Learning Technology through Presentations

Today I learned about different types of useful technological presentations and tools that can be used in a classroom.

 

 

First, my group worked with a website called Powtoon. Powtoon is like a PowerPoint video that is animated. Our group did not really know what Powtoon was when we started using it, so I would not recommend using it for a school project until you are completely familiar with it. Using Powtoon was very confusing and took a great amount of time to finish. In addition, it is not similar to a google slides presentation where several people can work on it and it will save their work. We had many problems in which we lost our whole presentations and had to redo it over again. In addition it is very temperamental in moving text boxes and pictures around. However, if there is time to explore this website and you want to buy a higher package it can be very beneficial as a presentation tool.

Within this class I also learned about tools such as thinglink and glogster. Thinglink is helpful in creating interactive images and videos for presentations. It is a creative way to present information. It allows you to make your images come alive with videos, images, shops and music etc. It looks similar to pinterest but can be a great way to display information! Each image that is shown contains a little story. Dorian and Jack did a great job at explaining this website to us and how it works!

 

 

 

Another presentation tool is glogster. Glogster is an online tool that allows you to create interactive online posters that include text, images, graphics, audio and videos. Glogs can be used to present lessons complete with links to outside resources, audio and videos that are related to the subject or topic being taught.

 

 

Both of these types of technology can be extremely helpful in presenting information in a different way then students are used to seeing. This can be helpful in engaging students and increasingly grasping their full attention to help them learn.

 

There are many reasons why technology is a key aspect of learning in the schools. Technology is everywhere and in order for our students to survive in this world, they must know technology.

In my research I found many reasons that it is important to include technology in education! Here they are:

1.  Students are engaging with technology constantly outside of the classroom. Kids like to be interactive, and learning through technology has now become a part of their lifestyle.

2.  New teachers are demanding it. For new teachers, technology is considered a necessity for the learning environment.

3.  Kids are fluent in technology. Kids know technology better than most adults. It has become the easiest way they learn, because it is such an integral part of their life. Engaging with technology in the classroom has not only helped them learn better, but they also acquire multi-tasking skills. At this day in age, they hardly know how to learn without it. This knowledge is important, because they would be way behind in the real world without it.

4.  Kids can learn at their own pace. With technology in education, children have the ability to slow down and go back over lessons and concepts, and more advanced kids can go ahead. It also frees up the teacher to help kids on a more one-on-one level.

5.  With technology, there are no limitations. Having access to other information outside of the book gives students many different ways to learn a concept. Teachers can come up with creative ways to teach their students that keeps them engaged. Technology has changed the learning environment so that learning is more hands-on.

6.  Technology can enhance the relationship and communication between teachers and students. Technology helps make teaching and learning more meaningful and fun. Students are also able to collaborate with their own classmates through technological applications.

7.  Testing has gone online. Testing online is the way of the future, but it has a lot of advantages. Assessing students’ performance can be done instantly with technology. Beyond seeing test scores in real-time, teachers can better track and understand students’ grasp of the subject.

8.  Multiple resources: Computers, tablets, and other forms of technology bring multiple resources for the teacher that’s not in the book. They not only keep students engaged with exciting new features and apps, but also have other ways to teach students material. Every kid learns differently, and technology helps with this gap as well.

9.  Technology keeps kids engaged. The students of this generation are considered technological learners. They learn best being more interactive, and technology is what helps them do that. Children often struggle to stay on task or interested, and with resources to help the teacher, they can better stay focused and learn faster.

10.  Technology is necessary to succeed outside of primary and secondary education. Whether we like it or not, technology is an essential concept to learn. Because it changes so quickly, children are better off learning about it sooner. It is a primary part of every industry, and there is no way around it. These days, technology means more than just learning basic computing skills. Technology has made itself part of every aspect of our lives today, and the students who understand it are the ones who succeed in the business world.