Remember learning your multiplication facts with only flash cards and paper and a pencil? While these can still be useful ways to learn today, the different options to learn have grown with technology. Imagine learning about space while talking to an astronaut on the space station.
My 60+ third graders attend a wonderful but relatively new school in Texas.
As a new school we sometimes do not have all of the things an old established school would have and therefore a lot of our school budget can't be spent on additional technology tools to be used with individual or small groups of students. Many of my students do not have access to technology or Internet on a consistent basis at home, so being able to use technology (such as iPads) at school is very exciting for them. They are hard workers who want to learn a lot and do their best; they just need the appropriate tools in order for this to happen.
My Project
My students will initially use the iPad Mini with protective case to build their math fact fluency with programs such as Reflex Math and XtraMath. They will also be able to work on problem solving using Think Through Math and Pearson Math Investigations. In Science class they will be able to listen and read the leveled readers from Science Fusion. They will also be able to view and interact with digital lessons and the Science Fusion online products. Third grade is a big year for students as they learn multiplication and science concepts--foundational skills needed for higher level math and science. Using tablets makes learning more engaging and fun for my students as well as providing useful data for me, the teacher.
My hope is to eventually get enough tablets for students to not only use already developed programs, but to also work in collaborative groups to create new content and communicate their learning online. We plan to participate in the Hour of Code program this year.
My school already provides some technology in the form of a few student PCs in the classroom along with two schoolwide laptop carts that can be checked out weekly.
Unfortunately, these devices do not provide enough access for everyday use to benefit all of my students. Even having just a few iPad minis(specifically for my classroom) would make a huge difference for my students.
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