Technology Integration

How do you currently integrate or plan to integrate technology into the existing curriculum?

I have found that technology was easier to integrate in the states as it was readily available in my classroom. Funds were set aside that purchased Promethean boards, overheads, computers, and TVs for each teacher to use. Teaching in China has been quite the challenge in this area. The items of technology that are accessible at my school must be shared amongst another teachers. You have to learn to plan way in advance in order to use the items you need for your lesson. I have also found that the sharing of technology takes up additional time in your classroom. I am very thankful for an assistant that can help in the transporting of technology from one room to the next. Many times I have found that an opening assignment must be given while everything is being set up (logging on to computers etc.).
I currently have an overhead projector and one computer in my classroom. The overhead projector is used on a regular basis in the area of math and writing. A set of speakers are easily assessable in my classroom and are useful for plugging in an IPOD for Bible or Math songs. Laptops are brought in on occasion to complement a unit of study. Websites are used as tools for students to gain knowledge in a particular subject. They are scavenger hunts of sorts and in looking through a website they gain a better understanding of how a computer works (keypad, scrolling on a website, typing etc.).
I recently received a Flip camera for Christmas. I am a big of taking pictures and this has become another medium for me to document what happens in my class. Although I didn’t see my camera as a means of technology, I have quickly seen how my students can use a video camera to learn. My students recently interviewed staff to make a birthday video for our principal. It was a way for my students to build confidence in themselves and they were quite pleased with the final product.

What motivated or will motivate you to include technology in your lessons?

Many times I look at technology as this ‘thing’ that is over my head and is more useful for the upper grades. I am hoping that this class will give me opportunities to collaborate with other elementary teachers. In learning how others use technology I believe that I will be able to find more ways to use technology in my own classroom. As photography and video inspires me I hope to add this into my classroom on a regular basis as a way to learn and explore. My students are currently working on a project that will require them to present information about an article that they have read. They know that they will be videotaped and that the videos will be sent to their parents via e-mail. I hope to use the videos as a follow up to this activity so that students can learn from their mistakes in the area of communication (speaking loudly, eye contact etc.)