Types of Educational Technology Hardware and Software

Hardware and
Software
Essentials

Members of the Pedagogy World Tech Team share their must-have tech tools for educators. What’s on your list?

Four years ago, we asked members of the Education Earth Tech Team to tell us about the hardware and software they considered essential to their teaching and/or professional lives outside the classroom. The responses were published in the commodity Learn to Accessorize: Hardware and Software Essentials. Recently, we wondered how many of the technology tools our experts identified in 2003 were essential in todays classrooms, and how many new tools our experts had added to the list. So in one case once again, we asked our Tech Team: What hardware and/or software practise you consider essential -- or invaluable -- for todays educator? This is what they said:

APPLE WORKS!

Weve all seen significant changes over the past four years, fifty-fifty in the rural corners of Northern California," Wally Fuller told u.s.a., only Im staying with the Macintosh platform; Apples commitment to innovation and instruction support is peerless. Since the majority of what I do is classroom oriented, Sick stay with what I know from experience.

Hardware and Accessories for the classroom teacher
Apple laptop calculator with built-in camera and wireless connectivity (portability); SuperDrive (CD/DVD playing and recording); digital camera (publishing); thumb drive (quick storage and information transfer); printer (hard copies); projector (presentation).

Essential or Invaluable Software
Apples pre-installed software parcel provides the essentials for any classroom teacher (iLife and iWork). Beyond that I would add a grading plan and mind mapping software (Inspiration)."

Equally I reread the Tech Team article from October 2003, I was interested to note the tech tools that have go classic, everyday tools for many of us, as well equally the ones that have been replaced by newer, more powerful technologies," added Mary Kreul.

One tool that we still utilise quite often in the classroom is a 1 GB flash drive. Nosotros take a big banking company of non-networked iMacs in our room, so students use the flash drive to movement files between computers and to the computers that are connected to printers. Files as well can exist saved and so copied to the school server, so students can do their piece of work on the networked computers in the PC reckoner lab. That procedure, although time consuming, works well when keypal letters accept to exist e-mailed from the teacher's ePals account, when students are contributing private slides to a class PowerPoint presentation, and for backing up educatee work in assignment specific files.

I use my iPod shuffle to download podcasts to listen to while working or taking walks. Through podcasts downloaded from iTunes, I was able to virtually attend several sessions of last summertime'due south NECC (National Educational Calculating Conference) in Atlanta without leaving home.

We watch educational DVDs through our classroom figurer, so a large screen monitor or other projection system is a necessity. However, our school still has VHS tapes that coordinate with the curriculum, so a dual organisation for playing DVDs and VHS tapes is needed.

In the past, Ive purchased versions of AppleWorks or Office for bones word processing and other professional person and personal needs. Although those two software packages are still on my reckoner, I oftentimes use NeoOffice, which is a gratuitous, open up source version of Open Function. The price is right and the software looks and acts much like traditional software packages.

Digital cameras -- both still and video -- still are a must for personal and educational use. Today, digital cameras are packed with memory and accept become much easier to use. Photoshop Elements is an inexpensive photo editing tool, but many computers and Web sites now come up with free editing tools, such as iPhoto on Macs, or Google's Picasa.

Impress Shop by Software MacKiev is yet my pinnacle choice for creating cards, signs, and banners, just now y'all and your students also can brand newsletters, labels, booklets, business cards, gift tags, proper noun tags, calendars, online greetings, and more.

Personally, I couldn't live without my iBook laptop. I networked my domicile computer system with a router and an AirPort bill of fare, so I tin can utilise the laptop in whatever room or in the yard. If I can do that, anyone can! I also can take the laptop to conferences, on trips, and to school -- and I can jump on free networks anywhere theyre offered. It still amazes me that you can exist continued virtually anywhere you take a laptop -- simply due to that ability, people need to make choices every bit to when, where, and how often they want to be connected -- and when it's meliorate to be disconnected!"

