While reading several edtech journals I was struck by the images of students setting in rows behind computer monitors, while at the same time reading articles about how technology is changing education. When a school has desktop boxes and CRT’s there may not be a better choice when you are teaching computer applications. In my classroom there are 6 desktop with CRT’s, and my aid and I each have a computer. They are set against the wall and all networked. I struggle weekly to use the computers as just another tool, like a calculator or pencil, in delivery of the curriculum. There are not enough computers for every student so I have them work in teams.
The last project was using the scientific method, they had to determine which of three paper towels was the most absorbent. I created a classroom wiki with the directions, an outline, and a rubric. Each student had an account to access the wiki and they worked in teams of 3 or 4. These are special ed high school students in a vocational school and they had developed sense of learned helplessness over their years in the special ed classrooms. I wanted them to begin to take charge of their own learning so other than the directions on the wiki I gave them very little direction. They had to email me or contact me though the discussion function of the wiki. During this time I was in New Mexico for a week and kept in touch through the wiki discussion.
For the first 2 days they just sat at the computers and waited for myself or the aid to help, we just went about our business. When the students would ask specific questions I would answer. They finally finished the project, I had to give them an extra week, and now I want to use some photos I took when they were doing the experiment to make a PowerPoint.
The school does have a computer lab, but I don’t believe the students could have had the same experience their. For one thing just scheduling time in the lab is always a problem. In the classroom I just make the time. If students had laptops they would always have access to the curriculum, each other, and the world. A few students actually did work on the wiki at home, which is what I encouraged them all to do.
So I guess the computer lab is a first step to integrate technology into the curriculum and I hope it is not the last.
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