Technology in Classrooms



This week was our first week in our middle school placement! It was very exciting and definitely very different than our high school experience. For instance, the school my coteacher and I are placed at is a one-to-one school, meaning that every student is provided with a laptop. From what I observed, it appears that the students take laptops from their advisory rooms and then use them throughout the day.
    I thought this was interesting because when I imagined one-to-one schools, I thought that meant every classroom had technology that students were able to use, not that they were given a specific laptop to use throughout the year. I didn't even notice this the first day I was at the school; the second day though, I realized that the advisory class used the laptops hanging on the walls and the reason why I didn't realize it the first day was because the advisory class had my cooperating teacher first period.
    These laptops can support student learning by making their Google Classrooms available to them throughout the school day. Google Classroom is an amazing piece of technology that I learned about in my 406 class. It allows students to be able to access teacher announcements as well as assignments, and even submit assignments is some cases. This is great for students because they are able to keep up with their requirements and announcements throughout their school day when they may not be able to access it at home.
    It also allows them to work on essays in class. as an ELA teacher, being able to work on essays and formatting essays in class is very important. I have to be able to show students how to use their technology to properly create and submit essays. I may not always have access to the computer lab, so one-to-one schools make essay lessons particularly easy. It even gives them access to websites that may help them when I am working with another student and they are struggling with their essay, like Purdue Owl.
    Ideally, I would love being in a one-to-one school. I would love it if all schools were one-to-one. I feel like it gives students the resources they need for themselves as well as the resources that would help them in class time. I would love to implements Google Classroom in my classes since I feel like it's the easiest way to keep all of my students up to date with assignments and announcements as well as making classroom organization easier. Of course i will use whatever technology I am allowed, even if it's not everything I feel my class needs, but I hope to one day be able to give all of my students what they deserve to make learning easier in  my classroom. 😁

Comments

  1. What's Up With Welsh?November 3, 2019 at 8:48 AM

    Hi Cheyenne!

    Like you, I also hope to work in a one-to-one school! I think that access to the internet is now a human right, because the internet is the hub of human interconnectivity. We, like most of our students, have access to most of the information available in the world from a device that fits in our pockets; by making people have to pay for internet, access to the internet becomes a class issue, which means capital interests directly control who has access to resources and information (a repeated pattern in history).

    However, we must use our time well in schools because not all students may have internet access, so we must be diligent and effective with our use of technology. Google classroom is a definite, as well as Purdue OWL, which is like my bible. I wonder what the future will hold for the classroom, our pedagogy, and our students, and I wonder how all these will coalesce with the ever-evolving technological world in which we live.

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  2. BumblingwithapurposeNovember 3, 2019 at 3:21 PM

    Cheyenne,

    The middle school I am placed at right now is also a one-to-one school and they handle the laptop situation very similarly to your middle school--students do not take the devices home, but, rather, pick them up in the morning in homeroom/ advisory. I also really didn't know what to expect with a one-to-one school, as I don't think I have been observing or teaching in one before. I'm like you--I dig the one-to-one. I love how you point out the resources students have with a device handy, like the Purdue Owl. This is so true! I feel like students do so well with one on one instruction and because that is kind of impossible to do for everyone all the time the computers provide some supplemental supports.
    Great blog!

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  3. Heather K 445 BlogNovember 6, 2019 at 9:05 AM

    Cheyenne,

    I agree that one-to-one schools are important, however, it is important to keep in mind certain one-to-one schools are forced to line their curriculum up with platforms such as summit. Platforms like summit can make one-to-one schools a lot more challenging/ make lessons less effective. But I do agree that it is important for students to have access to technology! When used correctly, google classroom can be super useful in the class! I appreciate that you discussed purdue owl (as well as hyper linked it) as I haven't really worked much with that website. Working with you for our middle school placement has been great! You're absolutely amazing with the students, and I envy your natural ability to communicate with the students and ask meaningful questions!

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