Technology in Education

[Dion Parsons]

Digital Microscopes
The Use of Digital Microscopes can enhance the interaction for kids. The ability to deliver the results digitally enables many applications to branch from this such as Digital Port Folios for students to show of there work.

Lego Robotics
Lego robotics is something that can open the minds and possibilities of students. Think of the possibilities for students to not only record data such as Weather Patterns, UV Light and Motion but also possibly automate it through the use of robotics. Industries such as Car Manufacturing plants have created robots to do specific jobs. Why couldn’t students create robots to plant seedling in a herb garden.

Touch Panel Timetable and Late Slip Access
Imagine the possibilities of a touch panel mounted in the center of the Atrium connected to the timetable system so that students or staff can find the information that they are looking for. Branch from this and whilst not being used you can present pictures of recent activities and events. Branch further from this and you could even use a device similar to print late slips for students and have them automatically sign in or out of the school.

Touch Panel eBook Systems
Using technology that has become available lately you could create a set of touch panels for borrowing from the library that connects to the network enabling the digital access to a library full of books digitally.

Google Books
Google Books is a site full of resources that has been filled with many books free to read online, some books you can read reviews and some you can previes the contents. The possibilities of linking this facility with the library Catolouge system enables you to review others comments regarding the book your choosing to read.

Nintendo WII
Nintendo WII Can be used in the Library for lunch time activities, it can be used for PE using the WII Fit. The idea of introducing fun and exciting games mixed with technology helps to get those students who don’t interact that much outside in your PE Activities.

Nintendo DS
Nintendo DS can enable you the ability to engage the students with things such as brain training. Getting there minds active early in the day should help towards the stimulating their minds for the rest of the day. Cooking is also an option enabling them to use the device to help them learn how to cook can also be of great advantage.

TouchPad and Handwriting and Tests
With a touchpad you don’t need a keyboard or mouse. You can even keep some of that older style of pen paper by using the handwriting feature in Windows 7 on a Touchpad. Branch from that and you could enable the possibility for the touchpad to be used as a smartboard. You could even have a heap of touchpad in the classroom for each student to take and fill in a digital test online.

Microsoft Surface
Touch is the start of something brilliant something new and something that take the next step towards countless numbers of resources available to you there and then. How about the possibility if made affordable to have a series of touch teables that could do amazing things such as capture images from devices just sitting on the table, record audio, play games like chess and even read books and use it to share ideas.

Blogs, Wiki, Forums, Social Networking Sites
Bogging for students enables them to express themselves, provide written material and supply the followers with information relevant to the Blogger. Wikis can be a collaborative tool enabling a school community to provide collections of information about any topic that branches from another. Forums put simply a digital version of having a discussion. You can discuss many things online catorgorised into areas made suitable for the school such as Maths and English. Sites such as Facebook and MySpace and Ning are social networking sites that enable you to create essentially a massive digital representation of yourself, it allows you to converse with many of your friends and it can potentially enable you to explore.

iPhone and iPod Touch
These devices are state of the art the new and there powerful, many of the things mentioned above are built into the iPhone or Ipod Touch. The possibilities are endless with this device, put this and StudyWiz together and your have a complete mobile delivery platform enabling a 24/7 Learning environment.

Pod Casting
Pod Casting is making audio and/or video files available to either your fellow students, staff members public via the internet through the use of iTunes or iPod or a Simple Web Page. Users of Pod Cast’s can subscribe to regular postings. Can you imagine podcasting your whole years subject course and then allowing your students access to the course content in there own time or pace. Whilst they are running or riding a bike. Pod Casting is one step from Digital Radio Broadcasting and its often a cheaper option and more accessible to the public without having to be listening there and then.

Flip Cameras
Flip cameras can enable the extension of recording events, projects and even teaching. The possibilities of being able to record the view of a teaching presenting to the class then record the class asking questions then further put them onto a web page enabling students/parents and other teachers download and view the presented class.

[Jason Pell]

Digital microscopes are sensational as they allow students more access to common understandings. I have seen them used to capture the minds of children and integrated into a lesson on an IWB. The ability to annotate over a captured image in the QX5 is fantastic. It allows students to label things or highlight areas under investigation. Being able to then export these images into a flipchart or notebook provides valuable writing stimulus which a whole class can have ownership of.
Best of all, the teachers who i have seen doing all of this are no spring chickens.

[apetersen]

Great post Dion. So many terrific ideas that can be implemented in schools easily, and in some cases, very cheaply.

[Adrian Camm]

Thanks for the post Dion.
The creativity and cross-curricular opportunity inherent in something like Lego Mindstorms, is so under-utilized in education. What has been your experience in using Lego robotics? What do you believe are the barriers to more schools adopting something like Lego robotics into the curriculum?