How to Incorporate Technology into Your Homeschool

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It’s probably no secret that we have a pretty tech savvy household. My husband is a self-proclaimed techy and has been at since the 80s. While I consider myself a savvy tech user, my knowledge is more user based than behind the scenes, though I’ve learned a lot over the years. In a technology driven world, we aim to help our students become informed technology users. How to Incorporate Technology into Your Homeschool is a round up of the many ideas and posts that we’ve shared here at Blog, She Wrote. And, don’t worry. There’s more to come!

Managing Technology in Your Homeschool

No matter what tools you choose for your technology, you have to prepare to maintain them. Not only do you want to do back ups of computers and do the physical maintenance like vacuuming them out and removing the dust, but you’ll want to keep track of what’s happening with your kids as they use any device.

• Essential Elements of a Home Learning Environment– Here you will see what kinds of computers and personal devices we maintain in our home for homeschooling and beyond.
• Managing the Internet in Your Home– Chances are the technology you choose may involve the Internet. This series of posts by my husband teaches how to set up access restrictions for wi-fi devices of all kinds (except phones) and how to filter content at the router level using Open DNS.
• Five Pieces of Technology Our Homeschool Couldn’t Live Without– Perhaps a bit dramatic, but these are the must haves, many of which are listed below. These are the bottom line at our house for making sure we maintain. You’ll see how we use these important tools in our everyday learning.

Helpful Homeschool Technology Tools

Technology can simplify and enhance many aspects of our homeschool. I’ve included a list of the things that have been useful to us. Many cover a wide variety of subject areas.

• How to Use Google Earth in Your Homeschool– This virtual globe is a fantastic resource for studying the earth and it has a lot of capabilities.
• Best Educational YouTube Channels for Homeschoolers– Lots of great channels and videos here for you to choose from. There are a lot of talented people out there making wonderful educational videos for all ages. These are the ones we enjoy. Included in this post is how and when we will use this popular resource.
• How to Make a YouTube Playlist– Did you know you can make a custom playlist for your students? This is especially helpful for moms with younger kids.
• Must Watch TED Talks for Homeschoolers– These talks are well done 15-20 inspiring talks on a variety of topics. I made a short list of our favorites.
• Creating Homeschool Independence with Online Schedulers– Using a web based software program and mobile devices to send assignments to students. There are a variety of programs out there, but this has little overhead and is very simple to use.

Using an eReader or Tablet in Your Homeschool

I’m a big fan of the Kindle Fire. Many families own an iPad or another tablet. If you haven’t entered the world of tablets, then the Kindle Fire is an economical way to take the plunge. Below are some posts about the features of both the Kindle Fire and the Kindle Paperwhite which is an e-ink reader.

• How to Homeschool with a Kindle– This is a big page dedicated to all things Kindle. I got into detail about the types of Kindles and the features of each of them that may surprise you.
• Five Reasons to Use a Kindle eReader– Two of us have a touch screen eReader Kindle and there are lots of great reasons to have one.
• Five Reasons to Use a Kindle Fire– This post tells the advantages of using a Kindle Fire with your kids. All four of our kids have one and we use them daily in our homeschool.

Using Technology with STEM Activities

I suppose it goes without saying that technology would be included with STEM. Here are ways we accomplish our technology goals. I’m always adding new posts as I have time to write about the educational technology adventures our kids seek.

• Tips for Using a Digital Microscope– Many families want to invest in a microscope at some point in their home education. As a biology teacher, I find the digital microscope meets the needs of your students and it has a lot of advantages over its more standard counterparts.
• Benefits of Using LEGO Mindstorms in Your Homeschool– Thinking about investing in Mindstorms? Here’s are some great reasons to get going.
• LEGO Mindstorms Education vs Home Kit– Which kit do you buy for your student? This post gives the details on the kits and which is best for the home environment.
• Resources for Teaching with LEGO Mindstorms– Books and websites to get your students challenged with their robots.
• How to Make a Marble Speed Trap with LEGO Mindstorms– Use two light sensors to measure the parameters necessary to calculate the speed of a marble on a track.

What are your favorite ways to use technology in your homeschool?

Other bloggers with the iHN are sharing their ideas for Technology and Homeschooling. Click over to learn more!