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1. Get Some Training. You don't have to become a computer expert, but you need to have some basic understanding of how computers operate and what to do when they do not operate properly. You should also become familiar with a web browser such as Firefox or Internet Explorer and websites that provide tech-integration resources and tutorials. Your school or college likely has an instructional technology specialist to help you in this regard. 2. Don't Re-invent the Wheel. There are plenty of credible and experienced educational technology organizations, administrators and teachers out there who can lead you to quality materials, lesson plans and activities for use in your classroom. You don't have to spend hours using search engines to locate appropriate sites and materials. Some of the best educational Web sites for integrating technology in the classroom are: Center for History and New Media Classroom 2.0Edutopia Discovery Education: Kathy Schrock "Guide for Educators"PBS Teachers: Media InfusionThinkfinity 3. Establish a Partnership with Your Students. Many of your students will be excited about computer use, but you and they may be apprehensive about how technology will change your learning environment. Tell your students that computer use in your classroom is new and exciting for you as well, and that you are all part of an experiment whose ultimate success will largely depend on your combined efforts and cooperation. Stress how special this educational opportunity is and how much you need their input. Remember, it's about the students, not you. Your students will probably appreciate you asking for their help, and it may spur them to take ownership of the program. It also may soften some frustrations when technical problems occur. 4. Have a Plan B Ready. You are going to run into some technical difficulties in class and how you handle them will go a long way in determining how successful and enjoyable your technology experience is. You can minimize unwanted surprises by getting some training from an instructional technology specialist and by minimizing your reliance on live web connections. However, you will invariably run into technical problems during class that you are not able to solve immediately. In such instances, if you appear overly perturbed and frustrated you will send a signal to your students that they too can moan about technical problems and perhaps use them as excuses to forego completing computer-based work. Even worse, you may inadvertently cause them to question the ultimate merit of computer-based learning. Instead, try to make a smooth transition to a backup lesson plan, thereby sending a signal that technical glitches are just part of your educational adventure.

Effective use of the Smart Board technology can without question quickly produce increased student interaction and engagement with specific instructional material and can have lasting benefits on the classroom dynamic and cognitive development of the middle school age student population

In the 21st century not only do most K-12 students have or are in the process of acquiring technological literacy, but concurrently the use of technology has become the central focus of their lives

While the classroom should not become simply a conduit for students to further immerse themselves in technology, the classroom should not pretend technology does not exist as well

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?”

While there is much on-going research on new technologies and their effects on teaching and learning, there is little rigorous, large-scale data that makes for solid research, education experts say. The vast majority of the studies available are funded by the very companies and institutions that have created and promoted the technology, raising questions of the research’s validity and objectivity. In addition, the kinds of studies that produce meaningful data often take several years to complete—a timeline that lags far behind the fast pace of emerging and evolving technologies.

For example, it is difficult to pinpoint empirical data to support the case for mobile learning in schools—a trend that educators have been exploring for several years now—let alone data to support even newer technologies such as tablet computers like the iPad. The studies that do look at the effects of mobile technologies on learning are often based on small samples of students involved in short-term pilots, not the kind of large-scale, ongoing samples of students that educators and policymakers would like to see (Education Week, Feb. 23, 2011).

However, there are a handful of large-scale studies that do point to trends and observations in the education technology field. For example, Project RED, a research initiative linked closely with the One-to-One Institute, which supports one-to-one laptop initiatives in K-12 schools, released a study about successful implementation models of education technology in October 2010. That study found that most of the schools that have integrated laptops and other digital tools into learning are not maximizing the use of those devices in ways that best make use of their potential. The report goes on to outline the critical steps needed to capitalize on that potential (Project RED, 2010).

social media pervades all aspects of modern society, and it has become an imperative for us as educators -- and parents -- to model appropriate digital citizenship to even our youngest learners.

Students already have enough screen time.

Students need to be able to communicate in person.

Blackboard SMU uses the course management system Blackboard.  For help creating Blackboard courses and learning the basics, consult Academic Technology's Blackboard help page, as well as this Blackboard online tutorial. Access your Blackboard courses here. Presentation Software Sometimes it's helpful to provide visual aids to complement teaching, stimulate discussion, or allow out-of-class teaching. Tools designed for this purpose, such as PowerPoint, can be used well or used badly. Click here for resources that provide advice for thoughtful use of PowerPoint, as well as a few additional presentation tools. Classroom Response Systems ("clickers") One way to encourage student engagement is by using electronic devices that allow students to record their answers to multiple choice questions and allow you to instantly display the results. The anonymity encourages participation, and their answers help the teacher know when further discussion is needed.  Use of clickers can also serve as a catalyst for discussion.  Click here to learn more about using response systems effectively.

