General+Guidelines

By B. Williams
 * Guidelines for Using Technology in the Classroom **

The ISTE
====Although technology is certainly a benefit to any classroom, it can also have pitfalls if not used correctly. Teachers must understand how to implement technology in a way that encourages safety and caution. Beyond simply knowing the boundaries for technology usage, teachers must convey these boundaries to their students. ==== ====The International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) works to promote the use of innovative technology in the classroom. It has developed standards for students, teachers and administrators to follow in order to incorporate technology into the classroom. According to the ISTE, teachers wishing to use technology in their classroom need to: ==== ==== ﻿ ====

==== Ultimately, technology should be supplementing instruction and the teacher should be modeling correct technology usage for students. The ISTE has conferences and books to help teachers learn how to achieve this in their classroom. More information can be found at the ISTE home page: __ [|www.iste.org] __ ====

Safe Computer Use
====Teachers must also maintain a safe environment in their classroom. Being familiar with ergonomics, the relationship between a worker and his or her environment can help a teacher to ensure safe use of technology. Computers in particular are often used incorrectly and unsafely in classrooms. Harvard’s Department of Environmental Health and Safety gives these recommendations for safe computer usage: ====

====By understanding these guidelines and teaching them to students, teachers can ensure that students will not be compromising their health when using computers in the classroom. It is also important that the students’ time on computer be limited and monitored. Further details on computer ergonomics can be found at the Harvard University web article on Computer Workstation Ergonomics: __ [] __ ====