Getting on Board

Goodbye!  I can actually say that this web 2.o wave has been a challenging ride. I seem to take this laptop everywhere…home, between classrooms, in meetings, on trips. What did I do before a wireless laptop? As I dive into all of these new concepts and ideas I hardly have time to take it all in. I also enjoy reading the blogs, however, I am not that confident in my blogging ability, but I’m trying. Maybe next year, I will be able to have some groups blog here at school. I’m talking up the idea….

After attending the NCETC conference with many of the ITFs in our county, I came back with lots of ideas, information and many uncertainties. One neat presentation that both Joe and I attended at the conference was given by Olive Chapel and students were allowed to write their story and narrate it into Movie Maker.

 I created a similar project with my first graders using Word, Power Point, PhotoStory3, and a digital camera. First grade students composed and letter and entered it into Word and their teacher helped them edit their work. She also took a photo of each child and downloaded it to the computer. I created a PPT and the students used the laptop to transfer the data from their student folder to the class PPT. They then pasted their photo on the screen and were allowed to choose a graphic as well. On the final day their student teacher was to be there, they had a surprise which they shared with her and it is something I’m sure she will always treasure.

It’s hard to believe the 1st graders are so comfortable with technology, but they are truly a product of their environment. The fear factor is not there as I see in many teachers who are not new to the profession.

I have set down with my new laptop, thanks to the support of Joe Poletti and Carolyn Ingram, and surfed for many hours through a massive number of sites which hold wonderful information and downloads that I can use to help prepare my students with skills they will need in the 21st century.  The flexibility of working with this laptop is amazing.  I know that many teachers are excited about the prospects of integrating Smartboards, Starboards, Movie making and GPSs into their daily lessons.

With things winding down as we reach EOGs and the end of the year, I keep jotting down new plans for integration next year, as well as projects I’d like to investigate and hope to try with my teachers next year.  The possibilities are endless.  Thanks for affording the tech pioneers the opportunity to meet new and innovative challenges. The laptop initiative is definitely the direction our county needs to be sailing.

NCaect 2007 Day 1

Will Richardson was an inspiring keynote speaker in our opening session this morning. Wow has he got it together! We definitely cannot expect the new generation to learn as we did in the past. We have to overcome our insecurities and delve into a new methods of instruction. We may not currently use all of the latest technologies within the walls of our physical classrooms, however, students are using it and we need to meet them with a challenge that will prepare them for skills they will use in the 21st century. He suggests we learn and teach using social tools like myspace.com, YouTube.com and others. Engage your students in writing and publishing, forget the handouts and conserve the paper. They will gain much more if they produce and “own” it. Education needs to be quicker to change.

Visit http://willrichardson.wikispaces.com/

Leslie Fisher was another impressive geek at the conference. Visit her site at lesliefisher.com

I can hardly wait to get back and share information I’ve gathered. …and more tomorrow.

Day 2 was a day full of information as well.  Kudos to Gaston County Techs for their help in creating simulations for preparing the 8th graders for the NC Test of Computer Skills.  We all need something that is more similar to what they will actually use for testing, even if the concept is novel the students don’t always pick up on the transfer.