Customer Reviews

Strategies for the Tech-Savvy Classroom

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This is a book I'm glad I discovered. I have a tendency to geek out about education and technology, and to be able to combine them: bliss! Diane writes from experience as an educator and as a mom, and she speaks to some concerns I think we all have when we face the onslaught of technology and the need to educate.

I came away with some great ideas for myself--and for my kids! I plan to apply some of her ideas and concepts to my religious education classroom and to my home.

When it comes to technology, many teachers find themselves scrambling to keep up with the knowledge and skill of their own students. I found this book by Diane Witt to be an excellent guide that helps teachers understand and apply the technologies young people are currently using, explore some promising new concepts, and implement safeguards to ensure their students' security online. The sheer volume of new gadgetry and programming options can be overwhelming for any teacher. From my own experience, I've seen too many teachers struggle with books on technology that are simply too lengthy and detailed for them to read and digest during the school year. What Witt has given us here is a concise book on the essentials--the most suitable technologies and topics for classroom teachers, as well as step-by-step instructions, sample units, and Web Sites for further research. A teacher can easily thumb through its pages over a weekend and find many ideas to try.

Beyond its readability, practicality, and scope, Witt's book also shows how easily technology can integrate into the curriculum and align with national standards, while also providing more choices for students to learn and apply new knowledge. In many cases, the versatility and variety of these technologies make differentiated instruction more manageable than ever before. The book explores well-known tools such as, blogs, podcasts, WebQuests, Wikis, e-portfolios, simulations, telementoring, and virtual teams, as well as some forward-looking innovations. As a reader and an educator, I was impressed with the way that Witt has managed to sift through the volume of programs, devices, and functions in the industry and isolate the most promising technologies for classroom teachers. The sample units alone are worth the purchase of this book! Created by teachers, they are easy to follow, use different technologies (depending on the subject and learning goals), apply to all grades, and align with curriculum standards throughout. I cannot recommend this book enough.