Discipline-Specific Ideas

Language Arts-Speech classes could easily benefit from the use of PowerPoint, while any grammar class could benefit from the ability to move and rearrange text, which could be done on Word (or, indeed, any word processing program). Many classic works can be viewed online, making line-by-line analysis simple and easy to follow.

Discipline-Specific Ideas

Foreign Language-Obviously, a great deal of foreign language software exists, such as Babelfish and other translator programs, or tutorial programs and games. The ability to share one of these programs with students might be very useful as an in-class activity, and students would certainly benefit from real-time contacts with classrooms in other countries, if such could be arranged.

Discipline-Specific Ideas

Mathematics-There are many possibilities here, since the Smartboard can be used to show any mathematical concept, even those that are hard to demonstrate on calculators, such as 3D graphs. Even puzzles like the famous Rubik’s Cube can be manipulated on computer using Java applications, and thus can be brought into the classroom easily by the teacher.

Discipline-Specific Ideas

Physical Education-Diagrams of the body, some of which are interactive, could easily showcase lessons.

Discipline-Specific Ideas

Social Studies-The possibilities here are probably endless. I routinely use Google Earth, UnitedStreaming, and notes on Word for my classes, as well as games like Diplomacy.

Other Ideas

There are probably thousands of uses out there that teachers are using, from showing blueprints of houses in an Industrial Technology class to diagramming plays for football. Be creative, and have fun with it!