Technology

Smart Board, Chromebooks and iPads

Technology can have a great effect on motivation, ownership and engagement of students. In order to be successful after leaving our program, our students need to stay current and on pace with 21^st century innovations. Using the majority of the grant money, we were able to purchase a portable Smart Board, laptops and iPads.

The portable Smart Board has many benefits. Unlike the traditional Smart Board, it is not very big and does not require a permanent location, thus allowing us to transport it from program to program. We can project resources on the board and engage students by making lessons interactive. They are able to drag, swipe, rotate and move objects using their finger; which may clear up many math concepts that are abstract and hard to imagine using traditional methods. Students can also highlight and write directly on lessons and resources as they are projected. This allows teachers to give instant feedback and scaffold more effectively.

Students often have math anxiety and lack understanding because they can’t manipulate math concepts. The iPad offers a great solution to this problem and students will be much more engaged discovering and investigating topics by using interactive apps. This allows us to use a much more student-centred approach. Students can also create their own resources by using apps to record themselves writing on a whiteboard and use the microphone to explain what they are doing. A resource bank will be created for students to access to download their own resources or to refresh their memory at any point in time.

Finally, all of our resources have been converted into Google documents. Google documents allow students to work from anywhere. If they miss a day, they won’t fall behind relieving much of their stress and anxiety. It also allows students to use gizmos, interactive websites and other resources that the Internet offers which strengthens understanding and allows them to dive deeper into topics that interest them. The students, therefore, became part of the learning process. It also allows them to collaborate with each other without having to meet up physically. This online environment also allows teachers see how much the student has completed in real time, therefore, are able to give suggestions and give instant descriptive feedback. Creating a Google classroom is an instant organization tool for students that replaces a binder. It allows them to keep track of what they have completed, ask questions or seek clarification, see any feedback or grades, and they are able to interact with the teacher. Lastly, having the resources in Google documents allows teachers to share best practices more effectively.