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Technology

Technology involves putting scientific discoveries and inventions into practical use. Although technology began in ancient times, it did not have a major impact until the 18th and 19th centuries. Then a host of new technologies sprang up, spawning the Industrial Revolution.

Today it is information technology that is bringing about another major revolution. Information technology is a term that encompasses all forms of technology used to create, store, exchange, and use information in its various forms. Because of the proliferation of new information technologies and the dramatic increase in the exchange of information that has resulted, our era has been referred to as the "Information Age." 

Although almost every aspect of our modern day lives has been impacted by technology, not all have embraced the lure of technological progress. American writer and philosopher Henry David Thoreau once said "Our inventions are wont to be pretty toys, which distract our attention from serious things. They are but improved means to an unimproved end." 

Thoreau's objections aside, there is no doubt that technology, applied in appropriate and meaningful ways, can be a tremendous tool for the modern educator and student.

 

Places To Go    People To See    Things To Do    Teacher Resources    Bibliography

Places To Go

AT & T Labs: Technology
AT & T Labs traces its roots back to Alexander Graham Bell's invention of the telephone in 1876. From the first transatlantic phone call-New York to London in 1927-to the invention of UNIX that paved the way for the Internet in 1969, AT & T's technology has revolutionized communications.
The Computer Museum History Center
The site offers a forty-five year timeline of computer history and online exhibits on subjects like the "History of the Internet" and "Evolution of the Microprocessor."
eSchool News Online
This site is an online portion of a print publication that covers news, resources, and important information in the K-12 technology education field.  
Telegraph Lore
This site is dedicated to the to the study of all aspects of Morse telegraphy.
Time Warp Project
The time-warp project is an attempt to archive the rapid advance in technology from 1900 to the present. The project's goal is to help preserve information about technology and make it accessible for future generations.

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People To See

Alexander Graham Bell
Spend some time with Alexander Graham Bell browse through the personal papers he left behind. You can see his design sketch of the first telephone and read his love letters to his wife, Mabel.
Inventor of the Week
Meet Samuel Morse. He invented a way to communicate with pulses of electrical current.
Triumph of the Nerds
Learn about the youthful amateurs, hippies, and self-proclaimed "nerds" who accidentally changed the world. The site also includes a brief timeline outlining the history of the personal computer and the people that shaped it.
Utah Coalition for Educational Technology (UCET)
The mission of the UCET is to promote the effective use of technology in Utah education and to provide leadership, support, and a forum for dialogue for its members. 
Women @ NASA
This site showcases outstanding women who are enjoying successful careers in math, science, and technology.

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Things To Do

A Brief Guide to the History of the Internet
Read about the beginning of the Internet.
BrainPop Technology: Discoveries, Inventions, and Innovations
At this site you can view animated cartoons about the amazing ways things work. Learn about a variety of technological inventions and innovations.
Hobbes' Internet Timeline 
Explore the history and evolution of the Internet with this interactive timeline.
How Stuff Works: Telephones
Find out how telephones work. "A telephone is one of the simplest devices you have in your house. It is simple because the telephone connection has not changed in nearly a century. If you have an antique phone you could connect it to the wall jack in your house and it would work fine!"
Sputnik
Go back in time and learn about Sputnik. Find someone who remembers Sputnik's first launch in October of 1957 and find out how it spurred America on to be the leader in telecommunications and technology and space exploration.
Technology at Home
Explore the development of common household technologies as they developed over the past century at this PBS site. The online activity lets you go back through the century to find out when everyday items such as televisions, microwave ovens, CD's, and computers first appeared in homes.
Technology Timeline
A short chronological timeline of inventions and discoveries from 4 billion BC to the present day!
Whatis.com
This site contains thousands of the most current terms in information technology (IT).

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Teacher Resources

GLOBE (Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment)
Students and teachers from over 10,000 schools in more than 95 countries make environmental observations at or near their schools and report their data through the Internet.
LETSNet
The LETSNet project is dedicated to helping teachers experience the potential value of the World Wide Web in the classroom by providing actual examples of real teachers who are using the Internet today.
Technology Tutorials found on the Web
This site indexes numerous online technology tutorials of interest to students and educators.
Utah Education Network (UEN)
The UEN assists in achieving improved student learning; more effective communications among learners, teachers, faculty, and parents; and greater efficiency in achieving statewide educational objectives. It offers a variety of technology-rich services for Utah educators and their students.

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Bibliography

  • Burniske, R.W. et al. Breaking Down the Digital Walls: Learning to Teach in a Post-Modern World. State Univ. of New York Press, 2001.
  • Heinich, Robert et al. Instructional Media and Technologies for Learning. Prentice Hall, 1998.
  • Hixson, Susan and Kathleen Schrock. Developing Web Pages for School and Classroom. Teacher Created Materials, 1998.
  • Joseph, Linda. C. Net Curriculum: An Educator's Guide to Using the Internet. Information Today, Inc., 1999.
  • Kallick, Bena and James W. Wilson, III. Information Technology in Schools: Creating Practical Knowledge to Improve Student Performance. Jossey-Bass, 2000.
  • Krupnick, Karen and Kelly Kennedy. Kids School on the Net: Fun-Filled Internet Activities Across the Curriculum. Learning Works, 1997.
  • Norton, Priscilla and Debra Sprague. Technology for Teaching. Allyn & Bacon, 2000.
  • Morton, Jessica G. and Amy L. Cohn. Kids on the ‘Net: Conducting Internet Research in K-5 Classrooms. Heinemann, 1998.
  • Postman, Neil. Technopoly: The Surrender of Culture to Technology. Vintage Books, 1993.
  • Roblyer, M.D. Integrating Educational Technology into Teaching. Prentice Hall, 1999.
  • Roszak, Theodore. The Cult of Information: A Neo-Luddite Treatise on High Tech, Artificial Intelligence, and the True Art of Thinking. Univ. of California Press, 1994.
  • Saltveit, Elin Kordahl. Hit Enter: 50+ Computer Projects for K-5 Classrooms. Heinemann, 1999.
  • Sandholtz, Judith Haymore, et al. Teaching with Technology: Creating Student-Centered Classrooms. Teachers College Press, 1997.
  • Shelly, Gary B. et al. Teachers Discovering Computers: Integrating Technology in the Classroom. Course Technology, 1999.