Students reading their stories into a microphone. 
Their pictures were copied with the still camera and put into a photostory.

 My experience within the practicum setting and as a student teacher has exposed me to a variety of different teaching methods.  Each classroom that I visited utilized different resources and tools to help students grow and learn.  From overheads to flexcams and projectors, desktop computers to laptop carts for an entire class, software on a computer to massive links on a porta portal website, I have learned that elementary schools are using technology in a variety of ways. 

My cooperating teacher and I used a lot of technology in the classroom.  Students were involved daily during Language Arts centers with interactive games focused on phonics, grammar, and reading.  Additionally, students often used the computers during Math centers on a weekly basis.  They also worked on the portable laptops every Thursday during Hands On Math day to practice graphing and play math games that dealt with online manipulatives.  Finally, my cooperating teacher and I used sites like Discovery Education and netTrekker to find videos, activities, and games that fit with our units of study.

Additionally, the course EDUC 330: Designs for Technology Enhanced Learning trained me to use tools in the classroom that I had never thought to use.  Wikis, blogs, websites, email systems, skype conversations, Photostory, and podcasts were all discussed.  Using an online forum to meet virtually as a class taught me that learning from a teacher does not always have to occur in a physical classroom.

I started out the education program with limited information on technology.  I knew about SmartBoards from substituting in Prince William County, Virginia, but I had never thought to use a wiki or a blog with a classroom.  Over the past three semesters I learned to utilize some of the vast resources that are available for education.