Standard 6.8

Scoop.It

SmartBoard Lesson Example 1

SmartBoard Lesson Example 2

SmartBoard Lesson Example 3
6.8 Candidates effectively use and manage all technology available to them and explore uses of emerging resources.

To me, this particular standard means that, as a teacher, I should make an extra effort to be aware of new technologies that could benefit my classroom and myself as well as be knowledgeable enough about different technologies to be able to utilize them in my classroom without having to constantly ask my students for help.
Being able to manage different types of technology is imperative in this day and age for a teacher because it will help students to stay engaged in the learning and to create a more desirable classroom atmosphere. I like Scoop.It in some ways because I think it would be an enjoyable thing to work on as a class. Creating a Scoop.It page for each classroom and as we find items, either individually, or as a group (or small groups), we can add it to that page. It would be a sort of yearbook for what we discovered and what captured our attention throughout the year. It would also give students coming into the class for the first time a chance to see what previous classes have focused on and see if they can be inspired by such. In addition, I would encourage my students to possibly continue to use it as a reference page for latter projects they may have in any additional classes where it may benefit them.
In using the SmartBoard technology, I would be able to create a very interactive classroom. If I could have a classroom where my students are able to work on the SmartBoard from their seats, we could all participate in the lesson, allowing them to discover their history themselves, not just have me lecture at them. Discovering something for yourself allows you to remember better as well as making something have more meaning to you. This is important for a student so that they can create a cohesive whole of themselves and their learning to put them on the path to further discovery.

I suppose the biggest thing I'm concerned with is how I'm going to be able to stay on top of it all. Because I know I'm not overly tech savvy, I'm concerned that I won't be as up to date as I want to be no matter how hard I try. I need to find a way to make sure that I can continue to stay on top of these things. My biggest question is how do I make sure that I'm able to bring this technology into my classroom in a way that will benefit everyone, without shorting others. I hope that there will continue to be classes and seminars for teachers on new and evolving technology that I will be able to attend. I also want to try and find someone where ever I end up teaching at who is more well versed in technology than I am, so that I have someone I can go to with questions, without needing to ask the students.