the classroom of the future

[Asalim]

hi everyone,

i am researching the classroom of the future, i want your thoughts on how the classroom will be like in 10 years time, technology wise maybe, what do you guys think the classroom of the future will be like in 10 years time, will the technology being funded into schools work, or is it all a waste of money?

thanks everyone!

Atheer Salim

[Asalim]

i noticed that in this forum, the ratio of visits to replies to threads is unbelievably huge, anyone who accesses this thread please give a minuit of your time to give me your thoughs,

all thoughts are greatly appreciated,

thank you!

[bcasbcjs]

I believe that with the current trends in technology that the textbooks will no longer be a part of the curriculum. In some districts in Arkansas, schools are no longer using books for science.

[stampeder17]

I was just asked today to help pilot a SMART board project with another teacher for next year. I am looking forward to using it next year.

At my school we can sign out an LCD projector from the office when we need one. I have used it to show Rube Goldberg design videos that are on YouTube to my class for a project. We have wireless internet in the school, which is usefull for the laptops. They are quite usefull but are also expensive.

[dolmansaxlil]

Oooh - I LOVE LOVE LOVE my SmartBoard! I've only had it for about a month and a half, and honestly don't know how I taught without it. :P Seriously, I find planning easier, I find that I put more thought into lessons (since, when you're planning with the SmartBoard, it's so much easier to lay everything out step by step) and I'm finding organization of materials either (I do up my lesson at home, write up any handouts that go with it, and attach them to the SmartBoard file so everything is together). I've also found that the kids are more engaged, and that it's SO easy to pull in multimedia and visuals. For example, for a lesson on alliteration, I was able to show the definition and examples, have the kids come up with their own examples, show logos and cartoon characters that used alliteration in their names, use a sound clip from a movie where alliteration is used heavily, and then have them find the alliteration in a couple of poems. It went SO much faster than if I tried to pull all those things together without one, and having the ability to easily put it so many different ways, I find the kids absorb the information more easily, because I'm presenting it in so many different ways in the same amount of time.

[Triniteacher]

A futuristic classroom could be one in which there is no need for 'pencil and paper'. Now whether is good or bad I can't say at the moment.

Asalim keep in mind that the classrooms would differ greatly depending on the countries that they are in as some are slower with technology progession than others.

[dr77]

I think that students will spend a lot less time in the classroom in the future - instead students will access lessons 'online' - from home or in a library - and become more independent learners.

In the UK, there are trials in which pupils learn online and even take their exams online. I guess that this means a lot less marking but I do not think that reduced teacher input in the learning process is a good thing,

David

[dacomputerlady]

One other thing to keep in mind is funding. Technology comes with a price. Who will fund the classroom of the future?
I don't believe books will ever become obsolete because of the various learning styles. Some students will still need to have that hard copy for future reference.
Neither do I believe that paper and pencil will become obsolete because of what is called the digital divide- the haves and have nots. Those who do not have access to technology will most certainly still require the use of a pencil and a piece of paper.

[honeybuns]

Asalim,

We are already heading into a technology future with the use of SmartBoards, peripheries tools, (wireless keyboard, wireless mouse), sidekicks, blackberries, notebooks. For the deaf population technology has advance to video conferencing calls (real-time) this alone is advance technology.

Currently on the market are books, which are transferred over to CD-ROM by a company called Living Books. These books come alive to the reader and are very interactive. Thus this type of interaction not only provides learning in three dimensional but introductions of foundation concepts in an enjoyable format that is self-paced.


Will pencil, paper, and books be a thing of the pass within the classroom or in our society? The answer to this question is no. A machine will always break down resulting in basics to kick in which is pencil and paper. Ah, the book question…… there is nothing like holding and turning a page of a book and reading on what lies ahead in the journey the Author has in store for you. In my opinion, that is why pencil, paper, and books will be apart of society no matter how advance we become with technology.
Honeybuns, :o)

[teddie]

In the same vein, what type of study material could be incorporated into a website for students to access either at home or school- baring in mind the school firewall etc? What web based activities do you currently use in schools?

