That’s what you will find in their houses. It’s fun. It makes things engaging. It’s what is familiar to them.
How have you used the active white board
to increase student learning in your classroom?
Originally, I did tend to use the board in a very teacher directed way. However, the more I used it, the more I figured out ways to have the students use it as a real tool. Now I design learning activities on the active board that students can work through in small groups using how-to sheets. For example, one day I gave them a blank picture of the Boreal Forest. The next page had 15-20 animals. Students had to determine which animals lived in this particular biome and move them into the forest. When students completed the screen, they can save it to a folder stored on the teacher computer.
I’ve used the active white board to have the class participate in some fabulous web based simulations.
Recently, I have had the students use the active white board to keep track of what learning activity they are currently working on. Since there are multiple activities happening in the room at one time, groups can move the group name over to the activity that they are working on and it helps me facilitate the class better.
How has student scheduling affected your ability to use the various technologies in your classes?
Students scheduling allows me to use more technologies at once. Since the groups are working on different tasks at different times, some can be at a computer, some might be working at their tables, and some might be at the active board. Being in control of their own schedule seems to help motivate them to complete each activity. It also increases their responsibilities.
Scheduling makes them feel like "real" people. They have a say. They see that I trust them to take control of what has to get done.
I also find that since they want to use the different technologies in the class, they take really good care of everything.
Describe some of your favorite uses of technology in your classes this year.
We have had a lot of fun with the active board. Using an add-on called ACTIVote, each student can submit answers to question immediately. If we are having a class discussion I can take a quick poll; students submit their answer: and we can see the results in an array of formats.
I have even used ACTIVote to give quick quizzes to gather immediate assessment information.
One of the other most memorable activities was using the active board to let the whole class experience a web-based simulation on hurricanes. By working together we were all able to experience the cause and effects of each decision.
How does technology assist you in running a differentiated classroom?
It allows me to have lots of things going on at once. If kids finish early they can go on to a higher level by utilizing the computers to enhance it or improve a project. Having various types of technology in the room allows me to provide more options for learning. Kids can work with printed text, on the web, or at the active board. Additionally, email allows the learning to be continued even when
students aren’t in the classroom. Learning can happen on their time.
I also find that any kids who have behavioral challenges feel more actively engaged on the computers. This keeps them on track longer.
Jessica’s Albert’s Favorite Web Sites:
http://ciconline.org/windward
http://www.energyquest.ca.gov
http://www.medtropolis.com/vbody.asp
Jessica Albert’s Teacher Page:
http://www.carteretschools.org/school/teacher_page.asp?PageID=22
Web Sites Created by Students:
http://arcticspirit46.tripod.com/aviewunder
http://www.freewebs.com/brightseatours