What do you get when you mix half a dozen iPADS 

and 25 STUDENTS?

On Friday, our class won 3 more iPads from the Washington Technology Committee after we received a grant.  It was an exciting moment for everyone when we found out during the WZRD news. Cheers went up in the room. This brings us up to a class total of 6 iPads, 4 desktops and a laptop, almost a 2:1 technology to student ratio. 

A small group watches a video on the Trail of Tears.
They are answering questions in their response journals as
they learn facts about the journey.

I had applied to receive  the iPads from the technology committee so that I could build interactive lessons and so students could create digital projects. In addition to class discussions I can now use interactive programs like Socrative and Padlet so that students can post their responses to the whiteboard from their desks. Vocabulary quizzes can become interactive with Kahoot.com where I can project the quiz and students login with their iPads. The feedback is immediate and students are 100% engaged.

I know that preparing our kids for citizenship in the 21st century will require ensuring their flexibility and skill at using technology. The number of devices we have still requires collaboration between students, which I think encourages important cooperative work skills. These new iPads are going to get a lot of use! 

What are your thoughts about technology in the classroom?