OFFICE STAPLES

Julia Timmons list of essentials has grown through the years. My essentials," she told united states of america, now include:

Software

• Office Professional -- Yes I employ Access a lot and I need the full features of other programs. I prefer XP.
• Practiced photo software -- Ive been using Microsoft Digital Photo Suite, but I understand theyre no longer making it.
• "Photostory two -- comes with service pack 2.
• Inspiration
• Smart Notebook
• a United Streaming subscription -- Large with educators now.

Hardware

• Apartment Screen monitor -- information technology doesn't take to be huge!
• Good quality printer -- preferably a light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation black and color photo. HP is my brand all the way. I don't like the combo printers.
• CD/DVD RW drive(s)
• Enough of USB ports -- nigh ten!!
• Scanner -- non essential, merely I really really like having it to apply for scanning all kinds of documents to operate in a paperless world in the classroom, and to scan in pics/slides in the personal world. I similar Epson brand
• Digital camera of adept quality -- Canon is my favorite brand; I dear the S3IS.
• External storage -- an external hard drive to support data (essential with all we are saving digitally these days). That has saved me several times from loosing valuable and irreplaceable stuff.
• Portable storage -- USB wink drive, 2 GB minimum.
• Palm or other handheld device to keep schedules, dates, reminders, and store pictures and music. I went the "low end" toll route and use a Tungsten Palm from work. I would purchase my own if I didn't have that one.
• Smart board or Smart Airliner, with project unit for classroom use. In our school, we connect them to our TV system and a VCR and have everything through one computer.
• CPS (classroom operation organisation) also for classroom use. If I were in the classroom full time I would use it daily to monitor understanding and progress on goals I was responsible for achieving that day/week. I would see it as essential!"

FIND IT ONLINE

For Cossondra George, laptops for teacher and students, a projector, speakers and an iPod dock, spring drives, servers, undecayed wireless access, and digital cameras all seem basic -- disquisitional -- to me. Tablet laptops for students with wireless projection systems would be wonderful.

I dont see the need for much in the way of specific software. With online tools readily available for wikis, blogs, document sharing, and and so on, if students have computers with Internet admission, those programs are in that location already. Essential types of software for educators, however, include online grading programs with parent access, the capability to download and employ videos, podcasts, and then on with your class. (Some schools are blocking YouTube, iTunes and so on at schoolhouse, so teachers must have access elsewhere.), and podcasting equipment -- video/audio -- software that allows the teacher to monitor individual students and allows instructor and students to interact with one another."

Back TO Nuts

Id say that a laptop is a must in a classroom," Fred Holmes said. Forth with that, some way to show information to the unabridged class, exist information technology a Smart lath or a projector. The instructor can apply the laptop to do presentations to the students and even for parents; they can take information technology to meetings or on field trips for student based research. Palms or some type of hand-held computer can exist used by students for field research. I know that iPods are making an inroad in schools, but they must exist used with caution. While you think a educatee is listening to a lecture, or an oral reading, they could be listening to music. Teacher supervision is a must!

As for software, the biggest business concern is that the computer must have some type of good anti-virus protection -- viruses are becoming worse and worse. A good security system, such as a firewall, too is a must."

Invaluable and budgeted essential -- a laptop," seconded Patrick Greene. After all, it is easy to predict that American Yard-12 teaching is going to exist an all laptop thing, and soon."

The most important software tool that teachers should have, and go expert in using," Bernie Poole told Education World, is Microsoft Function 2007. The reason I say that is because Microsoft Office, in general, incorporates essential tools for teaching and learning. Microsoft Office 2007, in particular -- besides being a very nice user interface, which makes the functions of the software more readily available -- has added a considerably larger gear up of drawing and diagramming tools that are splendid for both teachers and students when brainstorming or in the preparation of visual learning materials."

In that location are two items I would consider essential for educators today," said Vicky Romano. The first is a webcam -- not but to allow students to visit with other students across the globe, but also to allow teachers to interact with colleagues all over the earth. Teaching can exist a very isolating experience, but working with others to create lessons and share information professionally is profoundly enhanced by contiguous interaction/conversations. A webcam allows for access to professionals with similar interests. That interaction might non happen without contiguous voice and image access. The interactive video software is getting amend with faster Net connections and thats a more reliable medium.