[honeybuns]

It depends on what subject matter you are looking for and grade level. Yes, firewalls are a very touch subject for our district as well. If the student is using the computer at home then really sky is the limit as long as there is parent-control.


Honeybuns:D

[orlandoteacher]

I see laptops instead of textbooks, SmartBoards instead of whiteboard/markers, MP3 players instead of cassette/CD players, Webconferencing instead of writing to penpals, Digital globes instead of flat maps, digital storytelling, podcasts, and virtual fieldtrips. How exciting! :)

[avaroe]

Hi...not sure if you're still researching this topic...but its interesting anyways.

my school doesn't use text books. we use laptops and all the applications that go along with this. our assessments include making iMovies, podcasts, keynotes etc - but also traditional essays speeches etc

[EricDNA]

Great to hear you are taking the kids into the 21st century. Our school wants to dismantle our computer lab and feels that technology is not a good learning too. They just don't get it. ;-(

[Boxcar]

Technology isn't a good learning tool?! What?!

[mopar]

I think that the classrooms are moving more and more into technology. However, with the costs of the technology, no school will be current. It is just too expensive. And most schools don't even want to try to stay current or keep updating materials. Once we buy it, it should work forever. I mean, how many of you are teaching from textbooks that are older than your kids???

[Boxcar]

I think that it is never good to go to one extreme or the other. A school shouldn't try to buy the newest and hottest products, but they should try to incorperate some sort of technology into the cirriculm (sp?). For example, teaching older students about Internet research is important. The Internet provides a ton of information, but the students need to learn how to sort through it. Another illustration would be WebQuests. These can be fun for the students and most of them like using the computer. I think that teaching the skills of technology is what matters. You know, the ways to use technology wisely. The students probably are aware of how to use most of the basic computer things, but it is also valuable to introduce the older ones to PowerPoint, Access, Excel, ect.

Having good working equipment, such as a small shared computer lab, can be a good investment. The computers don't have to be the lastest and fastest. Most computers can be used for many years. People just don't usually do this. If you install some basic software programs and have a basic connection to the Interent, your school should be fine.

[mopar]

A basic connection works well when you don't ask for online IEPs, online attendance, online grading, etc. When everything teachers need to do is online, most schools need good connections and servers. Then try putting the students online. It is hard to stay afloat of all of this.

[Boxcar]

I would probably do my grades and attendence in Excel, but I see what you mean. I know I can get mipatient with slow Internet!

[mopar]

Using excel is great if you are given that option. We are asked to us an online grading and attendance system so that the parents can view the students grades and attendance from home...That makes for lots of fun!

[Chef Dave]

My high school makes extensive use of technology.

We currently have security video cameras in all public areas of the school. The pictures from the video cameras are piped into the office where they can be observed by our district police officer and the school administration. Each camera is paired with a video recorder.

There is a telephone with voice mail in every classroom. Every classroom also has at least one computer with internet access and a printer.

Attendance is computerized and with my teacher access code, I can get access to individual student records. Each student file is also accompanied with a jpeg format student picture. With a few clicks of a mouse, I can call up individual grades and attendance records.

The school of tomorrow may have wireless notebooks. If we didn't have to worry about the ACLU, it'd be nice if we could discourage truancy or tardiness through the use of electric shock collars that would automatically go off unless students were where they were supposed to be. (That was a joke. :) )

Given Columbine and other school shootings, I think increased security concerns may lead to the use of electronic locking mechanisms. Not only could the office control the locks on any given door from the office, but I think it'd be a good idea if a red light went off in the office if an exterior door was propped open.

Use of electronic locking mechanisms would be paired with the use of security cameras.

As a chef instructor, I would like a demo kitchen with an overhead camera that would look down on the counter top and stove top. The image would be projected onto an overhead big screen TV so that students could watch my culinary demos without having to crowd around a hot stove.