My Technology Experience

I have used technology in a few different ways already in my classroom. I have used many online educational websites that I project on the board during my teaching. My best lesson involving technology so far was when I did a shared reading assignment on the Promethean Board. I was able to project the story I was reading onto the board so that everyone could see it because we have a Treasures CD Rom with all of the stories on it. I then used a pointer and had them read the story with me. I then called on volunteers to come up and highlight words with the long e sound at the end of the story. My mentor teacher had not yet used the Promethean Board so the students were very excited and motivated to learn in the experience.

Technology Idea

I'm thinking about using the Promethean Board for my practicum project. I think the students will respond very well to the Promethean Board especially since it will be fairly new to them since the teacher does not use it very often. I will include the students in the presentation as I come up with relevant questions to check their understanding of the input I have given them. I will use the Active clickers which can be checked out to use with the Promethean Board. The students can then submit their answers onto the board as I give my lecture and I will be able to see who answered it correctly to see who needs more help with the content discussed. It will also motivate the students to listen to the input given so they can answer the questions correctly. I think this will be a good activity to use for the project.

Technology Inventory

I learned a lot while doing the inventory in my classroom. I work in Miss Pothier's first grade classroom at Spring Creek Elementary School here in Provo. It amazed me at the amount of technology resources they both have and use at this school. Every classroom is equipped with a Promethean board, which is basically a more high-tech Smart Board. My teacher does not use it very often but I am trying to learn how to use it so I can become a little more technology literate. I have heard of many teachers that use the board on a daily basis. It allows them to show whatever is on their computer on the markerboard and also allows them write on the computer document on the marker board. They can even click on things from the markerboard that are linked to the computer.

Spring Creek is a Title I school. I learned that because of this, the school receives more money from the government and can therefore have more advanced technology. There are two full laptop carts at the school each with 30 laptops in them, as well as 3 half carts with 15 laptops in them. My classroom uses the laptops on MWF. I had to stifle a laugh the first time my mentor teacher directed the 6-year-olds to go get their laptops and get to work. They use the laptops for entertaining ways of learning on Mondays and Wednesday on programs such as HeadSprout and Rainforest Math. On Fridays, they take their tests on the computers which makes the teacher's grading life much easier. I am now seeing how much technology is actually being used in the classroom. I am now very motivated to learn as much as I can about the technologies that will be used in the rooms!

Virtual Tour Link

The link to my virtual tour is found under my link list.

TPACK cont.

Sorry, I didn't list the core standard. The content is found under 3rd Grade Social Studies, Standard 1, Objective 2, Indicator a: Describe the major world ecosystems.