Certification - October 2008 - (Page 19)

“I can have one equation on the interactive whiteboard showing how to solve a problem with whole numbers, and right next to it, I can have the exact same equation showing the solution with fractions. The students can see that you solve the problem in the exact same way, and they understand much more quickly.” Yet, with any potential benefit comes a potential hazard. Sure, the Internet is great, but what about the issue of online security? How can teachers know students are doing their own work? How can they make sure students are using reliable sources? Then there’s the cost factor. Many of the innovative technologies are new and therefore expensive. Does that mean only wealthy districts will be able to afford them? Does technology have the potential to further divide our nation when it comes to quality of education? To educate teachers on the pluses and minuses of technology in the classroom, organizations such as Internet4Classrooms and 4Teachers.org have sprouted up. Internet4Classrooms — created in late 2000 by two education professionals — provides links, assistance and resources for teachers in the K-12 arena, while 4Teachers.org offers links to properuse policies and procedures, as well as Web-based tools for teachers and students. Also, as technology in the classroom becomes more prevalent, many hardware and software companies are banding together to try to make computers and other equipment more affordable for the average school. For example, HP worked with educators to design a mini-laptop PC that costs less than $500 and weighs just over 2.5 pounds. It is “smaller and lighter than any math or science books,” according to a press release. HP also developed a quad-core processor-based workstation that starts at about $600 and enables many high-performance applications required by advanced subjects, “such as digital forensics, mechanical computer-aided design and video production,” the press release stated. Meanwhile, Smart Technologies published a white paper in 2006 that was intended to help school officials carefully evaluate the total cost of ownership of a Smart Board, including anticipated future costs. Ultimately, though, despite these new advancements, I think it’s safe to assume the fundamental principles of education won’t change all that much. After all, convening in a classroom is a critical part of learning and socialization, and as a result, backpacks will remain heavy for years to come — they just might be filled with laptops and mouse pads instead of textbooks and pencils. 8 – Agatha Gilmore, agilmore@certmag.com October 2008 CERTIFICATION MAGAZINE 19 http://www2.smarttech.com/NR/rdonlyres/82A842C5-55CD-4CA5-9752-480B30A5C4E2/0/TCOWhitepaper.pdf http://www2.smarttech.com/NR/rdonlyres/82A842C5-55CD-4CA5-9752-480B30A5C4E2/0/TCOWhitepaper.pdf http://www.4teachers.org/ http://www.internet4classrooms.com/ http://www.4Teachers.org

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Certification - October 2008

Certification - October 2008 Editor's Letter Contents Data Stream Virtual Village Tech Careers Dear Techie Troubleshooting Academic Connection What We Like Look Ahead Elect IT: Technology and the Democratic Process Managing Relationships in the Nonprofit Realm Interface VoIP Technician: Answering the Call of the Network Inside Certification Ad Index Endtag

Certification - October 2008

For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.