incorporating more digital tools into their teaching

Collaborize Classroom -- A free online collaborative platform designed to complement classroom instruction with additional activities, assignments and discussions that can be accessed online.

Cool Math -- A collection of games that are designed to be safe to use in the classroom, covering a variety of math subjects as well as reading, science and geography.

First In Math -- A schoolwide resource that teaches kids as young as kindergarten basic math skills via online games. Kids are encouraged to keep playing by earning stickers and other rewards from their teachers.

The I-RtI Network is a State Personnel Development Grant (SPDG) initiative of ISBE and is administered under a multi-year grant awarded to Lee/Ogle Regional Office of Education 47 in June 2011. The overarching goal of this initiative is to: Improve the learning and performance of all students in grades K-12 by building the capacity of Illinois public school districts and schools to develop, use, and sustain a multi-tiered system of research-based curricula, instruction, intervention, and assessment. The services of the Network primarily involve the delivery of high quality professional development based on adult learning principles and consisting of training, technical assistance, and coaching. For more information and to access numerous RtI-related resources, including a schedule of regional Networking Meetings that are open to all school and district teams, please go to http://www.illinoisrti.org/i-rti-network.

A systematic course planning process can help make your teaching more fulfilling and less time-consuming. There are a variety of methods used by different faculty to plan courses, but the best start by the faculty answering the following question: “What should my students be able to do when they have completed the course?”

teach your students how to use the Text to Table feature.

If you use Microsoft Word, learn how to insert comments into Word documents

When working on lengthy technology projects, print out step-by-step instructions.

Eliminating dead time starts with creating an arsenal of routines and activities

physical activities that help kids unleash pent-up energy, while others create private thinking time that encourages reflection

Developing these activities initially takes time

One Player Pick the kind of game and level you wish to play. Click "Play Ball" to begin. Addition Subtraction Multiplication Division All of the Above Choose a Level: Easy Medium Hard Super Brain Algebra Style: No Yes

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.

WEB SITES

POWERPOINT AND EXCEL