 Students practicing math with STEM cart robots
I feel that technology is a meaningful tool that can greatly enhance student learning. This year, one of my goals was to integrate technology in meaningful ways into all aspects of my teaching. The class was very on board with this because as 21st century learners, I've found that students become more engaged with the presence of technology.
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Students working on coding with Ozobots
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During my reading instruction group time, we were working on comprehension through expression and voice. Students surveyed popular books from the lower grades, then using iPads and media-making software, created video/audio books for the younger students to listen to using QR codes (please see picture below and video to the right).
QR code for one of our video/audio books
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Using Toontastic
During our reading time, after students have completed a book, one of the ways they can demonstrate their comprehension is by doing a cartoon. We use Toontastic, where the students get to play and manipulate the characters to create a cartoon and narrate as they go. A group of students all reading the same book, decided to each pick a chapter to make a mini cartoon of, then put their work together to form a synopsis of sorts about the book. After they were done and had all collaborated, we uploaded it onto the Toontasktic archives and shared it as a cartoon/book review. The students were thrilled! Just by integrating technology, the students not only took ownership of their own learning, but sought out ways to share it with others, and by doing so created something they could publish and be proud of.
Group planning with iPads
I also encourage the students to help. They help me brainstorm new ways we can incorporate technology. During Earth Week, the students asked if we could use the iPads to reduce paper waste. We looked into it and thanks to apps like Notes HD and Top Notes, I was able to have the students annotate on pictures of worksheets, so that we didn't have to use any paper at all!