Do You Have More Students Than Technology Devices?Megan Johnson, Computer Teacher, Northwood High School, Pittsboro, NC
Do you have more students than technology devices? Do you need a plan to help get all your students through the various devices in a limited time? Here is an example of a rotation plan that works for Ms. Johnson.
I spend a total of eight days on the Alternative Input Device Centers. Each center lasts two days. You can use many different technologies on a rotation schedule. However, my centers include:
- Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) - 12
- Tablet PC - 1; Miniature Mobile Storage Media (MMSM)
- Digital Cameras - 2; Digital Camcorders 2; Web Cams - 2
- Speech Recognition - 25 Microphone Headsets
Each group will rotate to each center every 2 days. The students in the groups do not necessarily have to complete the assignments together at each center. However, they may choose to work together.
Each center has various activities in a folder for the students to complete using that center’s technology tools. The folders also include Microsoft® PowerPoint® presentations, vocabulary, review, and true-or-false questions pertaining to the information learned at the current center. These assignments are placed inside a manila folder with the center name indicated at the top. When students reach a new center, they receive a new folder with that center's assignments inside. The assignments for Ms. Johnson’s class include:
- Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) Create a PowerPoint presentation about something you would like students to know about PDAs. One example is how to navigate around in a PDA. Place the PowerPoint on a CD and include it in the manila folder for the students to view while they are at this center. Students should practice navigating around in a PDA while they are at this station.
- Tablet PC and MMSM Create a tutorial about the various techniques students can try when using a Tablet PC. Have students research each MMSM and indicate suppliers, prices, and storage capacity. Then have students practice using the Tablet PC to write a letter.
- Digital Camera/Camcorder/Webcam Students are sent on a scavenger hunt around the school building where they must use a digital camera to take 17 pictures. Then students will create a PowerPoint using those pictures. Students are given interview questions to ask each other in order to practice using the digital camcorder. Each interview must last 3–5 minutes and each student must practice using the device. Each student will take a picture with the Webcam and say a 30 second blurb about themselves.
- Speech Recognition Before we begin the centers, the entire class trains their voice with a speech recognition software program and practices dictating several problems in Microsoft® Word. Students must dictate a document completely in Numbers Mode and another document in Normal Mode.
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