Technology in Action

Technology has the potential to enhance student learning, and engage students in exciting experiences! However, one of the common struggles associated with technology in the classroom is availability. What can you do with limited resources? The reality is we could always have MORE technology. The best we can do is work with what we have to engage students in ways that would not be possible without technology. 


During my first practicum in a grade 7/8 classroom, I was fortunate to be in a classroom with a Smart Board. I used the Smart Board daily for the teacher lead portions of my lessons. I also used it to share videos, and analyze media texts. In the classroom, there was also one desktop computer. This was mainly used for students who would benefit from typing, or wanted to research a specific concept to better understand, or visualize it. Aside from this, for any student lead research, we relocated to the computer lab, which allowed the students to work on their own computer. Another key aspect of technology in the classroom was my personal ipad. I used the Sesame SNAP application to take photos of students' work, and jot down descriptive notes of what the students had accomplished. I could then show students what they had accomplished in previous lessons, and how they could improve. I also used the ipad to share images, and photos when students were working in small groups. 

During my current practicum in a grade 4 FI classroom, I have access to Apple TV! Apple TV provides numerous opportunities to share content from the web, as well as content created on ipads. I hope to use the Apple TV AirPlay feature to stream videos and share images to support the content that we are covering. I also hope to use AirPlay to display student work that has been created using other applications. With about 4-5 ipads available, this is enough to provide one ipad for each "small group". This is great for small group inquiry! I also hope to use my personal ipad as a tool for classroom management. 

Overall, I am excited to explore the wide range of tools and resources available, and I look forward to sharing my experience in the near future!