Computers & Other New Technology for School Classrooms Enhance Learning

One of the greatest challenges non-profit organizations face today is keeping up with technological advancements. As we saw in the Obama campaign for president, a non-profit armed with the latest gadgets and gizmos can really accomplish something amazing. Of course, no computer program or instrument is ever going to replace human passion and drive, but the bells and whistles certainly make the job a little easier.

However, most of the non-profits out there are not as well funded as the Obama campaign, so creative means must be found to underwrite the expense of acquiring such technological tools.

In the first part of this article, I want to identify a handful of the items that are very popular right now in the educational realm, although many of these devices can be adapted for use in other non-profit environments, such as museums, senior centers, or community-based organizations. In the second part, I’ll look at some solutions for finding help funding these rather expensive items.

I saw first-hand how in-demand these items are, when we were going through the applications for the 2009 Top School Fundraiser educational grant program. Schools ranging from pre-kindergarten to twelfth grade, all across the United States and Canada, were invited to share with us a particular need in their school that was related to learning. (To find out more about the grant click here.)

Here are some of the ways we saw computer-based technology being introduced in classrooms. You’ll clearly see why educators would want these items.

Smart Board Interactive White Boards
(Taken from the Smart Board website)

People choose the SMART Board interactive whiteboard because it helps energize presentations and motivate learners. In 1991, it was the world’s first interactive whiteboard. Today, it is the world’s leading interactive whiteboard. Combining the simplicity of a whiteboard with the power of a computer, the SMART Board interactive whiteboard engages students and audiences around the world.

The touch-sensitive display connects to your computer and digital projector to show your computer image. You can then control computer applications directly from the display, write notes in digital ink and save your work to share later.

Best of all, the full-featured SMART Board interactive whiteboard is incredibly easy to use. If you can use a computer, you can use a SMART Board interactive whiteboard.

ELMO Projector
(Taken from the ELMO USA website.)

Even in an increasingly virtual world, reality is often the best teacher. Actual specimens, real three-dimensional objects, authentic documents, and pages directly from a book all make visual presentations more diverse, realistic, and vivid. Make the most of your real-world materials with an ELMO P3OS Visual Presenter. Deliver real-time, true-to-life presentations that catch and keep the attention of everyone in the room. Integrate your resource into data files for easy transfer to a PC or SD card storage. And let the learning begin.

Here is a link to an article I wrote about a school asking for this very item.

Desktop and Laptop Computers
We could never get enough of these in our schools, right? These days, a classroom without access to computers feels as empty as a computer without internet access. It deprives students of the opportunity to reach out into the world, find new information, and discover new ways of seeing and thinking.

Here is a link to a video made by one of the schools who applied for the Top School Fundraiser grant. This school received an honorable mention and their video demonstrated the frustration that many non-profits are coping with on a daily basis.

Conclusion
These are just three examples of recent technological equipment that can improve the services of a school or other non-profit. The next installment of this series will look at the costs of these items and some suggestions for trying to get them donated or purchased at a greatly reduced cost.

Laptop keyboard photo: IainBuchanan

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