Technology Reflections

Recent arrivals via the ERC include 6 iPads as well as a number of iPods which we are using to send home with students with books downloaded on them for their listening pleasure at home. We’ll see how this technology works for our youngest readers, but for now, it is terrific to see their interest running high. One of our 5th grades has made some “book-casts”, short read alouds from the guided reading library which I think have made it to the iPods.

We’ve downloaded lots of applications for students to access on the iPads in both math and literacy. These are being stored in the office and are available for checkout. They are very popular with the students (of course!) and it has been great to get this technology into students’ hands.

I contniue to be stymied in my use of the iPad at school since we are not wireless. I am strongly considering going ahead and getting a plug in wireless device through Apple which seems to work fine in parts of our building. Our technologist is not really in favor of them, advising that they will slow the network down. We’re on the list for wireless, but when that might happen seems hard to predict. Otherwise, we’re cruising with the technology we have. We are discussing the possibility of a technology based TIC class for staff to support deeper and more relevant use of the promethean boards.

Thanks to a class being taught by Val Downing, our school counselor has set up a Glog for our 4th graders to discuss bullying behavior. She says, “I’m wanting to use it to have students post their thoughts on how to solve various problems.”  The goals are:

1.  Teaching appropriate ways to post things that generate discussion without hurting people.

2.  Thinking through situations, and responding to others’ thoughts.

3.  Introducing a  different modality for kids to participate in discussions.

It’s great to see staff getting excited about the possibilities technology provides, pushing themselves to learn it, and then getting creative about how to use it with students. Part of Judy’s purpose is to provide a safe place for kids to “practice” social network and to provide a forum to discuss what is and is not OK. She is close to having students post comments and start the discussion about bullying.

Have you ever seen such joy?

So, the secret is out. Along with the deep academic work, elementary schools harbor a tremendous amount of joy. It is my belief that the learning experience can and should be a joyful experience. Children have a right to feel respected, and yes, loved. This experience opens their minds and hearts to their teacher, and thus to learning. The Teddy Bear Picnic featured above was a unit designed to develop children’s understanding of what is real (hibernation, bear habitat) and what is not real (a.k.a. bears in storybooks that brush their teeth and talk). Yes, the underpinnings of fiction and non-fiction! How does this relate to technology? Well, I can still upload a picture to my blog, AND I am having increasing moments of joy using technology myself, and seeing it in action in classrooms. Yesterday I saw a 5th grade teacher use a YouTube clip to support a discussion on water quality. The vivid images from Africa of people walking many miles for unclean water have spurred students into a fundraising effort. Did you know that $20 can provide clean water for one individual in Africa for 20 years?

I believe kids care deeply about privacy, but seem not always able to make good choices about how to protect it (Myth #4). Already, we have had an incident in which a 5th grade student willingly emailed compromising photographs of herself to an older male student via her phone. Unfortunately, the male student decided to share this photo with friends, and our student felt completely violated, eventually transferring out of our school. I am noticing that many young people and adults are far more comfortable than I am with  having photographs and personal information and comments published on social media sites. I find I am not all that interested in having people I knew 30 years ago try and contact me, and I sometimes feel ambivalent about the increasing mix between my private (personal) and public (work) life.

We’re on the list to become wireless, and I am sure it will happen soon. However, this does limit the use of the iPad for me while at school. I’ll be interested to see what application Rick is using to take notes during walk throughs. Meanwhile, one of our resourceful staff members has gone and purchased a small wireless plug in device that she can bring up to the library when all staff need to be able to go online to do PD work via our wiki, etc.

Great news! Our PTO is funding the mounting of our last two projectors, so we now have promethean bards in every classroom, and will soon have ceiling mounts as well. They are being used in more and more interesting, effective ways in the classroom. We are now exploring purchasing iPod Shuffles in order to have Intermediate students read stories and download them for our primary students to use during listening centers as well as take home.

The possibilities are endless and although we are just scratching the surface in some ways, I am amazed at how far we have come, and how excited many staff members are to embrace the new technology in order to better reach and prepare our students.

Granted, I really just wanted to practice uploading an image to my blog, but you know, the expressions do capture something of my experience as I travel through the world of technology. Many thanks to Linda Abbott, who took the time to email me a link that guided me through the process of downsizing an image. TSD colleagues are incredibly supportive of one another. Speaking of which, our new building secretary had serious issues with her computer during her first week of work, and ISTS was immediately on site to offer hands on support. What a remarkable team.

My challenge to myself this evening was to upload a picture onto the blog. It seems that the photos I download from my camera are too large for this format. I can find the right place on the tool bar to resize an image, but I have no idea what size they should be. Hmmm…stumbling block or stepping stone? For now, a stumbling block until I can get some help from a more technologically advanced friend!

Sometimes a major accomplishment for me is to find what I am looking for. In this case, I was happy just now to find my blog! I can see that there are routines I still need to get in place. I’ve added several feeds to Google Reader, and am just beginning to get the hang of opening it up regularly and scanning some of the articles. Tonight I read that over 200 teachers were just dismissed in DC as part of the implementation of the new teacher evaluation system. There was no mention of how the firings over the past few years have impacted test scores. Hmm…

How can technology transform teaching and learning? Since I am an advocate of leading by example, I am mindful of the fact that I need to push myself into beginning to answer this question. Many thanks to Scott Elias and Diane Lauer for supporting us in this effort. Following Tech Boot Camp, I left twittering and blogging, and was bitlyed, wikied and instapapered.

My greatest success so far has been with the Wiki Space. While facilitating a workshop this morning, I was able to have all participants successfully join the LES Wiki Space, and we were able to share our current work on the new state standards by grade level, without paper. Each participant was on their laptop and able to follow along as each grade level reported on their work. Wow! A first step.

My goal as a member of this cohort is to continue to deepen my understanding of how technology can support student achievement. I need to learn the lingo, and walk the talk.