The use of technology in home education and beyond is a relatively new idea. As the world around us becomes more technological, we as homes educators have a responsibility to make sure we teach technology in our children’s home education, to help them compete in the technological age.
Teaching technology in home education does not need to be challenging. Children don’t have to know how to run every little gadget or piece of software, but they need to know a few basics in computer use.
Basic knowledge needed for students and computer use:
- Setting up a simple spreadsheet
- Saving files
- Basic email
- Email and Social Media etiquette
- Typing and formatting word-processing documents
- Simple photo editing
- Ten Keypad input
- Basic Research
- Purchasing from online stores
Technology in home education can really help the special needs child excel in academics and other areas. Our dysgraphic child has made leaps and bounds using the computer for school. His spelling, sentence and paragraph structure have improved tremendously. However, we also have him use pen and paper for more than half of his work.
Ways we use technology in home education:
- Streaming movies online, history, science, Bible and more, from YouTube, Netflix, and more
- Wondermaps~I use my PowerPoint Project to project maps on a white board, and then have my kiddos label.
Bright Ideas Press, also has monthly specials and Freebies to keep an eye out on.
- Teaching Textbooks~takes the headache of teaching math off my shoulders.
- Reading Eggs~Re-enforces skills and helps them learn new skills. Great for days, we don’t have good phonics days with our visually challenged kiddos.
- We do some vision therapy on our tablet, though not as much as we used too.
- Apps on our Android Tablet that help practice skills and train or fine tune skills such as math drills, handwriting, reading comprehension, spelling and more!
- eReader on our Tablet, helps me save money on books, by allowing me to get tons of free books. Watch Free Homeschool Deals for tons and tons of free eBooks and other great homeschool deals. Many of which you will need a computer for.
- I use my printer ALL the TIME!
Ways I use Technology to keep myself organized:
- Motivated Moms’ Planner~This planner helps me keep my home more organized. If you struggle, be sure to check it out!!
- Scholaric ~Use this link to get SIXTY full days in your trial, vs. the normal 15 day trial. I am LOVING THIS! It has helped organise my kiddos school work and given them check list in with their assignments, so no excuses!!
- Pinterest~I gather tons of free homeschool helps here
- I am able to spread awareness for homeschoolers, God and more by blogging. Blogging, also helps pay for my trips to conventions!
- I find tons of healthy recipes online. I also learned to can some new items this year through a canning Facebook Group.
- I design spreadsheets for our bookkeeping needs for our Farm, saving me tons of time.
- I have an online photo album to keep grandparents up to date on our happenings. (They aren’t in to reading blogs, but will look through our pictures)
We do limit the amount of time our children spend in front of the screen. When it comes to research, they must look through books and try to find needed information there, before going online. We only allow “fun” approved movies a couple of nights a week. We also have K9 Web Protection on our computers with strict limits. I set limits on our other programs as well. We encourage lots of hands on projects, reading, and playing together instead of using the screen as a form of entertainment.
Would you like to hear more about technology in home education? Amy, Sarah and I will be on a Technology Panel discussing our use of Technology in our Homeschools at the Midwest Parent Educators Conference April 4-6 in Kansas City.
How do you use technology in home education in your home?
Please note, affiliate links are used on this blog. If you click on a link in a post, it may be an affiliate link. If it is, I will earn a small commission, if you purchase some through the link. Thank you for helping to support our homeschool. See my full disclosure policy for more information.
mother, christian, wife, woman, child of God. It is about my life as a farmer’s wife, as a cook, a baker, a nurse, a teacher, a woodworker, a housekeeper, a farmer (yep, I drive tractors, pick up hay bales, and other farm duties), a gardener. So, what you read here, is me, as a transparent sometimes hot headed, passionate, and opinionated person.
Good to see others encouraging the use of tech in homeschooling.
John Wilkerson recently posted..The Digital World of Teens