Tool #9

Incorporating Classroom-Based Devices as Tools for Learning

1. I think it is important to tie the technology to the class objectives so that students see the technology as a tool for learning rather than as an end to itself. I think the technology objective should suport the content objective, just like the language objective suports the content objective.
2. I think we always want to keep students accountable for what they're doing in class. One classroom teacher cannot monitor five stations and handle trouble shooting questions well. If students have to summarize what they've found or list the web sites that they visited teachers can quickly check to see that they were on task.  Also I think students are more likely to participate in station activities when they know what the final product with look like. 
3. I really like the Interactive web site: http://www.shodor.org/interactivate/activities/ . I've used their Tessellation activity in my class before, but I didn't realize what a wide variety of math activities they have available. I also like the Infinity web site: http://thinkfinity.org/games-and-tools. It has a great list of interactive web sites for high school math. Many of the sites are from the Illumination series from NCTM. Their activities always include great follow up questions. I could see asking students to visit the sites and then answer the follow-up question in a Google Doc quiz. When I've done the tessellation activity in the past I asked a few students create tessellations on the active board. With the net books I could let each student create a tessellation and then save it as a screen shot.  
4. I am really looking forward to being able to use iPad apps like Show Me, Screen Chomp, and Educreation's White Board Ap. Last year, some of my students created tutorial videos using flip cameras with paper and markers. We only have a limited supply of flip camera's for the school and students have a difficult time holding the camera at a good angle so I think the these iPad apps will make that process much smother. Students can create videos explaining how to do some of their assigned problems or they can watch a video created by another student. I would also like to use the calculation app, WolframAlpha. It's not a free app, but I think it's only $3.00. 
5. I would also like to use the iPads as a way for students to explore YouTube videos on constructions. Constructions are difficult for students and I think it would be helpful for students to be able to pause the video or replay a step they didn't understand. I was hoping to use the iPads to let students log into the Holt web site that goes with our textbook, but much of what's available for students require Flash technology. I'll have to save those activities for the net books.