Technolgoy Explored

The technology that I explored is an ELMO. A digital projector that is a way of incorporating technology into the classroom. Luckily I have had experience with using an ELMO the past few weeks in my field placement. It is extremely helpful and really allows the teacher to move around the room more but still have the information up on the board and not have to be writing. For instance, while reading students a book, it is sometimes hard for everyone to see especially if one of the students has problem with their eyes, or they cannot see because the people in front of them. This way, but putting each page under the ELMO the book is projected onto the screen in the front of the class, and all students can see. This even allows for students to read or go up to the board and point things out, etc. I have noticed that students pay a lot of attention and are less distracted when the ELMO is up and they are looking forward and paying attention. I find this technology to be very inviting and gives the students a chance to explore technology as well, and it being incorporated into the lesson they are learning. An ELMO is expensive and this could be a problem for many schools and teachers because funding is just not there right now. For those who are not sure what an ELMO is, it is just a digital projector, similar to an overhead projector, but there is no need for transparencies, you can use any kind of paper. This gives much more flexibility and can even be used similar to a Smart Board. If you have the projector projecting onto a white board, you can have the information on the white board and then write on the board as well, showing what you want. I have noticed that my teacher within my classroom uses the ELMO and even has the students write on the white board with what they are working on. For instance, they were correcting their math tests, the test was projected from the ELMO onto the white board and students would correct their mistakes. No one was bored, all the students participated and everyone seemed engaged in what they were doing. This just brought the energy level of the classroom at a place where all students felt comfortable and relaxed. This day in age all students usually have computers at home or some type of technology that they are familiar with that they can apply to using this ELMO.


An ELMO can be used for just about anything that you want all students to see. I believe that an ELMO would be most beneficial in an upper elementary classroom. Just because students that age have more experience and would be able to appreciate it more than those in the younger grades who might look at it as just a toy, and not a learning material as well. I have found that using the ELMO is fun for me and the students. I would love to have one in my classroom one day. It is just a great way to have student/teacher interaction, as well as student/technology interaction. Most of the students that we teach are going to be growing up knowing what a "text" is from when they are one year old. So why not bring it into the classroom as well.