1. Describe your current situation in regards to technology accessibility.
2. Describe the frustrations you feel regarding technology, this could be in regards to your access or general frustrations.
Word-
- Seating Charts ("Ghetto" Whiteboards)
- Rubric
- Table Tips
Quick Rant #2
Reflect upon a PowerPoint Presentation you have sat through and disliked. What made it ineffective, boring, confusing, and/or painful to sit through?
Powerpoint-
One Note-
The Gift of Time, online explorations and experimentations...
19 comments:
At our school, there are no computers in the classroom other than the teacher's. Our school as a computer lab that used to be a technology-based history class. Right now the computer room sits idle until I get clearance from the interim principal for teachers to use the room.
What I know is that there are 26 computers that have limited Internet access and have Microsoft Office loaded onto the computers.
I have so many frustrations that it's hard to choose one. Our school site can't keep a principal long enough to support technology. Therefore, I am going forward on my own to meet my student's needs.
1) I have one teacher computer in my classroom. One thing that’s nice about it is that it’s hooked up to my T.V., so I teach, for example, Word Knowledge from Open Court using my computer viewed via my T.V. I had two student computers that were absolutely ancient and thus are now gone. My students’ access to computers is only on Monday from 8:05-8:35, a measly 30 minutes in the school computer lab. The computers are nice and there are good programs, but ideally, of course, I would like to have computers in my own classroom for the students to use.
2) As for frustrations regarding technology, I think I would say time is my number one. Time to sit down and figure it out or plan a lesson through it. Some programs can be ridiculously complicated and throw too many features at you. I like predictability and quick user-ability, if you know what I mean.
My current situation is good. I have a laptop but our internet access is very limited due to the firewall the school has set up. There are 30 PCs in the library and 35 more in the tech center, but we all fight over classtime use.
Our school has a fairly new computer lab with limited software for the children to use. The district just purchased a laptop per teacher with Office 2007 but has only given an introduction to how to use a laptop and the do's and don'ts. My internet does not work but I am to check my email daily!
My frustration is that generally I have been responsible for learning how to use the computer. I am also responsible in the lab and when a computer has a problem I need to figure out how to unlock a computer or why the computer now only types in capitals, etc. There is so much I do not know that I need to know. I want to use the computer more efficiently and not see it as another thing to do.
I currently work as a humane educator for an animal protection group. I have a reliable computer at my desk to work with, much of my communication with teachers is through e-mail.
When I worked in the classroom as a teacher I was often in the situation Belinda describes: often more than one computer but only one worked and often the printer was on the fritz. Due to lack of time and expertise, I relied on students to troubleshoot during their lunch breaks. When I was assigned to start a newspaper at a high school, I had no computers! We begged and borrowed to get two, one Mac for page layout and one PC for typing. We had to be creative about who used the computers. I assigned a lot of writing exercises so students could hone their writing skills while waiting to type in their assignments. I was so frustrated to not be able to adequately prepare students for the technology they would be required to use if they did pursue a career in commnuications or journalism.
One of the challenges in my current job is to create relevant humane education programs that teachers can realistically teach. This means an awareness of the technological capabilities in the classroom. Incorporating technology into humane education may also inspire students to be curious about the animals in their communities.
I currently have one nice new laptop and a printer in my classroom. In addition, my school site has a computer lab. My frustration with my technology situation is that I was given a laptop with no instruction on how to set it up or use it. I only use it for e-mail at this time. Our computer lab is already outdated and has only two software games for my 1st graders to use. I am expected to teach computers to my class but have no support or guidance on what to teach. I feel so behind in our technology world.
1. I have access to computers as well as a recent school purchase of a projector. We have had to implement Edline and turnitin.com this year. While classes have been offered, they are only 45 minutes long. Not enough time has been spent helping us to integrate all this technology!!
2. Each year when the whole district gets together, we are forced to sit through a power point presentation that has no pictures, many misspelled words, nothing but data, and a waste of our time. The same information is provided in writing at the first staff meeting of the year.
#1. We have 1 teacher station computer which the kids are not supposed to use and 2 old macs that I brought in as I replaced my computer at home. We also have some access to using the Computer Lab in which I can usually find 20 or the 32 computers that work, but our district tends to over manage the Lab and upgrade things by erasing useful programs and limiting our access to web sites.
#2. I am a mac user in a pc school. When I try to make a worksheet or other word document, the pc seems to think it knows what I want. If I indent once, it assurmes I want to indent every time. It wants to make capital letters when I don't want them. I end up swearing at the machine and going home to do the project on my mac.
We are required to enter data into something called Data Director. Unfortunately, the district insists on changing our passwords and otherwise making it difficult to get the data in. Our new principal plans for us to do our Academic Conferences on the computer. I want to get more comfortable doing this.
Here I am again. My frustrations are with the firewall which will not allow access to music stations, auditory programs from MPR, etc.,. We also have a very slow response time for repairs and
help with problems. The equipment is relatively new, so that part is OK.
My frustrations with technology lie rooted in the fact that I do not want to take the time to learn how to do things. I want to believe that I have no time to learn, when in actuality, if something doesn't seem easy, I am less inclined to be enthusiastic about it. My husband is always saying that the computer will make my life easier, and he is very technology savvy. He has offered on numerous occasions to help me, and has tried to buy me gadgets, programs, etc. However, I haven't made it a priority yet. I don't even use our computerized templates to write report cards.
As far as accessibility at school, we have two student computers and teachers have a laptop. I tend not to use mine, I use my apple at home. The students use the class computers for exploring programs at school, but that is about it. I use the student computer for checking my email, and just recently my printer got fixed so I can now print things out for the kids, letters to parents, etc.
