Welcome
7th Grade Social Studies at
Elkins Pointe Middle School
***Please note****
If you are not receiving emails from me on a regular bases, your email is missing or incomplete in eschool.
It important to use technology in the classroom for many reasons but the three most important are visual representation, future skills, and communication. First technology can provide exceptional visual aids which often can more thoroughly engage and enlighten students on the topics being covered. How can one describe the ocean to someone who has never seen it? Easy, a picture or video. Often educators cover concepts which seem completely baffling to students, but a simple picture can clarify their meaning (after all a picture can tell a thousand words). Technology now gives educators the means (internet and projector) to show even the most complex topics visually.
Social studies is a great subject for technology. How many of our students have seen the world first hand? Only a few, but everyone can access images, video, and news stories through the internet.
Also, our society demands that we be technological creatures(whether we like that or not). If the job of school is to prepare students with essential knowledge for thriving in this world (most educators would agree that is what schools are for), then of course we should have technology in the classroom. Few jobs accept applicants who have no technology skills and even fewer will 10-20 years from now. By have appropriate technology integration and technology projects in the classroom we can prepare students for a successful future.
Finally in our society, people want to be able to communicate with each other-immediately. By using technology (like this blog or our website) you can easily assess me. All of us, whether parent, students or educators are BUSY. By using technology we can all communicate when it is convenient for us-night, day, or somewhere in between.
Sincerely,
Ms. Knapp
