While reading through chapter 12, one of the first things that caught my attention was the features of a technology- integrated classroom. A technology-integrated classroom is a "smart classroom". According to the reading these types of classes have computers, tablets connected to the Internet, a projector, DVD player, an interactive whiteboard and many other things. This part caught my attention because of all the different type of technological items located in the classroom. With technology advancing as fast as it is this type of class is great for teachers and students to get more involved with technology. It also says in the book both teachers and students are evaluated to see if the students are learning what they need and if the teacher is providing enough instructions to the students.
Bring your own technology also known as BYOT or BYOD, has been integrated into many schools across the nation. This program allows students to bring their own technological items to class with them without getting in trouble. I think this is great because there are so many applications and games the teacher can play with the students through their devices without them having to be on a computer. One of these games that I learned was Kahoot along with many others, This is a fun way for students to interact with one another and the teacher while using technology they bring from home.
Lastly, I read about cooperative learning and group work. This is a great way for students to meet other students in the classroom other than the ones they already know. This forces students to communicate with one another. I am a huge fan about this at times, depending if you have the correct group members in your group. By having students work in small groups or pairs it lets the teacher walk around and provide more help to the group itself rather than the whole classroom where they can have the same questions or ideas and others who might not and are afraid of saying something. In group work there are many heads thinking so if the teacher would like them to do a presentation you usually have the really creative one and the rest the ones with the ideas. Overall group work is amazing for meeting new people and forcing one to talk and getting them out of their bundle of shyness.
In conclusion, this chapter was great. I revisited some of the things I had already learned prior to reading the chapter and learned others I had no idea about. Technology is moving so rapidly that we need to learn as much as we can now for when it will eventually be more integrated into our lives than it is now.
Maloy, Robert, Verock-O’Loughlin,Ruth-Ellen, Edwards, Sharon A., and Woolf, Beverly Park (2013). Transforming Learning with New Technologies. 2nd Edition. Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc.