We have access to an LCD projector which I know can be valuable to a classroom, but I am afraid to screw things up while I try to learn it.
1. I have six computers and one printer (for students) in the classroom--three computers don't work---they are "presents" from a company who donated them and have window 98 on them. The "newer" computers are three years old. The teacher computer is two years old, has the capablility to burn CD's but is not set up correctly to do it. There is one "tech" for 20 schools so if we see him at all it is to fix extreme problems for teacher computers only. I have 33 students in the classroom. The library has four computers for research and one printer but there are issues with sending students to the library during time that is not allocated to my classroom time. My school doesn't have a computer lab/room. There are so many restrictions and "safety" measures added to the computer system for the district that access is limited, even for teachers.
2. I find it next to impossible to teach sixth graders how to do research, look up information that is relavent (not over their heads or off topic), learn to write and publish with microsoft, etc. because of the lack of computer access. Most of my students only know how to access games, if that, because many have no computer at home. I am concerned about these students as they move into junior high and high school.
How do "they" expect us to teach 33 students with 3 computers in the classroom and an avery key that may work on an old out of focus TV. In the library media center laptops that seldom work are there for 20 to 30 of the 33 students. They all have separate tech problems and by the time most of the computers are up, so is your time. Our students come to us with little or no exposure. Each time you have 30 minutes it problem solving time. It's easier to use paper and pencil and accomplish something. Without support this is more challenge than I have been successfully been able to deal with. That's not to say I don't try, but it's also why all the gray hair.
1. My classroom currently has 6 computers. Two of the computers are new (including the one on the teacher's desk) and cannot be accessed because the district has not come out and set them up. One will not boot up and gives me a message about unix or something. The remaining three computers will boot up. Two are running XP and one is on Windows 98. My school also has a computer lab with 15 new computers that again cannot be accessed because the district has not come out and set them up. My staff is very frustrated that each room and the lab has all of these new computers that we cannot use.
2. I am very frustrated that I have computers that I cannot use. What I hear is that our district is short of people in the IT Dept. Work orders take forever to have anyone come out and take care of problems. I am at the point where I am going to have my husband come out and help me with my computer problems. I feel lucky that I have more than one computer in the room and want to start letting my students utilize them, but want to make sure that virus definitions are updated and to know what programs each computer has.
I have 3 computers in my room - two for student use and a lap top. I use the student computers at centers and free time - had training for using as an academic tool - River Deep - but did'nt set it up right away and now can't remember quite how to and when I take out the binder to try and reaquaint always seem to get stuck at some point and then never get back to. My laptop I use pretty much only for checking emails and basic word processing stuff.
Question # 2 - I always get STUCK somewhere in the process of what I am doing and have little trouble shooting and coping skills! And it all takes time, so when I get stuck or have to do over ( which always happens!) I resort back to paper and pencil.
Quick Rant Two
I don't appreciate Powerpoint when it can be a handout with the same info. I like pictures, weblinks, etc. that inform. Mind you, I am not that skilled at making an effective Powerpoint myself. Where is the time if I'am a full-time teacher? It's for this reason I love these classes which provide equipment, time and assistance.
Quick Rant #1
My current classroom (where I student teach) has a projector in the room that connects to a laptop. This way, teachers can use Powerpoint and other Microsoft programs in the classroom. My resident teacher likes to put the weekly root word test on Powerpoint so that when they finish they can correct their tests as she goes through the slides. The classroom also has four iMacs (the look like they are about five years old or more). The students rarely use them, because most of the work in class doesn't require typed work. My resident teacher does not use the multimedia teaching materials that come with the Holt textbook.
2. I don't feel very frustrated with technology, but I can see how my students might--a majority of them come from low-income families that do not have computers or internet at home. I feel that they are at a disadvantage, because I used to substitute teach at elementary schools middle schools in other districts where there were plenty of computers and guidance for students. As for myself, I only become frustrated when files mysteriously freeze or disappear. Aside from that, I feel that I have the ability to learn technology. Currently, I am learning how to create a website for my classes through my credential program at UC Davis.
Renee V.
I too am in Bee's district. Though we have technology in the district to make life easier, I am finding that some school sites have more than we do. I am an English teacher and frequently need to have the kids on computers to type final drafts. I found when I went to do this for the first time that we don't have a computer lab. We have mobile labs that don't work the way they are set up. The laptops don't get online. They don't print to a network printer. some of them don't even start up. We have four carts that don't work properly. I did not have a teacher computer for 7 weeks into the school year. I do have an LCD projector mounted in my room, but a friend of mine works at another campus where they have every class full of computers, LCDs, document viewers, interwrite pads. OK I'm done ranting!
Currently have 2 computers in the classroom with retrictions on accessing sites online and installation, download, of software not pre-approved. As a first grade teacher, currently, I am interested in ways my students might benefit from technology use. I would like to use phonics software that came with the reading program, but am not allowed to install, nor can site administrator install the software.
In addition, I would like to connect the computer to the TV to use for whole class instruction, and viewing of online videos.
There is a computer lab that students go to for an hour once a week. I have given pages from the math text to the lab teacher on using technology for math. In addition parents have asked for recommendations for math software their child can use to improve skills.
Frustrations are that I am not up-to-date on current technology vocabulary, and software. I would like to download digital photos, and video of classroom activities to display for open-house. Would also be nice if there is freeware to edit photos, videos, and to add voice overlays.
1. I only know how to use it to search for information.
2. I will like to learn in what other ways I can use it to help me and my children.
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