The other essential item is yet Internet admission. With faster, more reliable connections, teachers have access to such instructional resources as art museums, zoos, and a plethora of sites that simply were not available before. Bringing resources to the classroom at present is essential, as funding for out-of-school trips and other enriching experiences is cut due to budget restrictions.

A flash drive is soooo important," adds Jennifer Wagner. Plus, every educator needs to belong to an online community. Whether it be twitter, Ning, a message group, bulletin board.you lot need to be connected with your peers online. And finally, Google Docs -- a must for collaboration!!!

EVERYDAY ESSENTIALS

My district isn't into ownership every new thing that comes along, said Linda George, who teaches applied science in grades K- five. But I tin tell you that I think the following are very of import to my everyday lessons:

Software

• Kidspiration, Inspiration: We employ those all the time. Theyre great brainstorming tools as well every bit nice ways to organize facts, present knowledge. Theyre very popular with the kids because the applications are so versatile.
• Kid Pix, Tux Pigment: I dearest Kid Pix. We create, record voices, make slideshows. Tux Paint is a nice free awarding that the kids can download at home and information technology's a alter from Kid Pix here at schoolhouse as it has dissimilar features.
• Open Part or Microsoft Office: Word for word processing, Excel for spreadsheets, PowerPoint for certificates, slideshows, outlines.We learn formatting, how to get toolbars, how to "dress up" a newspaper or a presentation.
• Type to Learn: For 3rd course, I teach keyboarding the showtime three weeks of school, every day for 45 minutes. And so, every week, the kids review for xv minutes before our regular lesson. By the stop of third grade, they are touch-typing with keyboard covers (no peeking!) quite well.
• Google Earth, along with ePals, allow our students to experience their earth, learn about dissimilar cultures, and see for themselves the vast differences and similarities we take with people everywhere.
• Google Sketchup: My kids beloved that gratuitous awarding. Information technology has great tutorials and is easy enough for even young kids to experience successful.
• Scratch is popular because information technology has easy to follow tutorials, is complimentary, and is FUN! Great early programming app.
• Stationery Studio: I use it for students to write letters. Nosotros sometimes send go-well letters to absent classmates or staff members. It allows the kids to choose which template they want, so it can be customized hands. I also use it to print sheets for students who need to remember how to log on to the computer, as it can exist used to exercise handwriting and letters.
• Image Blender is nice because it allows students to edit and have fun with digital photos. They can put a cool frame around their photos, or whorl the edges, or depict on it. It's a great awarding to resize photos. Information technology too comes with a squeamish education booklet with good ideas to get the kids started.

Hardware

• digital photographic camera with video capabilities
• iPod with a recorder
• lcd projector(s)
• a decent screen to project on

Personnel
This is the first year I dont accept an assistant in my lab, and every mean solar day I realize how valuable she was to me and to the work I do with kids. And so, information technology'southward nice to have skilful software and good hardware, only a skillful helper is worth her weight in gold!"

Who Are They?

The Educational activity World Tech Team includes more than than thirty dedicated and knowledgeable educational-engineering professionals who have volunteered to contribute to occasional articles that draw on their varied expertise and experience. The post-obit Tech Squad members contributed to this article:

* Wally Fuller, engineering science teacher, Upper Lake Heart School, Upper Lake, California
* Cossondra George, middle-level math and social studies instructor, Newberry Eye School, Newberry, Michigan
* Linda George, technology integration specialist, Dondero School, Portsmouth, New Hampshire
* Patrick J Greene, PhD, Florida Gulf Coast University, Educational Applied science Department
* Fred Holmes, loftier schoolhouse LanManager/Webmaster, Osceola Public Schools, Osceola, Nebraska
* Mary Kreul, fourth grade teacher, Richards Elementary School, Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin
* Bernard John Poole, Acquaintance Professor of Didactics and Instructional Technology, University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown (Pennsylvania)
* Vicky Romano, Knox College, Galesburg, Illinois
* Julia Timmons, instructional technology specialist, Lynchburg City Schools, Lynchburg, Virginia
* Jennifer Wagner, technology educator and integration specialist, Technospud

Teaching World®
Copyright © 2007 Education World

12/07/2007

Share this post