Thread: tech in the classroom

To be 100% honest, it would be very hard for me to not have my computer. Everything from grades, attendance, typed projects, to using my Smartboard has to be done on my computer. This is only my 8th year of teaching and my first year I still did grades in a traditional gradebook and I kept attendance in my gradebook for my first 4 years of teaching. But I type up all of my own projects, worksheets, and test. I use it for power point presentations and internet research.

Needless to say, for me, it is a vital tool. I know teachers didn't have them even 10 years ago, but I think it helps make me a better teacher.

CR

I could not work as well without computers. I use them DAILY! I teach 1st grade. I am constantly teaching through powerpoint presentations (some interactive, some just offering information). When my students are working in Learning Centers (Daily), I have two to three students on computers. Some work in Orchard (a school based program) and some work on CD's I've purchased for my classroom. Later in the year, each student will type a story and illustrate using a computer program. Students at our school also participate in Accelerated Reader on the computer. My students won't begin in this program until they are reading better.

I also use computers for my tests, newsletters, website for parents, research, websites for classroom use, gradebook, assessments/checklists, etc...The list is so long I can't begin to tell you everything I use it for. Computers/Technology has enhanced classroom teaching in most areas!

I use a desktop PC daily for all those things mentioned above. I also teach the Academic Decathlon team, and those students have two computers to use to type up their information, search the internet for supplementary materials, and use school-safe email addresses.

Since I am a math teacher, the technology that I use most often in my classes would be handheld computers (more commonly known as calculators). These little machines (in contrast to the mainframes of your college days) have incredible capabilities. I can also link these little machines up to my desktop PC to capture "pictures" of the screens. There are also some wonderful programs for the calculators that allow my students to explore how parameter changes affect the various representations of the functions we study.

The drawback is that many of the students can't do simple arithmetic without batteries anymore. I do enjoy teaching with the calculators, though. :wink:

Because I have a vision impaired student in my class I have begun to use the computer for everything. I have it hooked to a smart board and print off the notes for her as I do them. All administrative stuff is done by computer and this is a double edged sword.

We are required to keep our grades on the computer using a program that allows the parents to see their child's grades. This happy little program, which has run perfect for two years is now burping and losing entered asignments. It is great that once I enter the grade the rest is done automatically. It really is not great when I spend a couple hours grading and entering, only to get hit with the dreaded error message, and know I have to go back and enter the grades again.

Aside from the grading issue I would not get rid of a single computer in my room.

I use computers quite a bit.
I have a wireless laptop connected to an LCD projection device that I use daily. When my kids come into the classroom, the daily agenda and journal question is sjowing for them. While they copy the agenda & answer the question, I take attendance on a desktop machine. All of our grades are electronic also.

I use the projection device/laptop set up to show powerpoints, United Streaming videos, etc.

I have email distribution lists for the parents. I also maintain a website for our class.

In class ( I teach science) the students use computers frequently. We are fortunate to have 8 mobile laptop carts for student use + a computer lab.

My student use them to collect and analyze data in spreadsheets, make concept maps & graphic organizers in Inspiration, do virtual labs (a CD cam ewith our textbook adoption), use interactive websites, + all the routine Internet research, word processing type stuff.

We also have a nice collection of Vernier probes and sensors, so we collect data this way also.

We have a CPS unit to use for review, games, and such.

My district provides WebBoards to set up forums for our classes.

I am very fortunate, I know, but I do have access to a LOT of neat stuff; the only thing I don't have that I would really like is a Smartboard.

I use computers on a daily basis in my classroom. Kids these days are drawn to the internet, so I find that its the best medium to get my kids to learn. I often point them to websites with helpful info relating to something I'm teaching them in the class.

I'm also in the process of setting up a course website for my students to use to get course material outside of class.

I use technology on a daily basis! In my opinion students are motivated by the computer and technology in any way. I only have 3 computers in my classroom (6th grade) but access to a mobile lab in my building. We also have a projector which I often set up with a laptop. Whenever the students see this in the room they are instantly excited and focused. I have done some very sucessful projects where students create PowerPoint slideshows to show learning. I do find that I need to make very clear guidelines on what I want to see as a final result. The students know that when they are done they will get to show off their projects with the projector and even the shy students love to brag about these projects in front of their peers. the more we use technology the more we tap into the natural interests of our students.

Right now I have just received permission from my district to begin a forum with my students to discuss their learning. There are many reasons I want to do this from deepening their understanding to peer discussion and group cohesiveness. I am particularly thinking of my unmotivated students. The ones who "hate school". The ones who are always bored with my lessons. The same ones who rush out of my door and go home to "see" their friends online and chat on IM or Myspace. They will love a place to go online and their excitement will spill over into the rest of the class. I just have to find a good site to use.