How Many

Because of  testing and the technology assessment going on through science classes, I have not been able to do much with the RTs this week, but here are some activities I have done.

1. Quizlet - the mouse of the RT did not work well with this program so it was not very effective.  I found a similar site called studystack.  There were still some issues with the mouse, however there was a larger variety of ways to use the information.
2. Virtual Labs - I put several virtual labs on my website for students to use.  I asked them to go to the sites that covered the information they needed more help with (giving students voice and choice).  Most students went to the sites that the labs looked easiest or most fun, rather than the ones they struggled with information on.  I think this will be more manageable with the textbook adoption next year where it will be easier to assign topics and labs to students and have them complete the ones that will benefit them the most.
3. Test Review - The tablets came in March, right when we were beginning our Blitz for the STAAR test.  I posted several sites where students could review and 6th and 7th grade material that would be on the test.  I also created a Google form.  I asked a 6th or 7th grade review question and asked them to post a website where they found the answer to the question.  Students struggled with this because they had a hard time going back and forth between websites.  We figured out how to make a split screen and that helped.

Student Voice and Choice

What is the role of technology in giving voice and choice to our students?

• Technology opens up a world outside the classroom to students.  There is not only a wide range of information, but there is also a variety of ways students can receive that information (video, reading, interactive games).  As a teacher, it is difficult to give up control of how students learn.  A big obstacle to overcome would be students maturity level.  Because there is so much variety, there could be several different ways students are learning.  It is difficult for the teacher to be able to go through each website that students may look at.  Therefore, I think it is important to teach students how to determine the validity of information on a website.

What technology skills do I still need to develop, or need help with, so I can assist my students better with personalized learning?

• We just adopted a new textbook for science that has a technology component to it.  I am both excited and apprehensive about the implications it will have in my classroom next year.  Students will have lots of resources, but I am afraid about the time it may take to teach them how to use the resources effectively.  8th grade students are lacking in maturity and patience, which are 2 qualities important for success in learning something new. 

Keep Learning

Because technology is changing so quickly, it is important for teachers to stay updated with it.  There are so many programs, though it's difficult to decide which programs I want to invest time and effort into learning.  I have utilized CourseEra for professional development and found it useful.  I have not used it for technology yet.  I know that there are courses offered at the Admin building, however there are several conflicts because of mandatory meetings and tutorials after school.

I wish I would have known about the technology immersion program over the summer so I could have had more time to explore and prepare.  Because it happened in Feb/Mar it was more difficult to implement because it conflicted with test prep.

Technology Update

I do not use the RTs in my classroom every day because I think students would begin to abuse their time with them if they got bored with them.  Also, the district spent money on a review program to prepare students for the STAAR test and I wanted to use that in my classroom.

Now that the STAAR test is over, I plan to begin using the devices to help students prepare for IPC next year.  I found a website called Spongelab that has a lot of interactive labs and tutorials for students.  It is free, however students still need to register.  I believe the best way to do this is through their ajhpbl.net accounts.  If they use these accounts, it would be easier to control their access.

Assess and Test Prep

To prepare for the STAAR test I used the RTs in a few different ways.  I had students use a website called "studystack", which is an online flashcard site.  I also have students do several online labs.  I did have difficulty in assessing these activities.  It was difficult for me to tell if the students were actually thinking through the material, or just "playing games".

I tried using Google Docs and Google Forms to have them answer questions and find interactive sites on the internet.  The students do well with the Google Docs presentation in the computer lab, but the tools are difficult to use with the RT's mouse.  For the word document, students had a difficult time managing multiple students working on the same page.  There was a lot of  "accidentally on purpose" deleting.

Lessons Learned

I think that I have learned a lot through the technology program.  Ironically, I think the biggest piece of information that I have learned, is that I have A LOT left to learn.  There are so many different applications that can be used with the Surface RTs.  With all the information and ideas out there, I feel a little overwhelmed at times.

I am still having problems with device management.  Storing the devices and having the ability to monitor students on the devices still is difficult for me to do.  The RTs make it easy to switch between apps, which is good, but that also makes it easy for students to switch between an app that they are supposed to be using and one that they are not.  

I would also like to find a way to easily delete history between one user and the next.  Students go onto sites that they are not supposed to (like pandora and youtube) and those sites stay up for the incoming class.

Device Introduction and Lesson Organization

I have a large classroom with lab tables in the back, so I have enough room for my devices and enough outlets to plug them in without any issues.  However, To leave them plugged in while I am not in the room poses some security issues as I have 3 entries into my room.  I can lock the 2 main entries.  When the tablets are not in use, I place each of the cords in a zip-loc bag so they don't tangle, and place the tablets in 5 stacks of 3 in a locked cabinet.  When it is time for students to use the devices, I place the 5 stacks on my main desk and have students come get one.

The Tablets do not have an AISD inventory tag, so I put a DYMO label on each device (1-15) to help keep track of them.  One issue that I am trying to find a way to resolve is Tablet security.  The students do not have a unique log-in ID.  I have tried a system where I write down who has which device, but that is time consuming.  I am concerned about students taking pictures with the device, then posting them on the internet with no way to track who is responsible.  I also have concerns about the websites they may go to.  Even if I can track who had the device each day in each period, misuse may not be discovered right away and I don't have the time to look at each device at the end of each period.

I put all of my assignments on my website (jistre.weebly.com).  If there is a site that I want students to go to, I have them go to my website and work from there.

Ideas on Activities for Classroom

Having the RTs can bring some much more depth to teaching and learning.  Learning science often involves manipulating materials and variables.  Doing experiments in a classroom often drains resources, such as time and materials.  There are several websites that simulate experiments and can offer s better control of constants than a classroom  experiment would.

In 8th grade, we also teach Earth and Space.  There are several websites that can bring students on a virtual field trip through the Universe.  Today in class, I'm having students review the star life cycle and HR diagrams on an interactive site (http://aspire.cosmic-ray.org/Labs/StarLife/hr_interactive.html)

Our class received the Tablets as we were beginning our STAAR review.  Students have been using StudyStack, an online flashcard site, to help reinforce concepts.