My Dream Classroom

If I had the opportunity to make a wish list of audio and video equipment for my classroom, I think I would begin by requesting several computers with internet capability. I would like to have 3 or 4 computers for student access and then one for myself. Having this equipment will allow my students to access video and audio online, with the primary target being news agencies websites, for students to watch video news packages and listen to streaming radio programs. I would also use my own computer for similar audio and video uses, projecting my computer screen onto the a SmartBoard for the class as a whole to view. Therefore, I would also need a projector and SmartBoard for this to be possible. I would also request a television and a combination VCR and DVD player so I can play an VHS or DVD newscasts that I need to show my students, as well as films and other education videos that I will incorporate into my lessons. A CD player would also be a nice addition, but I would not see as much need for this in my classroom and if I found I needed to play a CD at some point, I could do so on one of the computers. One of the biggest video technologies I would request for my classroom would be a camcorder (or more!) and digital video editing software. Teaching a journalism class or incorporating journalism into my classroom will definitely merit a use for this technology because I will create lessons requiring the students to make video news packages. My students will need to be able to film their own videos and then have the software available to edit these videos into journalistic news stories. If I have several cameras available for the students to use, that would be idle. Having digital cameras so students can also take still pictures for print stories would also be on my wish list for my classroom.