Integration of Technology in the classroom.

With the ever increasing rise in the production of new technologies, educator run the risk of discarding the traditional features which have been and were tried and proven. It is an undetermined view that these older technologies have a more significant influence on intellectual and cognitive development than the faster and more dynamic multi-median features of modern technologies.

One of the most loved item of technology is the overhead projector. The simple "light box which allows for projection of images" has been around as far back as one can remember, and has always been used by educators and presenter from walks of life.

The following article demonstrates the use of the overhead projector in a lesson, and is the first in a series of lessons on the use of the traditional technologies and is designed for adult educators and presenters.

Lesson Topic: How to use a overhead projector

Audience: Adults 18 years and older - or persons making presentations of whatever kind.

Objective: At the end of this session participants will be able to:

1. Identify the features of a overhead projector.
2. Practice the principles that make for a good presentation.
3. Apply showmanship tips while using the overhead projector.
4. Know the advantages and limitations of the overhead projector.

Instructional Aids:
Overhead projector, transparencies (blank and pre-packaged), transparency markers, lettering and shapes templates, grid sample, area for projecting images, e.g. screen or white surface.

Procedure:

What are the advantages of using the overhead Projector as an instructional aid?

The overhead projector can be used in a room that normal lighting. The brightness of the lamp use in the projector radiates enough light to satisfy required standard.

Contact with the audience remains constant as the presentation is made from the front of a well lit room.

The projector is easy to use, portable and lightweight. Technical know-how is not a requirement for its operation.

Various kinds of material can be projected from the projectors screen or stage. These include the silhouted images of objects and opaque material.

How are presentations effectively made?

Direct the viewers attention to the presentation by pointing to the stage of the projector, never to the projected area or screen.

Limit the number of visual images in any one transparency. Always use square shaped screen on which to project the images.

Each transparency should be confined to a single major concept.

The projected images can be manipulated while the presentation is being made. For example details can be added to the transparencies while the presentation develops.