I would like to begin this week by clarifying some information about the website http://www.turtlediary.com/kids-games.html I reviewed for class on Monday. It was brought to my attention that my presentation came across in such a way as to convey I would not recommend the website. I DO recommend the website - especially for first year teachers trying to collect various materials and ideas to use for younger elementary students to either supplement centers or enrich lessons with hands on crafts and activities. The website does allow access to several bits of material with their Free or Basic version including videos, games, worksheets, puzzles and crafts. As with many websites that are out there you get more if you actually pay for a membership or service. This is true with Turtlediary. Tracking features, email capabilities as well as access to ALL the content the website provides are available with a paid membership. With that being said, did I think that, with what manipulation of the website I was able to do for free, the $200 per year fee was worth it, no I did not. I may be completely wrong however because as I mentioned in class the teachers that did review the website all LOVE it so maybe the cost does have benefits that I simply could not access with the free membership.
Now to testify........
I chose to review a website rather than an app for several reasons. The main one being I wanted to provide everyone with a resource that they could access no matter what school they were placed at. I love the idea of being able to incorporate technology into the classroom - please do not get me wrong on that. I know that today's students are more technologically savvy than the adults in their lives because it is what they are growing up engaged with. I know a boy in our neighborhood who can't ride a bike but he can fly through working any hand held device you stick in front of him.
My point is that even with the push of teaching our children to use and understand technology there are many classrooms throughout Wake County that DO NOT have the funds to provide enough technology in the everyday classroom.
As Larissa Bryant points out in her blog http://growingandblooming.wordpress.com/
President Obama came to Morrisville to address what needs to be done within our schools to provide students with the best possible technology interaction as possible in order to stay relevant with the rest of the world. The video can be found here: http://youtu.be/k-241jLHVMU
Anyway.... back to my point.
My point is that while technology is a good resource it still has its faults. Until developers of technology products such as the iPad and SMART make their products financially accessible to ALL schools there will continue to be a gap in the technology provided from school to school. Take our trip to Fuller Elementary for example. An inner city school like Fuller receives the funding necessary to provide its students with technology but come out to Southwest Cary and one elementary school I have visited has 1 SMART board for each grade level. Teachers have to sign up to reserve it and cannot have it more than once a week. This same class also only has 4 computers for the classes (which seems to be the norm county wide) and NO iPads whatsoever. Where does that disconnect come in? Do Wake County officials look at location and predetermine which schools need technology engagement based on socioeconomic demographics? If so, is that a fair way to assess who gets funding and who doesn't? How about ALL SCHOOLS receive funding so that ALL STUDENTS can have the necessary engagements and experiences in order to keep up with the ever changing technological world we live in.
A second fault, that we have all been privy to, is the sometimes instability of technology. When a teacher has to stop a lesson or activity to calibrate a SMART board s/he is taking time away from actually teaching the lesson and losing the student's interest in the process. Is that what should be happening in our school system? Is that providing students with the best experience as possible?
Okay, so maybe testify should be changed to preach......
Amen Sister Julie!
ReplyDeleteThe school where I currently teach is situated between a STEM school in Southeast Raleigh and a Renaissance school in Garner. The STEM school has IPads, IPods, Smart Boards and laptops for students. The Renaissance school also received lots of technology tools to help bring up students test scores because it will be taken over by the state if scores do not improve.
The STEM school, the Renaissance School and my school all have approximately 75% Free and Reduced lunch students, but as you can see there are disparities at the schools. However, our Principal at East Garner Elementary challenges our teachers and students to do well. Our scores have continued to go up despite only having one Smart Board per grade, 4 IPads per grade and 4 classroom computers. Teachers have to work out a schedule to use the Smart Board and IPads. However our Principal is dedicated to getting more technology in the classroom for our students.
Some schools have major fundraising campaigns to help with funding technology projects. My Principal states that it cost about $800 - $1000 dollars to purchase an IPAD and then have it set up with apps. Our school has decided to enter a contest through Big Lots with hopes to receive $20,000 to use toward technology. If you would like to vote please visit the link below and scroll down and watch the video the students made and vote for East Garner Elementary.
http://www.biglots.com/lots2give/vote
Larissa
Larissa,
DeleteI LOVE that your principal is behind you all trying to win the $20,000 grant! I will definitely place my vote.
Like Larissa said, Amen Sister Julie!
ReplyDeleteI agree with your thoughts about technology in schools 100%. I think it's unfair for some schools to have so much and others barely having enough to go around. I think those in charge need to spend more wisely and make sure that EVERY school has the technology they need. Location and demographics have absolutely nothing to do with giving students what they need to be successful. I think it is going to take people like us, who see this disparity on a daily basis, to get those in leadership roles to really pay attention to what schools (every school) needs for all students to have the access to technology they need and deserve.
Julie,
ReplyDeleteIt's good to hear that you think Fuller has a lot of technology! Our reputation must finally be changing. According to Fuller's NC report card, we only had one instructional digital learning device for every 22.38 students in 2011-2012. Davis Drive had one for every 1.7 students, and Mills Park had 4.18. (www.ncschoolreportcard.org)
Many families chose not to apply to Fuller because of our lack of technology. Some parents still applied, because they wanted a school with smaller class sizes that focused on the arts at the expense of other things. But there is definitely a trade-off. This year we were able to dramatically increase our technology, but it came at a price. We lost a room dedicated to specials when we had to add an extra classroom, and all the other class sizes increased significantly. We used every nook and cranny for instructional space. Even though I love technology, I'm not sure it was worth the cost.
One sad element of the imbalance in Wake County is the role of overcrowding in a school's access to technology. Larger class sizes mean more funds can be transferred from staffing to technology. Another disparity is due to PTA funding. At my daughter's north Raleigh dance school, a parent proudly announced that their PTA didn't do a fundraiser this year because they couldn't think of anything more to buy! Must be nice!
Our schools are underfunded, especially when it comes to technology. But I'm not sure I'd want them all to be the same. I'm glad we were able to find a school that had strengths and weakness that fit our priorities.
Heidi,
ReplyDeleteI was impressed with how much technology the students at Fuller seem to be engaged with. My children both attended Mills Park Elementary and, although our PTA DID fundraise to ensure every classroom would be equipped with a Promethean board when Wake County decided to switch us back to traditional, it wasn't until this past year that the students in upper elementary were connected to Edmodo or creating Prezi's or the like. I was just impressed with the amount of passion that seems to be behind the implementation of technology at Fuller. :)