School Technology

As an assignment for my technology class, we were to explore all the technology found in our school. Upon exploration I found that my school offers a wealth of opportunity for students involving technology. My school previously had a partnership with the College of William and Mary which provided the school money and the means to have all of the amazing brand new technology.

The classrooms are equipt with "ELMO"'s which are computer projectors, that can display a picture of a worksheet (similar to an overhead) or can display the computer screen. My cooperating teacher uses this technology daily. It not only is an update version of the overhead, but it allows the teacher to use online resources and other computer resources in a whole class enviroment. There are computers in every classroom and the computer lab is top notch. The computer teacher truly takes advantage of modern technology as well. The lab has about 30 computers and laptops as well as a PRS system. In both the lab and library there is a "smartboard", which the students respond to very well. There is also a cart of laptops that are avaliable for general classroom use as well.

Not only is the technology at my school amazing, but it is easy to access as well. One just nees to send out an email or ask a question and it is all readily availiable. The school makes it easy for classroom teachers to use technology in their classroom and as part of the cooperation with the College the teachers were taught in seminars how to use the tools in the classroom.

I am really impressed with how the technology has been incorporated into my classroom. Although it is not perfectly integrated, I know that the use of technology in my classroom is more than at other schools. My teacher does a great job of trying to expose the students to all of the technology, daily we use the "ELMO" projector, the students use the computer for AR testing and other projects, and I have seen the classroom set of laptops used for scavenger hunts online. I hope that the use of technology continues to grow. It is great to see the results of a partnership turn out so positively, I hope that when I have my own classroom I can embrace technology in the classroom as well. The more I learn about its benefits the more I know it will have a important and large place in my classroom.