Here are a few articles worth investigating for their ideas and comments on the use of all this new "educational media" technology:
School Library Journal's Technology Survey 2006
http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/article/CA6338687.html?q=SLJ%27s+TEchnology+survey+2006
An interesting collection of data from over 1600 media specialists from 49 states. Main limitations in the use of technology included lack of money (to purchase everything they need) and lack of time (to train students and teachers to use the technology). Despite that, most respondents agreed: you can't have too many tools. Because of the emphasis on information literacy, teachers' number one priority was training students to locate information using electronic resources. Most felt that media specialists were naturally the ones to do this training, especially since technology is such a "vital" part of school libraries. Check out this article to see how your media center compares to schools across the country.
Education World: The Best Tech Tools for Teachers
http://www.education-world.com/a_tech/tech/tech234.shtml
Education World.com covers all sorts of technology related issues in schools, in the home, and in early childhood. Their team of experts reports on the most useful technology tools available today, including hardware, software, applications and Web sites. Elementary school teachers, my particular field of interest, are using interactive whiteboards to absolutely transform their lessons. Laptops have become indispensible, and favorite software includes Kidspiration and Inspiration. (The article provides links to every program or equipment mentioned.) Personally, teachers benefit from Skyping, from Wikispaces, and from Blogs. Middle school teachers also name their favorites, and there are several links to teacher education options. Browse this article to see if you can find a new program or idea!
eSchoolNews.com: Analysis: How Multimedia can improve learning
http://www.eschoolnews.com/news/top-news/index.cfm?i=53243&page=1
Put on your thinking cap for this article. Based on research conducted by the Metiri Group, an educational consulting firm, and presented in a report entitled "Multimodal Learning through Media: What research says", the article basically proves that technology can help your students learn better, provided you use it right! If you're interested, the article explains how we acquire knowledge, how the brain works, and the different kinds of memory. If you remember one thing, remember this: Students retain information better when it is presented through words and pictures rather than through words alone. Other tips mentioned in the article might help you in presenting your lesson to students.
PBS Teachers: Technology Integration
http://www.pbs.org/teachers/librarymedia/tech-integration/index.html
This is one of the most incredible sources of information I have run across in a long time. While this site could qualify as a portal, it is worth mentioning here because of the breath and depth of topics. The articles address "how the integration of technology and media improve instruction and student learning". The editors of this site have collected recent research and best practices to help answer that question. The site is rich with information covering these topics: Access and the Digital Divide, Accessible/Assistive Technology, Distance Education, Emerging Technologies, Evaluating Programs and Practices, Internet Safety, Leadership and Technology, Research Clearinghouse and Publications, Student Learning, Teacher Practice and Professional Development, and Visual Media. Research comes from sources such as the US Department of Education, the Consortium for School Networking, the Kaiser Family Foundation, and Cable in the Classroom. Plan to spend some time here! A companion site, http://www.pbs.org/teachers/media_lit/getting_started.html, gets you started and provides lots of activity ideas.
Education Week: Voluntary Online-Teaching Standards Come Amid Concerns Over Quality
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2008/03/05/26online_ep.h27.html
Online teaching, just like anything else you find online, can be good...or not so good. How do you know whether something is of good quality? Hopefully, a new set of "National Standards", released Feb. 21 by the North American Council for Online Learning, will provide a guideline for good online teaching. While still voluntary, the standards include guidelines for teacher prerequisites such as licensure, subject-area proficiency, technology skills and experience. Other practices addressed are strategies for learning and collaboration, intellectual-property rights, interaction between parents, students and instructor, and addressing special needs. With this new way of learning comes new issues and concerns.
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