Question for all you teachers or budding teahers..

the_devil_made_me_do_it

Hi. Just wondering if anyone has any tips or views on how using computers in the classroom ect helps in the teaching process?
This is especially in the case of primary education.

Thanks in advance

studentphil

the_devil_made_me_do_it wrote:

Hi. Just wondering if anyone has any tips or views on how using computers in the classroom ect helps in the teaching process?
This is especially in the case of primary education.

Thanks in advance

You can bring video, graphics, the whole muiltimedia stuff in your classes.

Always much more interactive teaching with a wireless keyboard and so allows students to input data straight to the board and rest of the class.

Computers certainly help kids with SEN who can not write so well engage or makes it easier to bring graphics into the classroom to help poor readers.

Allows you to bring in much more fun activities like games in as starters.

Allows access to much more up to date info than a text book ever could.

studentphil

There are a number danagers with IT.

Used as IT most often is in the classroom as a support for the ppt lecture is a huge danger. (whilst a small degree of lecture style teaching is needed to impart knowledge it should never be the only method used)

There is the danger of IT being used to turn classes into huge copying excercises from the board.

There is also a feeling that IT must be used because it is there. It can never replace the usefulness of non- IT based teaching method.

looby-loo_2

Blind student is doing all 9 GCSE exams using his talking lap top. Work is loaded straight from the teachers computer to his and it reads the same worksheet the other students read via his headphones. Some teachers even put a voiceover to explain pictures as he reads.

Deaf student is doing A Levels via video link. She is an excellent lip reader. Teacher is videoed speaking the lesson which is loaded onto her laptop and she can watch again at home. This is because she can't lip read and make notes at the same time.

Girl with a muscles wasting illness which makes grasping a pen impossible but can use a keyboard for few minutes suppliments typing with talking software - her speech is converted into text. Brilliant.

My job is organising it all. And with more funding.................................

the_devil_made_me_do_it

That's brilliant looby-lou!! Never thought of those possibilities. Yes, for disabled students, IT in classrooms must be a godsend.

studentphil

the_devil_made_me_do_it wrote:

That's brilliant looby-lou!! Never thought of those possibilities. Yes, for disabled students, IT in classrooms must be a godsend.

But you have to remember that Assistive technology is not cheap and is often hard to get funded and has many reliability issues and selecting the most most suitable technology is not always easy. So if you are writing this in a paper just remember that.

looby-loo_2

I do have to agree with studentphil about the reliability of the technology. Much of it is so new that there are teething problems. I'm getting better but I do have to call in the techies on a regular basis. Because of that I tend to stick to tried and tested technology which may not be the latest but it works - and that's what the studnets need. (Let someone else find the bugs in the software first;) )

As for funding the support we get for blind and deaf students is brilliant. (£700 hearing aids replaced twice in one term because a mother washed them in the washing machine:mad: ) All replaced within 10 days.

The blind boy has two and a half Teaching Assistants, funded to learn English Braille 2, three Braillers (like old fashioned typewriters), a Braille printer, talking laptop, memory sticks for all teachers to transfer work, heat printer (to make graphs, diagrams), paper for heat printer (80p per A4 sheet), techie on hand at 24 hours notice plus all the software of which I have no idea about the cost.

Not everything can be learned via the talking software. Spoken French is too difficult so is Brailled, Science diagrams/graphs and Maths also are only possible with Braille for a student.

That's just the learning part. Add to that the mobility around the campus and taxi.

I can't fault the authority at all. This child wants to be a solicitor and I have no doubt he will get there, partly enabled by all the arrangements made for him, but mainly because of all his hard work.

On the other hand the students with mild SEN needs are short of funding, but that is another story

the_devil_made_me_do_it

Yes funding is a big issue. I guess people forget that part. However, it's all a positive step for disabled students I guess, and it offers chances which otherwise may not be possible. Better a few getting assistance than none at all.

How about students and pupils who are not disabled, what benefit is computers in the classroom to them?

Foosterino

Secondary teacher here, at my old school we had interactive whiteboards in every classroom. I loved it! I showed films, animations explaining processes (i teach geography) I played games for revison purposes which the kids loved.

I don't have a whiteboard in my current school I miss it so much. Even just showing the kids photos on the board instead of photocopying or on OHP drives me insane

Foo
xx

the_devil_made_me_do_it

Yes, ohps just don't have the same effect.

pianeet

surely the main reason for using a computer is to be able to read the teachers writing,i could never read my teachers writing at school when he scribbled on a blackboard,