Top Ten Reasons to Use Technology in the Classroom

My Top 10 Reasons to use Technology in the Classroom

1. Wikis - whether it be on wikispaces, pbwiki, wetpaint, it's a great place for teachers to post collaborative assignments, get discussions, and assess student learning. Students get to use Web 2.0 technology skills.

2. Google.docs - A place for students to collaborate and share their presentations without having to have special software or forget their work at home. Another way to use Web 2.0 Technology in the classroom.

3. Blogs - A wonderful way for teachers to communicate and share classroom assignments, activities, etc. online. Web 2.0 Technology skills are involved.

4. VoiceThread - Great tool for digital storytelling. Students research, storyboard, script, take pictures, and share their learning with all. Students use their Web. 2.0 Technology skills.

5. Podcasting - Students research, script, and share what they've learned in an educational podcast. Again, another way to incorporate Web 2.0 Technology skills in the classroom.

6. Web quests - Students are engaged in their own learning of curricular content through doing online web quests.

7. Internet Scavenger Hunts - What a way to get students learning content! This is playing and fun for them.

8. Search engines - Students learn about Ask.com, Clusty.com, Gigablast, etc. and what they have to offer. Great way for students to learn about more than one way to find information.

9. Online Games - such as Do the Dewey, Dewey matching games, etc. for learning content.

10. Free Graphic programs: Art Pad, My Drawings, etc. Students can create their own graphics to use. Comic strip programs can have students create their own, incorporating what they learned in comic strip form.