tool #9

Technology is essential in classrooms today. Even for most adults the thought of not having your iPhone attached to us makes you cringe, same for the kids. I think by making every effort to let them learn, produce, and engage with technology will help them in the long run. However, you MUST keep them accountable. Just like most of us get distracted in staff development when allowed to "play" on our computers, students will do the same. On the contrary just like this 11 tools has forced us to use the technology in more ways than email and Facebook and yet held us accountable by asking a few questions at the end of each tool we have been forced to learn and explore new ideas. Same goes for the classroom. We need to let them learn and explore but we also have the responsibility to require them to do more than Edmodo, Instagram, and texting. I found the presentation on this tool to be really interesting and I agreed with the presenter on more than the fact that Oklahoma is worthless ;) (Hook em) I do often wonder with the increase in ADHD students what more we can be doing in class to keep them engaged. I do think at times students truly are ADHD but most of the time I worry it is me, the teacher, that isn't adjusting to their learning style enough. At the age of 30 I consider myself to be somewhat knowledgeable about technology, but all you have to do is hang out with my 2 year old niece or a 12 year old middle school-er to realize I dont know 1/2 of it! So my approach this year it to use technology more AND ask them for input on what they want to do with the technology we have... Now for the websites. At Frostwood we LOVE First In Math, but I really do like what MangaHigh has to offer as well. I also think Mangahigh touches a little more on that whole global thing discussed a couple tools ago. It allows you to compete against other classrooms across the globe. The other website I LOVED was http://www.tutpup.com/ I played a math facts game LIVE vs another student from the UK... (luckily I won) but I think its a great way to build competition and show students that all around the world math facts are IMPORTANT! :) The spelling game was fun too once I caught on to her accent. I thought she said Sauce but really it was South, ha ha. For the ipad I mentioned earlier adding "Who has a bigger brain" and I can hold them accountable by writing down their score when they finish next to their name. Another app I plan to use is Bamboo paper can take the place of writing on a white board... since the appeal is getting to use the iPad after all... And, ESO top 100 will be very useful in science to give students images to look at while we study science as well as images for projects etc. Frog dissection would also be a fun one for the kiddos who love science! All of the above mentioned could be monitored by having a form which a student summarized what they did that day, the apps the went to, and a partner could sign to agree that is what their partner did while at that station. Peer pressure works ;) Another use for the ipad is as an incentive for the students who do not get work completed. It can be a means of motivation for some. Also, for students who have bad eyesight you can take a picture of a text or worksheet and they can blow it up after taking a picture of it. For our large Korean population they can use it to easily access a dictionary or find images to help express their ideas in a group setting. There is so much to do with the Netbooks and IPads and like my friends and I joke... THERE'S AN APP FOR EVERYTHING!