Technology4Teachers

The book Technology for Teachers was published in July 2011.  It is based on blog postings that appeared on e4Africa.

This page serves as a catalogue to posts that may be helpful for teachers who are striving to use technology as teaching and learning tools in the classroom.  Simply click on the question you’re interested in, and you will be able to read the original posting, together with the comments of others.

I – The role of technology

1  What is technology? 

2  What is ICT?

3  What does “digital” mean?

4  What is the digital divide?

5  Why must teachers move towards digital inclusion?

6  Why should I concern myself with e-learning?

7  What technologies are suitable for teachers?

8 Why is the computer room in your school not enough?

9 What are 21^st century skills?

10  What is the role of technology in the development of 21^st century skills among learners?

11 What are the “new technologies”?

12 What is media literacy?

13 What is visual literacy?

14 What is digital literacy?

15 Why must digital literacy be included in the curriculum?

16 Can learners learn how to handle information without your assistance?

II – Obtaining the best results from technology 

1  Under what circumstances will technology not lead to success?

2  How do I know when to use technology in the classroom and when not to use it?

3  Will technology transform the education system?

4  What is the role of the principal when technology is introduced into a school?

5  When I take the trouble to learn how to use technology in the classroom – wat is in it for me?

6  How can technology improve my lesson preparation?

7  How can technology help me with lesson presentation?

8  Can technology improve learning in the classroom?

9  Can technology ease a my admin burden?

10 How can technology improve my communication flow?

11 How can technology help me with assessment?

12 Can technology make me a more productive teacher?

13 Can technology help me to improve my subject knowledge?

14 How can technology help me to be a lifelong learner?

15 Can technology empower me?

16 Once I have technology in my classroom – how often must I use it?

17 How can digital tools be used to develop reading skills?

III – The cost of technology

1  What is the real cost of technology?

2  How can I keep the initial cost of technology down?

3  What additional costs can be expected when I bring technology into my classroom?

4  What are the recurring costs that I can expect when I bring technology into my classroom?

5  What are the infrastucture costs that I may incur before technology can be used in my classroom?

6  What are the hidden costs of technology?

IV – Learning to use technology 

1 What is the quickest way to learn to use technology in the classroom?

2  Technology tools for the classroom – how long will it take me to learn to use them?

3  Is it difficult to learn to use technology in the classroom?

4  What options do I have for learning to use technology?

5  Will a manual help me when I’m learning to use technology?

6  What can I do when my learners know more about technology than I do?

7  How can I benefit from the expertise of my colleagues when I’m learning to use technology?

8  What role can vendors play in helping me to learn how to use technology?

9  Should I enrol for a commercial course to help me gain technology skills?

10  Should the education department not take responsibility for my technology training?

11 What role can computer based training play in helping me to master technology?

12 How can I make a success of comptuer based training?

13 What is a PLN?

14 How can I use technology to build a PLN?

15 How can the internet help me to build technology skills?

16 I am not so young anymore – won’t it be difficult for me to become skilled in the use of classroom technology?

17 When learning to use technology, can I expect some form of accreditation … and possibly better job prospects?

V - Laying the ghosts of technology to rest

1  What are the ghosts of technology?

2  What is cyber-bullying?

3  What is sexting?

4  What is the teacher’s responsibility with regards to cyber-bullying and sexting?

5  Will technology make teachers redundant?

6  What is a computer virus?

7  Is there any way I can protect my technology against a virus?

8  How can I recover from a virus attack?

9  Can someone else take control of my computer over the internet?

10 Why should I allow technology to change the way I teach?

11 What benefits will I reap when I cease resisting change?

12 What happens if I lose all my data?

13 How difficult is it to make a backup?

14  What happens when technology lets me down in the classroom?

15 What can I do when my classroom technology does not work?

16 Some authorities claim there’s no evidence that technology has a positive impact on teaching and learning – is this true?

17  How can I make sure technology will not become a white elephant in my classroom?

VI - Useful technologies for teachers

1  What is one to one computing?

2  What are the advantages of one to one computing in the classroom?

3 What is the down-side of one to one computing in the classroom?

4 What is the value of a computer room in a school?

5  Of what value is a data projector in my classroom?

6  How does an interactive whiteboard work?

7  If I have a data projector in my classroom, why do I need an interactive whiteboard?

8  Of what value is a scanner in my classroom?

9  How can I use a voting system in my classroom?

10 Of what value is a voting system in my classroom?

11 How much value does a document camera have in the classroom?

12 What is a blog?

13 How can reading blogs help teachers?

14  How can  blogs be used in the classroom?

15 Should learners be encouraged to have their own blogs?

16 How can I cope with cell phones in my classroom?

17 What technology is the best one to use in my classroom?