Emerging Technologies

The way that we see teaching is changing with the times. Technology is becoming something that is more and more commonly used in the classroom as computers and internet access are becoming available to more schools. There are many different things that are emerging and I will discuss a few of them that I thought were interesting.
The first of which is meant to teach students about using the internet. The Global Virtual Classroom is a collection of online activities and resources for students all around the world. It helps to bring technology into the classroom while connecting students to people that they might not be able to talk with. This teaches students to use the internet and is a safe zone for them. More information about this can be found at www.virtualclassroom.org.
I feel as though networks like this will have a great effect on my teaching. I will be able to teach in new ways and allow students to find their own information about things while connecting with other students. I will change lessons to incorporate technology and be able to feel comfortable with the fact that my students are safe on the internet. The students themselves will gain a sense of independence from being able to go online and find information. They will build confidence in themselves as well as learn to navigate on the internet.
A second emerging technology that I found to be interesting is e-books. There are many online at www.ebooks.com as well as other sites. E-books are online books that can be downloaded or viewed on a computer. There are many different types, from fiction to nonfiction, from textbooks to books for fun.
As a teacher, being able to quickly access books that may help my students will be very useful. I will need to be able to find information for them without searching a library. It will be a good chance to find what I am looking for right from my own classroom. Also, using e-books means that there is less hassle with paper books and e-books are available right away. Students will be able to access their texts with just a click of a few buttons. There will be no more struggling to remember heavy textbooks.
A final technology, and the one that I found the most interesting is iLife, from the Apple company. The information about it can be found at www.apple.com/education/products/ipod. This is a program that is run from an ipod. It contains many different types of curriculum and is fun for students. They can create and share knowledge with other students. There are quizzes and preparation activities that you can use with students.
As a teacher, it is always fun to be able to find new and fun ways for students to learn. I enjoyed finding this because I had no idea it existed. I would love to bring something like this into my classroom and I feel as though students would enjoy it. Ipods are growing in popularity and something like this program just makes sense. Students would be able to use technologies that they have for fun in an educational sense. They would enjoy activities on an ipod.
Emerging technologies are changing our classrooms, in a good way. There are many different types of technologies today that I have not discussed. Every teacher and future teacher should take the time to find out what is truly out there at their fingertips.