Our school has 2 computer labs, one targeted for K-2 (with an instructional assistant), and the other for 3-5. We have a county Technology Instruction Teacher who is in our school one day a week. We can schedule her to work with us (support) or the kids (direct instruction). We also have a Tech Support person, also in our school 1 x week, working mostly on the hardware. In the 3-5 lab is a SmartBoard. There are 2 SmartNotebooks available for checkout from the library, as well as 2 SchoolPads (I think I have those terms right). We have 2 Classroom Performance Systems available for checkout. All 3-5 classrooms and the 3-5 lab have an LCD projector mounted in the ceiling.
In our classrooms, we all have 4 computers, with one designated as the "teacher" computer, due to certain software on it (attendance, etc). However, depending on the room set-up, all are available for kid use, and all are connected to the Internet by ethernet cables. I am borrowing an ELMO visual presenter and LCD projector from our local university education program. Two of the other 2nd grade teachers bought their own ELMO, and one has her own projector, and the other is borrowing an extra one (belongs to school). I LOVE my ELMO, and can't imagine teaching without it now. I'm writing a grant for my own. Our principal is promising to have LCD projectors put in 2nd grade classrooms this summer. I hope to have mine hooked up w/ my teacher computer as well, so I can project images from the Internet, or United Streaming. There are also several scanners in the school, and the library has about 20 computers. The card catalog is available on any computer on the network. All that being said, our schools (4 HS, 4 MS, 12 ES, 2 alternative HS) vary widely in the technology they have available. I think it depends a lot on the principal, and how much he/she is willing to do as far as writing grants, etc. We have a grant writer for the county, so she is a wonderful resource. I think technology is a powerful tool for education, learning, and everyday life. As you hear over and over, the kids that are in school today will have jobs in 12-15 years that haven't even been "invented" yet. They must have access to technology and become proficient in its use. It will be another "literacy" (along with oral, phonological, visual, listening, reading, writing, etc). A note we recently got from our Technology Education Instructor mentioned that kids that are in school today are technology "natives"--they've always had computers, CDs, etc. We (veteran teachers) are technology "immigrants". I thought that was an interesting, and easy-to-understand way to put it. Melissa/VA/2nd On Feb 18, 2008 12:49 PM, Brienne Jenna Karow <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > I was wondering what kind of access any of you have to technology in > your own classroom or within the entire building? as well as how you > use this technology in your own teaching practices? Also, is there a > Technology person that supports you and the rest of your colleagues or > are you kind of left on your own to figure it all out? One more > question, How do you see technology and its applications for the > classroom in the future? > > Thanks! > Brie > > > _______________________________________________ > Mosaic mailing list > [email protected] > To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to > http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. > > Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive. > > _______________________________________________ Mosaic mailing list [email protected] To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive.
