Integrating Technology

into the Classroom

By Jeff Strauss
Two Main Components of Computers

Hardware

Software
 Software and Mediums
Drilland Practice Software (CBI)
Computer Aided Instruction (CAI)
Tool Software (Productivity Software)
Word Processors, PowerPoint, Spreadsheets, Database
Telecommunication
The Internet
Simulation Software
Basic Schematic of a Desktop PC Computer
Hardware
1. CPUs (w/ Celeron 366es and Alpha heat sinks)
2. DIMM slots (memory)
3. Ultra ATA 66 IDE connectors (specific to certain Abit mobos)
4. Standard ATA 33 IDE connectors
5. AGP slot (video card)
6. PCI slots (most everything else)
7. ISA slots (for legacy stuff, should disappear soon)

8. Headers (to connect lights on the case, switches, and the speaker)

The Motherboard Components

 Memory & Storage
ROM Read Only Memory. This is Typically found on your hard drive

RAM Random Access Memory

Drives This can be your hard drive, floppy, Zip drive, CD drive, or USB flash drive
 Working With Memory
Floppy Disk 1.44 MB
Zip Disks 100MB, 250MB, 750MB
CD ROMS 750MB (Can be Read only or Read-Write)
USB Flash Drives 32MB 1Gigabyte
RAM 64MB 2Gigabyte
Hard drive 20 200 Gigabytes
Understanding Memory Capacity
BIT = Binary digIT
This is by definition the smallest unit of data that a computer can recognize.

Byte = 8 BITS
It requires eight bits to make up one byte, and one byte equals one
character, such as the letter "a" or the numeral "7."
 Kilobyte = 1,000 bytes and is abbreviated K or KB

Megabyte = is 1 million bytes and is abbreviated MB. So if you

see a file size that's 1,714KB, mentally add three zeros to the
number so it becomes 1,714,000, and that's 1.7MB or 1.7 million
bytes

Gigabyte = 1,000 megabytes and is abbreviated GB. Ultra cool

computer dudes and dudesses refer to gigabytes as "gigs," but we
civilized folk refer to "gigabytes," thankyouverymuch !
 Peripherals
Input Devices
Mouse
Keyboard
Scanner
Cameras/Videos
Storage Drives i.e. Floppies, CDs, DVDs,
Zips, USB drives
Modem- Internet Connections & Network
Connections
Output Devices
Computer Screen
Printers
Servers/Internet
Software And How it Works
 Operating Systems
The original version of MS-DOS. This was a renamed version of QDOS which
had been purchased by an upstart company called Microsoft. It was in 1981 and
was version 1.0
It was invented by a man named Gary Kildall and was actually developed for
IBMs PC. But he sold the operating system to a man named Bill Gates for
$50,000 outright.
The problem for most of us is that this is a programming environment and not
very user friendly. So it was the advent of Windows that set Microsoft up to own
the world and supply the operating system for over 95% of the worlds PCs
While MS DOS still runs underneath of windows it is the GUI environment
that revolutionized personal computing. (Graphical User Interface)
So the icon or title in the programs menu that you click on is interfacing actually
acting as the intermediary with the DOS code and executing it for you. So the
computer is still following the actual DOS prompt.
 Software Applications
Windows and MS DOS are just find but all they
do is run the computer. They move the input like
the Keyboard to the output device like the
monitor or the printer.
We next tackle the issue of productivity
programs. We will be focusing on Microsoft Office
 Microsoft Office
Word
Excel
PowerPoint
Access
Publisher
FrontPage
Outlook
 The Internet

The Information Superhighway

 What is the Internet?
The Internet is a worldwide system of
computer networks - a network of
networks in which users at any one
computer can potentially get information
from any other computer in the world.
The Internet currently has around 196
million users (projections for 2003
estimate that there will be about 225
million users).
 What is the World
Wide Web (WWW)?
The WWW, or Web as it has become
known, is becoming synonymous with
the Internet, but unlike the Internet it is
not a physical entity. More simply, it is a
collection of programs and services that
make up the attractive & appealing user
friendly face of the Internet.
Access to the Internet
Is through a web browser
 What is a Web Browser?
A web browser is a piece of software, such
as Netscape Navigator or Microsoft Internet
Explorer, running on a user's machine
which interprets requested documents.
These documents can include text, images,
video and audio and are displayed in the
browser which is a graphical user interface.
Other Info Regarding the Internet
What is a Hyperlink?
Exactly what you just did to get here. In the browser you will notice that if you
move the mouse pointer over text/images it changes to a finger. If you click on
the object it links you to another location/document, hence the term Hyperlink.

What is HTML?
Hyper Text Markup Language (HTML) A protocol used on the Internet which
defines how documents are presented.
When Dealing With Children and
the Internet

Safety
 Sites for Internet Safety
http://www.nheon.com/netsmartz/
http://www.safekids.com/child_safety.htm
http://safety.ngfl.gov.uk/
http://yahooligans.yahoo.com/parents__guide/br
owsers_for_kids/
http://www.childnet-int.org/
Issues about Technology in the
Classroom

Barriers to Change
 1 Order Barriers are Extrinsic
st

and generally are a Lack of:

Access to hardware
Access to software
Time to plan instruction
Technical support
Administrative support
 2nd Order Barriers are Intrinsic
and generally are hidden within
the 1st Order Barriers
Beliefs about teaching
Beliefs about technology
Organizational context
Lack of instructional models
Unwillingness to change
How will student training be handled?
Who will supervise students as they use the technology?
Who will have access to the technology?
Who will determine priority of use?
How will software and hardware be scheduled?
Who will be responsible for maintenance?
How much will be budgeted for maintenance?
How will worn out hardware be replaced?
Integrating Computer Software - The Importance
of Planning A Model to ASSURE Learning

Analyze audience.
Set goals and state objectives.
Select software and methods.
Utilize materials.
Require learner participation.
Evaluate.