Laptops in the classroom

What are ways you manage the use of laptops in your classroom and what additional best practice ways might you add?

As a coetail class, we used voicethread to discuss and share many techniques on how to manage “technology tools” in our classroom.

I know I have learned lots of new ideas from this discussion.

Here are some easy practical steps I follow:

-Timing: Allow enough time at the beginning and at the end of class for students to save their work, log off their computers and return them to the carts. If you can’t manage time well like I do, ask a student to remind you of the time.

-Computer: Assign a computer to a student at the beginning of the term. They will be responsible for plugging the computer and keeping it in good shape.

-Saving work: Create a personal folder for your class on their flash drive as well as on the server and teach students the mechanism of saving in both places. They will lose their work, so teaching them the mechanism of saving in 2 places will pay off some time or another.

-Focus on instruction: One thing I have learned from experience…you can give students instructions orally over ten times and they will not follow it if they are engaged on something, especially if there is a computer in front of them. I usually count down and ask students to lower their screen while I give instructions. One thing I learned in the Coetail class was that you can use your fist to measure how much one can lower the laptop screen without shutting down the activity.

-Peer helpers: It’s nearly impossible to answer all questions at once. As long as it doesn’t become a distraction, I encourage students to help each other. They are great with problem solving.

-Instructions: As mentioned in my peer language educator’s blog, giving instructions in the target language when it involves the use of technology can be challenging for students and teacher! Of course, breaking down the steps and the language of instruction as much as possible is essential. Other technique I have used have been to provide students with specific checklist for each step they need to accomplish.

Photo Pudú Introducing OLPC by: Lizette Greco

How relevant are the NETs for Teachers and Administrators to being a "Good Educator" today?

Encouraging teachers and students to learn more about how to use new technology is one step, but the administrators of a school also need to be on board with the learning (After all, they are the ones who will hire experienced teachers). Over the past 5 years at ISB, I have seen a clear commitment from the school to educating everyone about technology. For example, we have gone from one technology coach to having 3; one for each school (Elementary, Middle, High). Another example has been to offer professional development like the COETAIL class and opportunities to attend many technology related conferences.

Teachers and Administrators should understand and promote the vision of education technology, but they should also lead by example. In particular, I would expect that as a school, all teachers and administrators should all be reminded regularly to apply the standard of “digital Citizenship”.

Digital Citizenship (NETS for students )
Students understand human, cultural, and societal issues related to technology and practice legal and ethical behavior. Students:
a. advocate and practice safe, legal, and responsible use of information and technology.
b. exhibit a positive attitude toward using technology that supports collaboration, learning, and productivity.
c. demonstrate personal responsibility for lifelong learning.
d. exhibit leadership for digital citizenship.


Promote and Model Digital Citizenship and Responsibility (NETS teachers)
Teachers understand local and global societal issues and responsibilities in an evolving digital culture and exhibit legal and ethical behavior in their professional practices. Teachers:
a. advocate, model, and teach safe, legal, and ethical use of digital information and technology, including respect for copyright, intellectual property, and the appropriate documentation of sources.
b. address the diverse needs of all learners by using learner-centered strategies providing equitable access to appropriate digital tools and resources.
c. promote and model digital etiquette and responsible social interactions related to the use of technology and information.
d. develop and model cultural understanding and global awareness by engaging with colleagues and students of other cultures using digital-age communication and collaboration tools.

5. Digital Citizenship (NETS for Administrators.)
Educational Administrators model and facilitate understanding of social, ethical and legal issues and responsibilities related to an evolving digital culture. Educational Administrators:
a. ensure equitable access to appropriate digital tools and resources to meet the needs of all learners.
b. promote, model and establish policies for safe, legal, and ethical use of digital information and technology.
c. promote and model responsible social interactions related to the use of technology and information.
d. model and facilitate the development of a shared cultural understanding and involvement in global issues through the use of contemporary communication and collaboration tools.

When It Comes To Instructions: Is Less More?

