Tool 9: Incorporating Classroom Devices

1.  I think it's important to tie technology to objectives because it's a way to differentiate for the students.  Technology takes skills, lessons, objectives to the next level.  It's a way for students to take away a bit more from a lesson than they might normally take away.  Technology engages students, and it allows them to express their thinking in a different way. 

2.  In all things classroom, accountability is key!  Whether technology is being used or not, teachers expect students to be accountable for what they are doing in their classroom, so when it comes to setting up stations/centers using technology, students DEFINITELY need to be held accountable.  Breaking/damaging a pencil is not the same as breaking/damaging an IPad.  Teachers should maybe plan to have a lesson: How to use technology properly. Through this lesson, teachers can go over what students are accountable for and what expectations will be through out the station/center process.  Ultimately, the station/center is there to supplement a previously taught skill.  Students are not going through the station "for the fun of it."  With that in mind, students need to be accountable for their own learning while at the station.

3.  I think Thinkfinity is an excellent site that offers a variety of fun games focusing on different Literacy skills.  I also really liked TESiboard because it allows for students to have the option of using the interactive whiteboard in their station.  With both of these sites, students can work in different stations to review skills throughout a six weeks.  If using this at the end of a six weeks to review for an exam, teachers could give students a graphic organizer/q & a/cloze exercise to fill out as they go through the stations. This could be a way to keep students accountable as they go through the stations.  Teachers could also give students a scavenger hunt type activity to work on as they go through the stations that would allow students to create some sort of product at the end of the rotation.  These are all ways teachers could keep students accountable when working with stations.

4.  CartoonStdio:  this could be a station where students create a cartoon that explains what they have learned about different skills.  Students would create a cartoon that would be proof of understanding.  Simple and fun!!
*Lino (online stickies):  using a text(s) and the online sticky app, teachers could pose questions about the text at the station and have students respond using an online sticky.  Students could also respond to comments that other students have made about the text(s)
*Twitter:  Since this is basically micro blogging, students could use this station to post their response/comment/question about a text they have just read in class or a text they are reading in the station.  teachers can monitor this station and pose instant questions to students to get conversations going through Twitter. Love it!!
*StoryKit: Students can rewrite classic stories like The Three Little Pigs OR create new stories focusing on using reading and writing skills that they have focused on in class. Great App!!

5.  I can see students using the IPad to do many other things.  Reading ebooks, working on mini group projects, watching online videos in small groups, etc.  The possibilities are endless!!
Ciao!!