Converting a Face-to-Face Course to an Online Course Teaching online, whether in a hybrid course or a wholly-online course, requires different techniques and different tools.  Without the F2F contact, professors will need to be even clearer about setting and articulating expectations for digital work and participation.  Encouraging interaction between professor and student and among students is an additional challenge, as is monitoring student learning as the course progresses.  The online environment requires the use of basic technologies to digitize course materials as well as mastery of the university's learning management system.  And various tools like Skype allow synchronous communications, while blogs and Twitter can encourage asynchronous interaction.  Here are some ideas to get you started.

"Kevin can be far more involved in group activities. He can converse with his peers, participate in class discussions, and do his homework, no matter where he is. This has increased his ability to be an independent member of the school and the community."

traditional assistive technologies have converged with consumer technologies

today's smartphones, tablets and other mobile devices come equipped with universal access functionality, making it possible for users to deploy built-in or easily downloaded assistive technologies.

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

Some ways that I use SMARTboard in my classroom: With my morning message. After students read my morning message, I often include a “ps” that invites them to come up and respond to a question or graph. To watching BrainPOP movies and playing the quizzes. To go over math problems. To create charts. To look at maps or photographs. To view interactive websites. To prepare for tests (way more exciting on a SMARTboard!). As a math tool (for example, elapsed time, protractor, graph paper). With Inspiration software (for class brainstorms, spelling word sorts, etc.).

If the student has difficulty learning by listening, then try…

Before the lesson:Pre-teach difficult vocabulary and conceptsState the objective, providing a reason for listeningTeach the mental activities involved in listening — mental note-taking, questioning, reviewingProvide study guides/worksheetsProvide script of filmProvide lecture outlinesDuring the lesson:Provide visuals via the board or overhead Use flash cards Have the student close his eyes and try to visualize the information Have the student take notes and use colored markers to highlight Teach the use of acronyms to help visualize lists (Roy G. Biv for the colors of the spectrum: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet) Give explanations in small, distinct steps Provide written as well as oral directions Have the student repeat directions When giving directions to

the class, leave a pause between each step so student can carry out the process in his mind Shorten the listening time required Provide written and manipulative tasksBe concise with verbal information: "Jane, please sit." instead of "Jane, would you please sit down in your chair."

Students with disabilities cannot use the same technology that typical students use.

Children with learning disabilities often have better technology skills than their teachers and are drawn to computers and other gadgets, so using them in the classroom makes perfect sense. For children with physical disabilities, technology can give access to learning opportunities previously closed to them. E-readers help students turn book pages without applying dexterity, and voice adaptive software can help students answer questions without needing to write.

Children w

used by teachers for their classes

Word Processing

Spreadsheets and Databases

Ditch the flash cards and stop memorizing definitions. Vocabulary.com teaches you words by systematically exposing you to a wide array of question types and activities that will help you understand all the meanings and nuances of every word you’re learning.

It’s as if your favorite teacher were explaining the word to you.

Give your students the ability to attack the texts they encounter in the classroom, and the gift of a vocabulary that will open doors for a lifetime.

I have an iMac and a 40" Samsung tv and teach elementary music. No textbooks, so I use Keynote and Quicktime to present songs and lessons I develop. I use a Gig-Easy mount and old mic stand to hold my personal iPad so students can safely use it. This is more limiting than an interactive whiteboard...I'm hoping to get a SmartBoard and a document camera eventually..but it does allow students to personally access technology. I mirror to the TV so all can see what is being done. I have been using the espresso education website for about three years. I am using Sokikom for behavior management and to support math (aligned to the CC) .. student's using the games outside of music. Garageband- to record and edit. I teach many classes and have to take a new role every 45 minutes, so I use Teacherkit (on iPad) for attendance and seating charts. We put in grades on WebPams. I use DropBox to share with other teachers and to move things from my home MacBookPro to my iMac.

Technology is a literacy that is expected in higher education and in our economy. (1) It is a universal language spoken by the entire world, regardless of the profession. Our current students will encounter one of the toughest job markets in generations. Gone are the days of falling into a profession and riding that wave for 30-plus years. However, it's not to say those jobs aren't still available. They are, but they're dwindling as automation and outsourcing continue to expand.