Please help, lab is gone!

**Lydia Laird** · 03-29-2002, 01:14 PM

I just found out that my nice lab of about 50 computers will not exist next year. I'm to put all of the computers into classrooms. We have to have a science lab. I guess I'm suppose to float from classroom to classroom teaching the technology teks. I was told to come up with a creative way to teach.
Most of the other campuses are trying to figure out how to get an extra one of me and a second lab of 25 computers and we are getting rid of ours.

Any suggestions on what I can do if I do have to float? Each 3rd - 5th classroom will have 7 or 8 computers. 1st and 2nd have 3 computers each and K has two computers each.

**Leslie** · 03-29-2002, 01:46 PM

Hy Lydia -- that's a shame for sure. At least you have some advance notice for preparing though. Here is a website called Strategies and Applications for the One-Computer Classroom. Maybe this will help you get started with some organization ideas:

[url]http://www.lburkhart.com/elem/strat.htm[/url]

Hope this is useful --

Leslie

**InventiveLearning** · 04-01-2002, 04:25 PM

I have spent the last several years establishing classroom-centered technoogy learning at private schools in California. While the loss of your lab is unfortunate, it may be a great opportunity to more directly integrate technology into the core curriculum.

The concept of emergent learning suggests that the best way for students to acquire and retain technology skills is for them to be required as part of a classroom project in a particular subject area (e.g. learning to conduct advanced searches on the Internet and analysis of the quality of the results as part of a research project in history, rather than on an arbitrary topic or "tech project" is not necessarily viewed as "real work" by students). Thus, having tools immeidately available within the core learning environments has the dual advantages of being an accessible tool as part of a class and being integrated into the ongoing learning activities. Additionally, as I am sure you know, computers can be great teaching tools. Using simulation software with an LCD projector can provide a great vehicle for ongoing discussion in the classroom by having the students guide events.

Good luck with your transition. Please feel free to drop me an email if you would like to discuss things further.

Best,
David Feldon

**Hope4Me** · 04-01-2002, 06:44 PM

I love the idea that this is an opportunity to integrate tech into the classroom.

One of my favorite activities is to do classroom graphs. I would have the kids check the weather each day and then had them add it to a collective spreadsheet that also made a graph. Then you could print and make copies and the kids could handwrite what the graph means at the bottom.

You could graph fav. colors, pets and numerous other topics