Reflection: How the SMART Board is being used

What: In taking this Technology in Education class, and learning the know-how with Smart Boards, I've been paying a lot more attention to how the SMART Board is being used in the classroom. For example, many of the students who are learning how to use the SMART Board (in this class) are also in other classes of mine, and I've noticed that they are attempting to incorporate the SMART Board into their presentations.

So What: Another observation that has caught my attention is that, for the most part, the students are using the SMART Board for very simple things, such as playing youtube videos that correlate to the presentation they are giving, or for projection ideas they have previously typed, so the students can all see it at the same time. These techniques are not hurting the presentation, but in my opinion, they are very basic ways of using the SMART Board, and a lot more could be done with the SMART Board to get the kids involved in the learning.

Now What: I think that it's crucial for us, future teachers, to go beyond the surface (easy way of using technology) to use it to it's fullest. There is a lot that techology can bring to a classroom, but if we don't take the time to research and incorporate the various activities offered, it can become nothing but a time consumer in the classroom.