Research proves visual learning has many benefits. It can improve attention, it appeals to students with different learning styles, and visuals help to get the point across quickly and effectively. Rapid advancements in technology are providing educators with more and more methods to incorporate digital images into their instruction.Recently every team in my school used several of their planning periods to meet with a math professor from a local college to go over various math teaching strategies. All teachers were required to be at the meeting even those of us who haven’t taught math in a very long time. Needless to say a few of us weren’t very “into” the topic of conversation until the presenter flipped the switch on her ELMO. I’ve never seen so many lumps turn into wide-eyed motivated sponges soaking in every word that was said including my lumpy self.
By using the ELMO you can project the text on a normal piece of paper onto a screen or monitor. You can also add text as you need to. What will they think of next? It’s an overhead without the cart and bulky apparatus.
Follow this link to the Eschool News site here which has information regarding an ELMO. This resource is now permanently on my wish list of things I would love to have in my classroom.
There are also links here for resources like Cmap Software that rivals Inspiration, especially in cost, as well as information regarding the use of videos and United Streaming which is a video service I use all the time.
United Streaming allows me to upload a video from the Internet and show it on my classroom television, on my computer monitors, or even slide it into a power point presentation. The best thing I like about United Streaming is the large number of topics found and the fact that I can isolate a section of a video and show my students specific things that fit what we are currently discussing.
So, go forth and sing the Elmo song and become more adept at using techno-visuals in your classroom.
This is the song,
La la la la,
Elmo’s song…….
I was blown away the first time I used an ELMO, too, but my current institution uses a different version (one that handles transparencies, which I still have in abundance, much better). I love being able to bring a book and just use it without preparing slides, or scans, or passing it around the room....
ReplyDeleteMmmmmmm....I wondered about all those extra transparencies too. I have a whole new box at school, but I rarely use my overhead anymore. It's too much of a hassle. I put my notes, power points, etc. up on the tv screen and then the little sweeties can't say "I can't see!". I swear I've never seen so many blind 9 year olds. I hate ending up with a floor full of kidlets when I'm trying to "walk the room".
ReplyDeleteThe minute I saw that ELMO I was just like Will Smith in Independence Day, "I gotta get me one of these!"
I have one on my wish list too. If a grant proposal I submitted is approved I'll have one soon!
ReplyDeleteGee, it looks like we are the haves and have nots. I'm sorry Dill, maybe we will get ours soon.
ReplyDeleteGreat post! I hope the have nots will hang in there. Here's hoping that items on everyone's wish list materialize.
ReplyDeleteHaven't heard of an ELMO. I use an aver key to show powerpoints and clips. My new computer has an adapter to display through the tv so I plan on using united streaming some this year. Students love the visuals.
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