Technology Infusion: Shaping and Molding 21st Century Library Learners
Help me give my students the use of iPads in order to help infuse our library lessons with the technology that 21st century learners need to succeed, in this ever-changing world of technology.
This project is part of the Black History Month celebration because it supports a Black teacher or a school where the majority of the students are Black.
My Students
The students at my Elementary School are motivated readers who love to come to the library. We have about 589 students from Pre-K to 5th grade. We service students under the Title I category and we also have a great number of military families.
As a teacher librarian/media specialist, I love to incorporate technology in every lesson I teach.
I've learned that despite how very engaging a lesson can be without technology, students are noticeably more engaged, when the lesson is infused with some sort of technology. My students anticipate the use of the iPads at the end of every one of my lessons, because they know they will be able to experiment with various apps that coincide with the lesson taught that day.
My Project
Recently, time expired with a grant that provided me with daily access to the use of iPads. At first, I was intimidated and lost about ways to incorporate the iPads into my library lessons. I started researching and began to find interesting and engaging ways to use iPads with my library lessons. It took off and I began using them with every lesson. I was able to witness the engagement level increase once I incorporated the use of the iPads with my lessons. Students would anticipate coming to the media center and would be even more engaged in the lessons and reading. An example of one of my favorite lessons, is the use of coloring pages. Say for instance, the students were learning about the life-cycle of a plant. I would present my lesson about the life-cycle of a plant. Reiterate/discuss what was learned and end the lesson by having students color what they thought was just an ordinary coloring page. Once students began to complete the coloring page, I would show them how, by using an AMAZING app, to make their plant life-cycle "come to life" or become 3-D. The students where in awe as they raced to complete their sheets to have their turn at making the plant life-cycle "come alive."
That is just one of many ways the use of iPads enhanced our lessons.
I have even been able to pique their interests in reading, using iPads, by having them use a wonderful online digital library. Many days, they end the class by reading a book themselves or having one read to them-one of the features of the online, digital library I use. I use the online, digital library to choose books for the subject discussed in the lesson (e.g. fairy tales, folk tales, biographies).
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As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. This classroom request for funding was created by Mrs. Ricks and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
