Chapter Eight: Educational Technology/ Using Technology to Teach Reading

In the video "Using Technology to Teach Reading," many different types of technology are used to teach. In the video, the instructor discusses that there are many different types of technology and activities in order to learn material. In the video, to learn the Civil War unit, the students used the internet to explore the information about the Civil War. The instructor used websites that he first went over in order to ensure that the students were using material that was appropriate and educational. Another instructor discusses using excel to graph information about the Civil War and comparing the war with World War II. The students looked at videos and listened to music to analyze the Civil War, thinking through the issue and develop a better understanding of history. Through the use of the activities and the use of technology, students develop thinking skills and analytical skills that are essential for further learning. The use of technology encourages reading because it forces the student to read and research and encourages the student to learn more. The use of technology in the classroom allows students to have the opportunity to further explore topics that are discussed in class that the student finds interesting. The student develops essential reading skills through the use of technology because the student must be able to read in order to fully utilize the technology that is being used in the classroom. Also, the student must be able to understand what they are reading and analyze the information. This encourages reading comprehension and critical thinking skills. In the video, the instructors discuss the use of various different subjects, such as politics, music, history, etc., to learn about the Civil War. In the unit, the instructors use many different subjects to teach the unit, allowing the students to develop a deeper understanding of the topic. As a teacher in this classroom, one would expect students to develop a deeper understanding of the Civil War, but there is also so much more that the students are learning. In this classroom, the instructor could expect to see students developing critical thinking skills, reading comprehension and writing, analytical skills, and more open ideas that encourage a more open perspective.