After considering the various types of digital technologies presented in this chapter (Chapter 4), what three pieces of equipment do you think you would most want for you future or current classroom? Explain why you selected these three and how you would use them for teaching and learning.
- LCD Projector. One type of digital equipment that I would love to have in my classroom would be an LCD Projector. Our school does not own one and in the past had to borrow one from other schools when conducting workshops, meetings, or plays. I would use the LCD Projector for several reasons. In one example in which I would use a LCD in my classroom would be when I conduct a lesson that requires students to see how I am using a particular application or tools on the computer. I currently have my computer hooked up to a TV monitor that is suspended from the ceiling in the corner of the room, however the image is small and the students in the back of the lab have difficulty seeing what is being presented. Most often, the students in the back will turn around to view what I am doing by looking directly at my computer. With an LCD projector, the work or lesson I am presenting on the computer would be displayed on the front classroom wall for all students to see, as the image will be larger. Another usage for the LCD Projector is to display backgrounds, credits, or other effects during school plays on the back wall of the stage. This past spring, I directed the school play Grease where I needed a projector to display the credits, the casts, and staff who participated in the play (just like the beginning of a movie). This was done in a PowerPoint presentation created by a student in my class. Other usages would be for meetings; whether that would be for teachers and faculty meetings or for parents meetings.
- Laser Printer(s). The computer lab currently has two used donated printers that are laser jets. Despite the fact that they holding their own, the print cartridges to these printers do not last very long and replacing them is getting to be costly for the school. Therefore, I am limited to the amount of work the students can print out, and most often (especially the little ones) they become disappointed when he/she cannot print out their picture, drawing, paper, etc. With a laser printer, more documents and higher volume can accommodate with less expense to replacing cartridges. Furthermore, a laser printer would print out the documents at a faster pace and the students would not have to wait as long at the printer for their printouts. In addition, I would use the laser to print out my quarterly newsletter in color, homework assignments, or programs for school concerts, plays, and/or assemblies that organized by other faculty members.
- Digital Camera. The school has a camera where a floppy is inserted and the image is stored on the floppy after the picture is taken. The floppy is then removed from the camera and inserted into the floppy drive of a computer to copy the image. This technology is becoming outdated. Furthermore, the faculty members mainly use this camera and the students are not allowed to use it. A digital camera in my classroom would be incorporated as part of my computer curriculum. The students will learn how to use the camera, how to install the camera software on their computer so it recognize the camera device, and how to down load the picture(s) onto their personal space of their assigned computer. Furthermore, I would teach the students how to take the picture and inserted to a Word Document, PowerPoint presentation, or in Front Page as they are creating their web site
