Does Your Multimedia Projector Make the Grade?

Posted on February 3, 2011 by Ron

Many schools make the mistake of requiring teachers to share a multimedia projector. These devices can greatly enhance a teaching presentation, so it really does students a disservice when a projector isn’t available on a daily basis. With prices becoming more reasonable every day, projectors are well within the reach of teachers who want to provide one for their own room. Here’s a checklist of features you should consider if you decide to buy one.

Brightness. The amount of brightness you need depends on how dark you can make your classroom, and whether or not you want it darkened during presentations. Brightness is measured in lumens. Look for higher lumens if you need a brighter projector.

Resolution. The resolution of the projector will determine the amount of detail you can see in the picture. The best rule of thumb is to match the projector’s “native” resolution to the resolution of your computer. Higher resolutions cause the price to rise.

Portability. This will only be an issue if you teach in several different classrooms, or if you need to take your projector home each day for security. Smaller, lighter projectors are more expensive than larger, heavier ones.

Connections. Make sure the projector and computer can talk to each other. Match up the inputs of the projector to the available outputs from your computer to make sure there is at least one in common.

Quiet Operation. You will probably want the quietest projector you can find. Classrooms are noisy enough without adding a layer of white noise.

Price. With dwindling school budgets, price will always be an issue. Of course, if this is a personal purchase for your classroom, you can determine how much you are willing and able to spend. If money is a problem, consider applying for a grant or asking parents to chip in a little. Consider shopping online at auction sites like eBay for good deals on new and used projectors.

Posted in Educational Technology | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Do Physical Globes and Maps Still Have a Place in Today’s Classroom?

Posted on January 16, 2011 by Ron

It seems like maps are constantly being redrawn. Shouldn’t we do away with maps and globes and just let our students look up boundaries using the Internet? As attractive as this idea may sound, it really isn’t the best plan for teaching history, geography or current events. Many of our students need tactile input to learn effectively. Real globes and maps provide a better sense of spatial relationships. And even if a globe or map becomes obsolete, that in itself is an excellent illustration of the ever-changing nature of the world.

Practically every public school system in the nation is frantically looking for ways to cut costs. Dwindling state funds and maxed out local taxes have made funding education very difficult. Some schools have chosen to eliminate the use of wall maps and classroom globes. They reason that since the world is constantly changing, digital online maps are preferable to dated physical learning aids. But are we giving up too much by switching to digital geography?

Some students really need tactile input to learn. The more we switch to computer-based instruction, the more we leave these students out in the cold. We should always give our students, especially younger ones, the ability to actually touch the things they are learning about. A spinning globe with raised relief provides a much richer learning experience than staring at a spinning virtual globe on a screen.

It is also difficult to convey the idea of a three-dimensional globe on computer, regardless of how impressive visual technology becomes. Nothing can replace the revelation of seeing just how much space the Pacific Ocean covers, or seeing where you might pop up if you dig a hole through the Earth.

Even if your physical maps and globes are made obsolete by world events, that provides excellent teaching opportunities. You can ask students to compare the existing map with up-to-date information and discuss what changes have occurred. Over time, you could collect a succession of globes or maps to illustrate the changing nature of international borders.

Posted in Teaching Aids | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Classroom Performance Systems Make Learning Facts More Fun

Posted on January 4, 2011 by Ron

If you’re looking for a way to keep your students engaged and motivated while you drill them on facts, you should take a look at classroom performance systems. These technological marvels allow each and every student to participate without being embarrassed. You get instant feedback on what your students know and where they need more work. Finally, you can use the system to hone your teaching skills and improve learning in your classroom.

The typical classroom performance system consists of a base unit and a class set of “clickers.” These clickers resemble handheld remote controls numbered or lettered buttons. Software included with the system is used to create a series of multiple choice questions, which are displayed via projector to the class. As each question appears, students choose an answer and press the corresponding button. The base unit receives the student responses and sends them to the computer, where the percentage of students choosing correct answers is displayed.

Because each student can answer without being personally identified on the screen, it removes any fear of being wrong in front of other class members.  Students are more encouraged to participate because they don’t have to worry about being embarrassed. So in this way, a classroom performance system increases engagement.

Both the teacher and the students get instant feedback on each question. Answers are graded within seconds. Right answers are confirmed, and wrong answers are corrected. After the class completes a set of questions several times, the number of students choosing correctly will increase.

The system also provides critical feedback to the teacher. By noting which questions are answered correctly and which questions still give the class trouble, teachers can fine tune their teaching methods to be more successful. They can also begin to recognize different learning styles within and between their classes.

Posted in Educational Technology, Teaching Aids | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Would Your Students Benefit from a Sound Reinforcement System?

Posted on December 15, 2010 by Ron

As a teacher, you have probably asked your students if they are listening more times than you care to count. But how many times have you asked them if they can hear you? If you think this question is unnecessary, consider how many of your students may have undiagnosed hearing problems. Perhaps your classroom, no matter how small, has acoustic dead spots. By installing a classroom sound reinforcement system, you can overcome these acoustic challenges and increase student attention and learning.

A basic system consists of a wireless microphone, an amplifier and speakers. The microphone should be a lapel mike or similar, because you certainly don’t want to spend all day holding it. Wireless systems vary, but many schools opt for an infrared system. Although this type of communication has limitations, it eliminates the possibility of interference with another classroom. Having two or three teachers coming through the same amplifier at once would definitely not increase learning!

As student to teacher ratios increase during these financial hard times, it is logical that classroom sound levels are increasing as well. Even if each student is making only minimal and acceptable noise, the whole class together ends up being too loud for effective learning to take place.

A classroom sound reinforcement system is not meant to be overbearing, blasting out the teacher’s voice at rock concert levels. Rather, it provides just enough extra punch to rise above the unavoidable background noise and provide each student with clear access to the instructor’s voice.

If you would like to add a sound reinforcement system to your classroom, you can apply for funding from several organizations that have created grants for just this purpose. There may also be funds available from your local PTA or other support groups. You can either find pre-assembled systems or you may be able to gather the components of a system from online sources like eBay.

Posted in Equipment for Educators | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Learning Benefits of an Interactive Whiteboard

Posted on December 2, 2010 by Ron

One of the most effective technologies in terms of student engagement and learning is the interactive whiteboard. This modern enhancement of the venerable blackboard meshes a whiteboard, a projector and a computer. Most typical systems include a touch sensitive whiteboard. Anything written on the board is transferred to the computer. Finger taps and other gestures are translated into computer commands. All board activity is saved to the computer and can be distributed by email or in real time.

An interactive whiteboard can help to create a more active learning environment. Typical lectures often require students to devote all of their energy to listening and taking notes while the teacher scribbles key points on the whiteboard. However, since anything that appears on the interactive whiteboard can be saved and distributed, students can direct their energies to participation and class discussion instead. This allows them to take a more active role in their learning by posing questions that are relevant to their personal experience. By connecting what they hear with what they already know, learning is enhanced.

There are opportunities for even greater student involvement when you pair up an interactive whiteboard with a wireless tablet and pen. Students can be called on to work problems on the board simply by handing them the tablet. You could even assign portions of the lecture to students in advance and have them present using the wireless tablet.

Some systems allow the real-time broadcast of the whiteboard output to student computers. Learners can actually add their own annotations to the presentation even as it’s being presented. These notes are visible only to the individual student and can be in a form most useful to that student. This is an excellent way for each student to personalize the lecture and make it their own.

Posted in Educational Technology | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment