Blog Post #8

Last week, we visited the Sports Psych Lab and had the chance to to play around with some of their equipment: The Bio Feedback instrument caught my attention the most. This piece of equipment can be used for special need kids who find themselves frustrated when presented with a difficulty. the bio feedback device can tell the teacher exactly what is frustrating the student, based on signals the device receives from the body the student. This makes it easier for the both the teacher and the student, since most times special needs kids cannot properly communicate or express their feelings.

 Microsoft PowerPoint can be very useful if used in the right manner, followed by good teaching skills. The best way to know if you are using PowerPoint effectively is if you evaluate it based on Bloom’s Taxonomy. Let’s take for example a presentation on a scene from novel The Giver. The first step would be to create the presentation. The second step would be to evaluate the information included in the presentation. You might ask yourself if all the information is relevant or would it confuse your students from the main point? After editing your presentation, the next steps happen during the presentation. When presenting the information to your class, you want to analyze, or breakdown the information for your students. Afterwards, you apply certain examples to a real-world situation or idea. In this case, you would want to relate the Utopian society in The Giver with real-world Utopian societies. Then, you stop and make sure that your students comprehend the material. This would be the time where you ask your students if they have any questions about the material. Finally, you end your presentation by summarizing key points in the presentation.

A useful website to stay updated with technology trends is CNET. This website informs you of the latest technology releases, network security, trending topics on Twitter, and reviews on certain products. The reviews can be helpful for teachers, when trying to decide what new technology to expose their students to. This website also includes articles on technology in education. This is especially beneficial to teachers who are looking for ways to incorporate technology in their classroom. 

Click here to go to CNET's website.