Running head: TECHNOLOGY IN THE CLASSROOM 1

Technology in The Classroom

Samantha Miller

Regent University
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Technology in The Classroom

Introduction

The use of technology in the classrooms is an important part of education in this

generation. There is no avoiding the use of technology in the classroom or the use of media. This

generation of students are growing up in a culture that is immersed with technology so it is a key

part of education across the board. Technology adds to the learning process for students and

keeping students engaged throughout the day. Technology changes by the minute, and as

educators we need to keep up with the times to best prepare our students for this ever-changing

world that we live in.

Rationale for selected artifacts

The two artifacts that I am using to show the use of technology in the classroom are

pictures and videos. This was done in a fourth-grade classroom this past week and the focus was

elections and the voting process. Just as we held our state election and voted on Tuesday,

November 7th so did my students. Although this was not a social studies lesson we tied it in from

the beginning of the year when discussing the branch of the government and how each state has

different governors and a justice department. The students had a month to campaign and provide

speeches and tactics to get their name out there. Students brought in candy, doughnuts, flyers,

and posters.

The fourth-grade class voted in the computer lab by logging into their Google classroom

Gmail accounts. A voting system in ballot form was created as a poll and each student

individually logged in to cast their vote into the system. The positions the class voted their fellow

classmates for included; governor, a chief justice along with two other officials, senator, and
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three students to represent the house of delegates. The video artifact are the candidates providing

a thirty second or less speech the morning of voting. The picture artifacts include some of the

students techniques to get their name out there, slogans, along with the students in the voting

process.

This process also taught the class the lesson on winning and losing and how to deal and

act when congratulating a winner and supporting a classmate. The students did well with this and

really saw that everyone had a vote and that every vote counts. Since being at Atlantic Shores we

can openly talk about God and how he has a plan for each of the candidates who ran and was

chosen into each leadership position. Proverbs 16:3 says, Commit to the Lord whatever you do,

and he will establish your plans (NIV).

Reflection

There are countless times during the day that myself as a teacher I find myself using

technology to provide information for students, technology in the lesson, or as classroom

management techniques and transitions. Today, it is essential for teachers to use some sort of

technology during the school day. Several of my university courses we have thoroughly

discussed the use of technology and the education system today and how it expands into the

future. Educators, too, have seen firsthand the benefits of technology in the classroom. Educators

think that technology has a positive impact in the education process (Cox).

Throughout my student teaching experience, I provided students the use of technology

through interactive PowerPoints in whole group, time in the computer lab or laptops in the

classroom, also by in collaborating interactive games on the computer in center rotations, and the

mimio connect smart board. I have learned that technology is a teachers friend and will not only
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help teachers but also the students and although technology will never teach for us it is a great

tool to utilize. This widespread adoption of technology has completely changed how teachers

teach and students learn. Teachers are learning how to teach with emerging technologies (tablets,

iPads, Smart Boards, digital cameras, computers), while students are using advanced technology

to shape how they learn (Cox).

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References

Cox, J. (n.d.). Benefits of Technology in the Classroom. Retrieved November 08, 2017,

from http://www.teachhub.com/benefits-technology-classroom

NIV Bible. (1997). London: Hodder & Stoughton.