Welcome to Teaching with Technology! This series of guest posts asks educators to share how they integrate technology in their classrooms. These posts are written by a very special group, CK-12 Foundation’s Champions.
Today’s guest post is by Charles Baranowski. He is a Teacher at Loyola High School in Montreal, Quebec.
How do you currently integrate technology in your classroom (e.g., products used, devices, etc.)?
All students have iPads. I use macbook pro as well as an iPad to keep track of where the students should be on their iPad.
Course is presented in power point which I put together for the students. I also develop a workbook for them.
The workbook, homework, tests are mostly done and placed on moodle, then the students download to their iPad where they complete the assignment and upload it to moodle for me to correct. I have also integrated some of the CK12 material for the students as a resource. Government policy is to use only recommended text so the students have this as well. Power points are based upon the G. text and the students use that as well as the CK 12 flex book for their assignments. All assignments integrate the use of both.
All classrooms in school also have the a VHS as well as a CD player for other material, they also have ceiling mounted projectors for both either projection of the iPad screen or the macbook pro.
What have been the advantages and disadvantages of using technology in the classroom?
Facilitates captive audience for presentation purposes as the students can work directly with their iPad and refer to the presentation. Disadvantage is that a lot of time is required on the part of the teacher to prepare powerpoint presentations. Time required to prepare assignments in word covert to pdf then upload files to moodle where the students can download the material.
A great deal of time is also included in keeping the students on task.
One of the great advantages is that they can keep all their completed and corrected material in ibooks Science Folder as a resource for study and review. In the past students had to carry around a 11/2 inch binder. Now it is use only for their corrected test which may be hand written. All other material is on their iPad In short I have been trying to eliminate the use of the binder and use the iPad as the resource tool for all material.
How have your students benefited from technology?
Better organization of material, can keep all documentation on their iPad and facilitates better learning and easier review. With the use of neu.annotate the students and modify the pdf posted with their answers and once corrected upload it to Ibooks for storage.
The find it more interesting to study and complete their work.
Students copy their Homework Assignments List from Moodle to a file in NA and then print out and have it signed by parents during periodic intervals. Students and parents are aware to view homework on Moodle as well.
If money were no object, what would you like to see happening in your classroom with respect to use of technology?
At this point in time, I think we are well on our way to the use of technology in the classroom. Difficulty lies in involving more courses to use the technology now available in the classroom. To this end the school provides training sessions both in the beginning and at the end of the school year so teachers can work and practice in the development and use of the material in the classroom using the new technology.
We hear the phrase “21st Century Skills” often with respect to technology and education. What are “21st Century Skills?”
The use of the technology by students for their own education teaches them a great degree of responsibility, in seeing how this technology can improve their learning process .They become more responsible for this as they are required to do the research necessary to complete the tasks required. Most importantly it provides an organizational pattern where by the student can learn to their advantage.
Student begin to learn to type either on their iPad screen or in most cases student have their own key board linked to their iPad. They are given the opportunity to excel in their own learning experience.
Describe the “classroom of 2040.” What’s different? What’s the same?
Classroom 2040. Greater use of the technology. Teacher led activities that implement the use of technology for and by the students. Greater student involvement in their education. All text books, material, interactive diagrams, will become available to students on a device similar to the iPad. Teachers will become a guide to education which will be monitored by them
