The power of positive technology
Convincing my students to work with new technology is a snap — if the laptops are on their desks, they are usually happy and productive. But recently I presented the wonders of technology to a tougher audience: older folks in a retirement community. Although they came willingly to my presentation, which was part of a series on keeping their brains active, I heard a bit of grumbling along the lines of, “This is about technology? I’m not staying,” “I don’t even have a computer,” and “I hate blogs!”I knew they had recently learned about the power of positive thinking, so I focused my presentation on how they can take advantage of technology to improve their own lives. And as I spoke, I realized that those same benefits are what make new technology vital to my classroom today. If you’re a teacher who has wondered if it’s worth the effort to make new technology part of your classroom, I encourage you to consider these powerful perks:
1. Collaboration: working in groups is tricky when my 8th graders are crowded 32 students to a room. When they drag their desks into groups, they are crammed so