"Strategies to Incorporate Technology"

           I feel that it is extremely difficult to figure out ways to integrate technology into a dance class. I have been researching and trying to thoughtfully figure out ways to incorporate technology into my classroom. The reality of dance is that the body is the instrument and the tool being used, along with live accompaniment. In my everyday dance classes at Montclair State University I am fortunate enough to have professional dance teachers, and live accompainment. We almost never use music, film, or any other potential technological device. Since I am not given the opporunity of using technology on a daily basis in my classes, I am struggling to find ways to use it when I teach. The upside of this situation is I hope to teach kindergarten through high schoolers and will have to provide my own accompaintment that will not be live. This will give me the opportunity to try and incorporate technology. I feel that even though it is important to incorporate technology within the classroom the idea of using it at home, or in the library can be a great factor.

           After reading some articles on strategies and technology, I came up with some ideas of my own. I feel that the majority of class time should be focused around hands on dance techniques by simply using the body. Wthin my classroom I am expecting my students to be extremely diverse and come from many different financial backrouns. I will not expect my students to all own a computer, but I will provide a way for each student to access a form of technology after school. I will require my studnets to have a technology dance log. Within this dance log 2-3 times a week I want my students to do very minimal research on something they learned in class, or a topic that we are currently focusing on. I will ask them to reflect on something that they observed in class. The format will be: 1.)Simply find a form of technology whether it is a computer, radio, television, and any other forms of media. 2.)To make a comparison about something they learned in class with something they heard on the radio, television ect. This will challenge the student to use creative thinking and try to compare dance as an asbract to something more structured using technology. Their will be no right or wrong within this excersise just simply encouraging my students to further their research using technology outside of the classroom.