This course in Digital Writing couldn't have come at a better time for me. Just this week, my team at South View passed out 151 laptops to 151 8th graders (read more about Edina's laptop pilot at http://www.edina.k12.mn.us/news/mediareleases/releases0809/one%20to%20one%20laptop%20program.html), and I've been thinking a lot about how to integrate technology meaningfully in my classroom. My mind is whirling with the options --along with a little self-doubt and anxiety.
Last year I had little access to technology in our over-booked labs, and I used what little lab time I could get for word processing. I had found that giving the students lab time for composing and revising also gave me the time I needed to conference with students individually. (Over my 11 years of teaching, I've become convinced that the most effective thing I do in my classes to help students improve as writers is to conference with them individually; yet it's so hard to find the time I need to do this, whether inside or outside class.)
Now suddenly in addition to old-fashioned word processing, I'm thinking about Moodle forums and chats, Google docs, wikis, blogs, and VoiceThreads. I'd like to learn how to do all these things. At the same time, I don't want to use technology just for its own sake; I want to use these tools in ways that help students become better readers, writers, and thinkers. I'm guessing that the digital writing tools will really motivate students by giving them more opportunities for collaboration and more authentic audiences.
I'm not at all a techie, so I know I'll be challenged as I try to learn these tools. Overall I'm excited about the access to technology that this laptop pilot provides, and I'm excited to learn some new tools to use in my classroom.
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Hi Tess,
ReplyDeleteI feel stressed reading your entry because I can see our lab sign out sheets in my head, and they are all booked up.
I hope you embrace your laptops!!I think it is much like swimming or learning anything new. At first it is overwhelming, but once you learn some rules or guidelines it feels so much better. For me, it is getting over the initial feeling of wanting to stay in my comfortable, familiar routine that is most difficult. Once I enter the metaphoric jungle I let go and say, "Well, at least I am trying."
What a wonderful opportunity to have one-to-one computer ratios. I wish you the best as you play around with the best ways to use the laptops. Hopefully all will go well and more and more teachers will have this opportunity.
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