Week 11- Teacher Interview

I asked Chris Demers, the technology teacher at Mill Brook six different interview questions. Before we had the interview, Chris came into my Kindergarten classroom to teach lessons on iPads, using the apps Skitch and BookMaker. During this time, Chris engaged the students in the classrooms fully. The students were very interested in knowing what they will learn that day, how to do it, and the interaction between students that presents itself, and presenting their products to the class.

What I enjoyed most about Chris' visit was that he brought 2nd graders to help teach the Kindergarten students. The second graders felt like they were teaching the younger students, and the teachers were actually able to step back and observe the students using the iPads.

Since Chris and I seem to have opposite schedules, we decided to finish the observation interview online. Below is the interview:

Q: Why/How did you become interested in this field of teaching?

A: Teaching is my passion and so any opportunity to do it is a gift.  Beyond that, I'm very interested in what technology can do to enhance learning.  iPads in the classroom can be misused in so many ways and yet there is a potential to great things with these tools.  Teachers are all over the place in terms of their comfort level with these devices and students are as well.  The chance to bring everyone together and try to figure out how to best use these tools is exciting.

Q:  What specifically are the teachers doing with technology within the classrooms?

A:  I think that the use of technology fits into two basic categories (and a 3rd that we're trying to avoid).  Category one is productivity.  iPads (and other forms of technology) hold incredible potential for students to demonstrate their understanding in many ways - whether it's through immediate feedback using response systems (which we haven't done yet at Mill Brook School) or by generating quality products like videos or digital books.  Category two is practice.  Technology offers opportunities for students to do things over and over (in a fun way) to build skills whether it's through games or other practice apps.  The 3rd category is mindless game playing.  Technology can a fun toy with very little thinking value.  Students would love to play Angry Birds all day.  That kind of use should be an outside of school activity. 

Q: Are you/the teachers using technology with the current curriculum?

A:  The goal for this year is to integrate the use of technology into the curriculum that is taught by classroom teachers.  This is a bit of a different model from past years when tech was only a separate class.  With positions like mine in each school, it's all about bringing the tech to the classrooms.

Q:  How are students using technology?

A:  Here's a quick list of what they're doing and with what... 

Practice - Fasttmath and game apps

Writing - Book Creator and other book making apps

Showing understanding by explaining their thinking - Educreations, Glogster and Skitch

Reading fluency portfolios - Book Creator

Q: What standards are being used in relation to the technology?

A:  We are currently working on adapting the ISTE standards in Concord and generating Enduring Understandings, Essential Questions and skills/knowledge for each.  We are preparing to roll out a digital portfolio that students will compile to demonstrate their understanding of these standards. 

Q:  If the technology is not available to all students at the same time, how are students sharing the technology?

A:  This is not a problem at MBS.  At Broken Ground School, we have a mobile cart of iPads and another with Netbooks.  There is an on-line schedule for each of these (as well as the computer lab).  Teachers sign out for these tools as well as time with me or Tootle as we help support the use of these devices. 

Q:  What evidence of the results of technology use are displayed in the classroom? Do you see computer-generated charts, graphs, or tables? Reports containing photographs or other computer-generated images? Print-outs from slide shows? Printed blog entries? Technology should extend lessons in visible ways.
A:  Here is one example...

4th grade Glogster Project

I really enjoyed viewing the Glogster Project. I enjoyed viewing a grade-wide online project. While viewing these projects, you can tell that the students took their time, and really learned something with all the information that was put on them.

I love seeing technology in the classroom, and cannot wait for Chris to come back into my Kindergarten classroom to show us some new ideas! :)