A recent conference at Northwest Iowa Community College in Sheldon, Iowa, introduced some 300 teachers to new and emerging trends in classroom technology practices, including the integration of smartphones and interactive whiteboards, according to KPTH in Sioux City, Iowa.
Teachers who integrate classroom technology, like a document camera, tablet computer or HDMI projector, into their lesson plans can connect with students with a number of different learning styles through a single, comprehensive presentation, saving time and ultimately teaching students more.
Conference attendees noted that as technology advances, tools once seen as classroom distractions are now used in lessons. Smartphones, for example, can be used to help students quickly research topics of discussion. Seminars at the conference also focused on online tools that teachers can use to collaborate with students and other educators.
"Instead of just collaborating with the people you work with in your school, you're able to collaborate with educational experts from all over the world in a matter of seconds," Don Ortman, elementary principal at Rock Valley Community Schools, told the source.
Local officials hope that the conference will help teachers brainstorm novel ways of integrating technology into and across lesson plans, ultimately improving students' standardized test scores.
