With varying amounts of technology in the classroom or available through computer labs, etc, different schools will have different ways of implementing technology on a daily basis! If you’re one of the lucky schools to have enough funding to provide for laptops or media devices for student use KUDOS to you! Many school systems are currently trying to improve the technology resources available in their schools to stay up to date with the appropriate usability for students!
Using technology can be simple things such as:
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allowing students to take accelerated reader tests on the computer for a comprehension quiz
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practicing math facts of math concepts through many different websites geared for math games.
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allowing students to type up a story that they already created or already have an outline for.
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giving students time in the classroom to work with computers as a station (even if there are only two of them) with a buddy to go to a pre given site or task.
For the more Computer Savy:
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Students could create powerpoint presentations from a novel/book read to be called a ‘rolling book report’. This would take multiple computer lab sessions!
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Students could create Jeopardy as a review for a Social Studies/Science test
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Students could track weather via the Weatherbug or another internet site devoted to local weather.
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Students could practice fluency and/or comprehension by reading with a buddy or having the computer read the information to them!
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Students can use the internet (prepicked sites) to research for a project or presentation!
Interesting blog on various different ways to incorporate technology into all levels of the classroom!
I like to remember that all of my students will be at various levels when working with a computer. Some are experts at typing IM/Email style, but forget that schoolwork is a completely different type of writing! Some students, particularly in more ethnically and socio-economically diverse schools, will have never used a computer at home before and will need more basic instruction on opening up a file or double clicking with a mouse.
It’s important to assess where the students are with computer usage at the beginning of the years, so any lessons you do with them can be planned around or modified to each level (just like a regular lesson in the classroom!).
The most important piece of advice I’ve found is to try to keep it simple! I like to do computer lab themes around holidays that are coming up or content information so that students are able to review and have fun with whatever their task is!
