1. Where you are and where you want to go with Technology in your classroom.
Right now, I am in a pretty technology rich environment. I am able to give my kids access to hands on technology applications, and rich authentic learning. However, when I transition to second grade next year, I want to still be able to provide the same technology rich environment that I am used to, but see myself struggling with how to do that. I believe that technology is these kids future, and it is up to us to make sure they are immersed in it now. I think that technology is a fantastic way to teach topics that could either be rather boring at times, or provide that extra step of further instruction to really bring the lesson to life, and make it authentic.
2. What are your top 10 elements of a 21st Century Classroom?
Here is my top 10 “wish list” for a 21st Century Classroom!
10. Endless supply of student supplies (pencils, paper, markers, scissors, etc)
9. Every new children’s/pre-teen book in print AND available with audio
8. A Homework grading robot for the teacher! J
7. All software needed for a complete digital storytelling classroom set (microphone, background music, etc)
6. Classroom set of updated and newest computer software and video software.
5. Complete set of classroom clickers
4. Interactive textbooks that is available on the computer as well.
3. All-in-one Palm Pilots complete with camera, video, music, calculator, calendar, dictionary, thesaurus, etc.
2. A Whiteboard (SmartBoard) with airliners for each student.
1. Touch screen laptops for each student in the class!
3. What kind of learning environment do I want to create for my students?
The kind of learning environment that I want to create for my students is an environment where they can feel free to explore and learn things that they might never have thought about before. I want them to dig deeper and ask those ‘why’ questions. I want my students to rely on each other more than they rely on me, and feel comfortable with one another to ask each other for help. I want to prepare my students for the jobs that they will have that don’t even exist yet!
4. What resources do I have to help me create that learning environment?
The resources that I have available to me as of right now are a SmartBoard, scanner, digital camera, and one computer for every 2 students. However, when I move down to second grade, I will lose the scanner and the one computer for every two students. I will only have a total of three computers in my room.
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Ashley - That is quite a wish list. But if you are going to wish, you may as well wish big. Under the learning environment you want to create in your classroom, you state that you want kids to explore and dig deeper. Is this desire dependent on the technology you have available or can/should this occur independent of the technology?
ReplyDeleteI realize this is a somewhat loaded question since this class is all about using technology to enhance learning. However, is it possible that technology can sometimes get in the way of real exploration? Students can use technology to find the answer to a questions without necessarily having to explore and learn anything.
Ashley, I loved your wish list. Oh, to have a fairy godmother that could grant all our wishes! I sympathize with your moving down a grade level and losing some of your techology. I have two laptops in my room this year (and I feel lucky to have that!), but I am moving down to first grade next year. Unfortunately, the laptops have to stay with second grade. I am looking into some grants that might supply a few laptops for my room.
ReplyDeleteYou mentioned wanting your students to depend more on each other than on you to answer questions. Do you have any ideas or suggestions to get that started? That is one of my frustrations with my class this year.
Dennis- To answer your question, yes, I feel that technology can sometimes get in the way of real exploring! That is where I think the teacher has to step in a monitor how and how much it is used. I have had experiences where kids will just ask me, "well can't I just look it up on the internet?" Society is headed in that "quick-fix" direction and students now a days don't want to have to spend a lot of time really digging for the answer when they know they can just pop it into ask jeeves and get what they need. I guess the optimistic approach to that is at least they know where to find their answer! :)
ReplyDeleteDianne- Thank you for the comment! To answer your question, I have a starting point, but nothing that is rocket science! My kids this year really had a hard time working with one another, so I had to really do a lot of team building exercises. Towards the end of the year, they started catching on that I wasn't going to give them the answer and that they learned a lot more when they went to ask each other, rather than me. They like to play the role of teacher and when I made it clear that they were NOT to come to me for help in let's say, adding a background, and that they should go to Bob for that, then it seemed to really help sink in what I was asking from them. Any advice you might have??