While my classroom does not yet have 1:1 devices (although a little bird told me it is in the works), we do have a Promethean board. My cooperating teacher uses this to project powerpoints and she likes the ability to write directly on the slides when giving examples to students. This is really the extent of her technology use, however, I have taken up the challenge of bringing technology into the classroom with my 1 iPad and a few web resources.
Besides the Promethean board, the first piece of technology I brought in was Remind101. This allows me to send mass text reminders to the class (such as "Exam tomorrow! Don't forget your periodic table.") and they love it. Now anytime there is something really important they need to bring, such as their textbook, they often request a text reminder. And the difference it has made is dramatic. Without Remind101 we had about 25% of students bring their books but with the reminder that number jumps up to >75%. It makes class run so much smoother when there aren't 4 students trying to share a textbook.
When we have lab activities, I like to get the students up and at the Promethean board. I usually have each group send a representative up to report their experimental data on a spreadsheet I have projected onto the Promethean board. After, this gives us an opportunity to analyze the class data, identify any discrepancies, and look and the accuracy and precision of the experiment. The students love writing on the board (and are honestly better at using it than most teachers) and I love the opportunity for students to analyze their data.
The third thing I have been using is Doceri. Doceri allows me to control the computer from my iPad and to project real-time (or pre-recorded) handwritten notes from the iPad onto the screen. This gives me the freedom to roam about the classroom while administering lectures. It has also been good for those seats in the back with a terrible view. I will often but the iPad in front of those students who are struggling to see the board. I can also let them solve problems in real-time on the iPad. For example, I had a series of Lewis Dot Structure questions and chose students who don't usually participate in class to solve them on the iPad. The students loved playing with the iPad and were more comfortable participating in class. When I first began using Doceri the students were bewitched by how I could write from the back of the room. Several students have commented that they prefer my Doceri notes to the way other teachers lectures. After each lecture I upload a PDF of the notes from Doceri onto my class website, where students can keep track of all the notes, homework, and activities.
The most recent implementation was PollEverywhere. This sets up an American Idol type poll, where you can use your cell phone to text in your "vote" for a multiple choice question or give a short answer. The students absolutely LOVE this, especially when they send in their answer and can see it pop up on a bar graph at the front of the room. It's also great for formative assessment because not only does it allow me to poll ALL the students (not just the ones who answer quickest), it also puts it in a handy bar graph so I can quickly see if there is an issue with a particular concept.
My cooperating teacher and students have both commented on the technology at the school. To quote my cooperating teacher, "We have all of this great technology but no one knows how to use it." My students relish the addition of technology to lessons, whether it's note taking or formative assessment. Something needs to be done to bridge that tech gap.
Besides the Promethean board, the first piece of technology I brought in was Remind101. This allows me to send mass text reminders to the class (such as "Exam tomorrow! Don't forget your periodic table.") and they love it. Now anytime there is something really important they need to bring, such as their textbook, they often request a text reminder. And the difference it has made is dramatic. Without Remind101 we had about 25% of students bring their books but with the reminder that number jumps up to >75%. It makes class run so much smoother when there aren't 4 students trying to share a textbook.
When we have lab activities, I like to get the students up and at the Promethean board. I usually have each group send a representative up to report their experimental data on a spreadsheet I have projected onto the Promethean board. After, this gives us an opportunity to analyze the class data, identify any discrepancies, and look and the accuracy and precision of the experiment. The students love writing on the board (and are honestly better at using it than most teachers) and I love the opportunity for students to analyze their data.
The third thing I have been using is Doceri. Doceri allows me to control the computer from my iPad and to project real-time (or pre-recorded) handwritten notes from the iPad onto the screen. This gives me the freedom to roam about the classroom while administering lectures. It has also been good for those seats in the back with a terrible view. I will often but the iPad in front of those students who are struggling to see the board. I can also let them solve problems in real-time on the iPad. For example, I had a series of Lewis Dot Structure questions and chose students who don't usually participate in class to solve them on the iPad. The students loved playing with the iPad and were more comfortable participating in class. When I first began using Doceri the students were bewitched by how I could write from the back of the room. Several students have commented that they prefer my Doceri notes to the way other teachers lectures. After each lecture I upload a PDF of the notes from Doceri onto my class website, where students can keep track of all the notes, homework, and activities.
The most recent implementation was PollEverywhere. This sets up an American Idol type poll, where you can use your cell phone to text in your "vote" for a multiple choice question or give a short answer. The students absolutely LOVE this, especially when they send in their answer and can see it pop up on a bar graph at the front of the room. It's also great for formative assessment because not only does it allow me to poll ALL the students (not just the ones who answer quickest), it also puts it in a handy bar graph so I can quickly see if there is an issue with a particular concept.
My cooperating teacher and students have both commented on the technology at the school. To quote my cooperating teacher, "We have all of this great technology but no one knows how to use it." My students relish the addition of technology to lessons, whether it's note taking or formative assessment. Something needs to be done to bridge that tech gap.