Technology Integration in the Classroom

Well folks, it is time for the next session of Diggin' Into Next Year!

This week's session is all about integrating technology into the classroom. If you have been following me for awhile, you know that I use technology a fair amount. I think it is important to use something that the children can identify with, and let's face it, not many children are strangers to technology.
Years ago, I started grabbing computers that were being replaced in the labs. When I started this, I was using older models that had floppy disks. Each time the labs were upgraded, my classroom was upgraded too.
If you look at some of my pictures, you will see that they are still old technology, but the kids don't care. They love to be able to do journals, math and language games, powerpoints, and drawing on them. Actually, they can do almost everything except surf the internet on them.
I have a couple of laptops that are newer that can access the internet, when needed, but I prefer not to have the kids surfing anyway. If they need to have internet access, we can always book time in the computer lab for that.

I don't have a Smartboard in my classroom, but I do have a projector and a whiteboard. I use the Notebook software with a mouse to mimic a Smartboard and we improvise. I also use other interactive products to make learning fun. A document camera is also a great tool for projecting things onto the whiteboard.

I recycled iphones as ipods for small group and center work. I don't have any pictures of using ipods and my ipad for doing the activities that involve QR codes or small group centers, because even my iphone gets used sometimes. This means I don't have a camera handy for taking the pics.

Our school got 8 ipads last year, so I would like to integrate some centers that involve using these. I would also like to have the children work more on using the computers to create projects. I find that they enjoy writing stories and sharing ideas on the computer, so it would be interesting to see if they could create some story collections for the class.
I would also like to incorporate more small group time with technology. Of course, until I meet my class and see what their needs are, I will not be able to tailor the activities too specifically.


One thing I really like about having computers in my classroom, is that I don't have to schedule a specific time for using them. If the lesson we are doing lends itself to using the computers, we can just head on over to them and get started. We don't have to be watching the clock and rushing to leave so another class can come in. We can adjust our time when it is flowing, and keep going with the activity.

Well, there you have it. This is a small glimpse at how I use technology in my classroom.