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Why Technology Benefits Students Studies show that computer-trained teachers maintain classrooms that score higher in math than their peers who did not have such training. When teachers have a positive attitude about using technology, they often excite students’ interest in technology as well. Students are able to learn skills that are related to technology which will add to their utilizable skills in the future.

teachers are

teachers are engaging students who are shy about participating in traditional classroom discussions, but who enjoy communicating online

the Internet is teaming with alternative programs, many of which are free, and tailored for classroom use.

Tools to Assist in Writing

Specialized computer input devices

 Tools to Assist in Reading

1. AbilityHub Assistive Technology Solutions

2. Apps for Children with Special Needs

3. CAST (Center for Applied Special Technology) Learning Tools

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.

Students in elementary school are not too young to benefit from 1:1 technology. Care must be taken, however, to ensure that the benefits of 1:1 are maximized for young students without taking away physical books, manipulatives, and opportunities for physical movement. 1:1 is all about students having ubiquitous access to technology when it is beneficial; it certainly does not mean that students will use technology for every single minute of their classroom experience.

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.