Ways to Use Computers in Schools

Ways to Use Computers in Schools

As a new teacher I want to identify ways of using computers in the school system to help students.  Both new teachers and experienced teachers alike sometimes do not know all of the different ways of using computers to help their students.  Teachers can benefit from finding out different ways to use them.  I believe that computers can be used to help both your average student and also your special needs student. 

In this paper I will look into ways of using computers to help students with their education.  It will include both average students and also special needs students.  I believe that computers can be used to benefit all students no matter their learning situation.  I hope to determine ways to do this. 

This study will be done within the Goose Creek CISD school system.  It is going to be done at different elementary schools within the system.  This school system is located in Baytown, Texas.  In GCCISD 63% of the students are eligible for the free or reduced lunch program (CISD, 2010).  This is above the state average.  This was in the year 2010.  According to the GCCISD 2009-2012 E-Rate year 12 plan the district’s percentage of disadvantaged students is 60.10% (York, 2009).

I will be doing this through my employment within the district.  Some of this project will be done through a student teaching assignment.  The remainder of the project will be done through both an internship with the technology department and also through my substitute teacher job.  Because of my ability to go from one school to another I believe I will be able to work with a large population of students.  I believe this will help me to find the most ways of helping the students as possible.

I am learning that as a new teacher I am not aware of the different ways of helping students learn using the computers that are available in the school district.  I have also seen that other teachers do not always know how to use the computers to help the students.  Teachers including myself need to know the most effective ways of using these computers.

While doing this research project I hope to find effective ways for teachers to allow students to use computers in the school.  I am hoping to find websites and also computer programs that will benefit elementary school students.  I hope to include ways of using the computers to help special needs students.

This can be a significant study.  It can be of great benefit to new teachers like me who have not had much experience in the classroom.  However, it can also benefit experienced teachers who may not know the different ways of using computers.  If this study helps teachers it will benefit the students also.  This is because the students will be able to use the websites and programs and learn more information than they would have learned without them.

According to the Goose Creek CISD E-Rate Plan there is at least one computer for every four students (York, 2009).  In the year 2011-2012 the district is supposed to be working toward 2:1 student computer ratio.  The district also has internet available in every classroom (York, 2009). 

Computer use in the classroom has become a popular method of teaching in schools.  Some believe that this could be because software has gotten cheaper.  Also the programmers are able to make multidimensional programs that include real time interaction (Michael, 2001).  Sometimes there are limitations that keep technology from being used in the classroom.  One of those limitations is a “teachers’ lack of technology skills and knowledge of pedagogical methods and approaches  (Vrasidas & Kyriakou, 2008).  This is the reason I have chosen this particular research project. 

Computers can also be used in special education classrooms.  Some may think that they would not help special needs children, however they can be beneficial.  There is computer software that is easy to use.  It can also be easily adjusted to the skill level each individual student needs.  These programs wait until the student is ready and then if they do it wrong it guides them on how to fix it (Kleinman & Humphrey, 1984).  If the students can use a computer to keep practicing then they will get more practice than if the teacher has to help them.  A teacher cannot spend the entire class helping one student the whole time.  She has to spend time with all of the students.  I feel that is a great reason to allow special needs students to use computers. 

There was a study where a child in pre-k who has cerbal palsey was allowed to use a computer.  His computer has KidPix put on it.  It was then adapted to allow him to use a switch instead of a computer and keyboard.  The young man then was able to show that he could do things such as count (Laufer, 2001).  “Not only can computer technology facilitate a broader range of educational activities to meet a variety of needs for students with mild learning disorders, but adaptive technology now exists than can enable even those students with severe disabilities to become active learners in the classroom alongside their peers who do not have disabilities  (Hasslebring & Glasher, 2000).”  Helping special needs students become active learners is important.  We need to to learn if we want them to suceed in life. 

I will be basing my research on elementary students.  The grades that will be included range between pre-kindergarten and fifth grade.  I have chosen these grades because my certification is EC-6.  I want to research the ways to benefit the grades which I will be teaching. 

In order to complete this project I will be observing students in different elementary schools throughout the district. I will also be speaking with teachers to determine what their findings are on students who use computers.  I want to find out if they believe that the computers benefit their students.  This project will start in January 2012.  I hope to have this project completed by December 2012. 

I will collect data for this project in different ways.  One way I will be collecting data is by talking to working teachers who currently use computers.  I will be asking these teachers about the ways they use the computers.  I will also ask them about the different programs and websites they use.  I will ask if they have any websites or programs that they feel are more beneficial.  I will also ask if they have any that they have found are not helpful.  I believe that teachers who are currently using the computers will be a wealth of knowledge for me.

Another way I will collect data for this project will be through observations. I will be observing students as they use computers in the classrooms and computer labs.  I feel like observing them use the available resources will be a good way of determining which programs the students like and which ones help the students. 

I will observe students throughout the district and determine if they seem to be learning anything from the programs and websites they are using.  I will be observing these students are more than one school and in different grades.  This will give me a larger sample of students.

In order to evaluate my project I will look at my observations and see how students are progressing.  I will look to see if it looks like they are learning more or if they seem to be at the same level.  Since I do not have a class of my own I believe observation is the best way for me to evaluate the results of the students.

Other teachers can benefit from this study.  Because of this I feel like a good way of letting people know the results would be to make a website where I publish my findings.  I believe the internet would be the best way to make sure the results are available to a large number of teachers. 

References

CISD, G. C. (2010, October). Demographic Update . Retrieved from Goose Creek CISD: http://www.gccisd.net/users/0046/docs/GCCISDDemoUpdateOct2010.pdf

Education, C. D. (2011, December 29). E-rate: Technology Planning Guide. Retrieved September 16, 2012, from California Department of Education: http://www.cde.ca.gov/ls/et/ft/techplanning.asp

Hasslebring, T., & Glasher, C. (2000, Fall/Winter). Use of Computer Technology to Help Students with Special Needs. The Future of Children Children and Computer Technology, 10(2), 102-122. Retrieved September 16, 2012, from FutureofChildren.org: http://familiestogetherinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/COMPUTERTECHNEEDS.pdf

Kleinman, G., & Humphrey, M. (1984, October). Computers make special education more effective and fun. Creative Computing, 10(10), 96. Retrieved September 16, 2012

Laufer, D. (2001, July/August). Computer Use in an Inclusive Setting for a Pre-School Child with Cerebral Palsy. Directions Technology in Special Education, 7(11), 1-8. Retrieved September 16, 2012, from http://www.dreamms.org/page85/files/JulAug01.pdf

Michael, K. (2001). The Effect of Computer Simulation Activity versus a Hands-On Activity on Product Creativity in Technology Education. Journal of Technology Education, 13(1), 31-43. Retrieved September 16, 2012, from http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/ejournals/JTE/v13n1/pdf/micheal.pdf

Vrasidas, C., & Kyriakou, E. (2008). Integrating Technology in the Classroom. Retrieved September 16, 2012, from Pliroforiki: www.pliroforiki.org/joomla/index.php?option

York, T. (2009, February 3). Goose Creek CISD Technology Plan for E-Rate Year 12. Retrieved September 16, 2012, from Goose Creek CISD: http://schools.gccisd.net/docs/38-Tech%20e-Plan%202009-2012.pdf