How can teachers and schools ensure that their students are learning what they need when it comes to Technology and Information Literacy?

I have used the program movie maker in French class for 3 years. It allows students to create neat video projects using voice and text over still images or even video clips. The students are usually proud of their projects and more willing to show them to their peers. Every year, I revise the project to match the students' ability level.
In the process, I also refine the instructions, breaking it down into small steps, allowing more classtime, giving more details about due dates and providing more specific checklists. However, it seems that every year, the projects are more and more difficult to complete a) following the instructions b) on time.

This year, for the final project of the semester, I met with our MS tech coach, Ms Cofino , asking for suggestions on how I could present and organize the project to ensure success. I tried to apply the following:

1) Presentation of the project in class, providing some examples and stressing the details of the calendar.
2) Brainstorm of ideas (on paper)
3) Story board (on paper)
4) Script (Online, using google docs to allow students to work simultaneously and the teacher to oversee participation and collaboration)
5) Checklist for the script (to allow student the time to reflect on their script, making sure that the CONTENT of their project demonstrated mastery of the new language skills)

Then we moved on to the project on the computer program (movie maker). I had a check list for this section as well.
1) Demonstration of how to use the program movie maker (if necessary)

2) Import and organize all images, using transitions.

3) Add subtitles & record Audio

4) Finalize the movie and publish

Final stage: presentation

1) Complete the final check list for the entire project and turn in the project on stushare.

2) Present to classmates and peer evaluate the projects.

After 7 classes, all broken up stages, 3 checklists, class time and 2 weekends…still, students don’t read the instructions, nor do they use the check lists to ensure that they met the requirement for the CONTENT of their project.

So I thought I had covered all the bases with a structured project, but maybe less instructions is more for this generation of students? I would agree that students today can figure out how to use any tech tools by trial and error (vs. reading instructional manual), but how do we ensure that they follow instructions and meet the requirements for the content?

I am open to suggestions. What works for you?

Pay it forward

Whose job is it to teach the NETs and AASL standards to students?

According to Wikipedia, the expression "pay it forward" is used to describe the concept of asking that a good turn be repaid by having it done to others instead.[...]In sociology, this concept is called "generalized reciprocity" or "generalized exchange".
My interpretation is that if something good happens to you, then you should in turn do a good action for someone else. It seems simplistic, but I think it can work in the the context of our discussion about "whose job is it to teach the standards?".
Let me explain:
When my students come into my French class, they already know how to read a text and write sentences using appropriate punctuation and paragraph forms. Whose job was it to teach writing? Do students only learn to read and write in their English/humanities class? Although there is a clear emphasis on those skills in an English class, everyone expects students will become better writers because they get to practice in their other classes.
When I teach my students how to use a new computer application to use in my French class, I know that students will be able to apply this new skill for another class or for their personal use. In turn, I was pleasantly surprised when some students started on their French journal already knowing how to use their blogs. Whose turn was it to teach this tool?
Interdisciplinary teaching is expected in most classrooms. Familiarize yourself with the curriculum of other departments so you can integrate it into your own. In my classroom, we study math, science, humanities, art, physical education, etc in FRENCH.

Looking at some of the NETs standards, most of the colleagues around my table agreed that most of these standards are common to most discipline?

1. Creativity and Innovation
Students demonstrate creative thinking, construct knowledge, and develop innovative products and processes using technology.

2. Communication and Collaboration
Students use digital media and environments to communicate and work collaboratively, including at a distance, to support individual learning and contribute to the learning of others.

3. Research and Information Fluency
Students apply digital tools to gather, evaluate, and use information.

4. Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, and Decision Making
Students use critical thinking skills to plan and conduct research, manage projects, solve problems, and make informed decisions using appropriate digital tools and resources.

5. Digital Citizenship
Students understand human, cultural, and societal issues related to technology and practice legal and ethical behavior.

So, why couldn’t/shouldn’t we expect interdisciplinary teaching of technology skills, and therefore the standards?