1+to+1+Laptops


 * I hope that everyone is as excited as I am about the 1:1 Laptop Initiative. Below please tell me about the exciting and innovative lessons and/or research you will have your students do once they have their laptops**.

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I am sure that it would be a great tool to use with Homebound Students, but the resources are not availble at this time to equip these students with the technology. Carol West

I'm just now discovering the amazing amount of cool resources that will help make my classroom component more interactive. The The NCTies conference that I attended offered a number of resources like goole apps, moodle, games and several others that I intend to incorporate into my lessons. Col Joyce

In math, we will be using a lot of simulations. These allow the students to visualize real world situations and manipulate the input to see how this changes the results. We will also use Wolframalpha and SAS Curriculum Pathways quite a bit. Geometer's Sketchpad and the In Motion programs really bring math alive. L. Moye

I have found a lot of online simuations, games, and tutorials that I think the students will like. I am also looking forward to having lab "templates" online that can be downloaded, uploaded, etc. for grading. I plan on implementing google docs and having the students do a lot more presentation stuff. I am hoping to get lots of good stuff while in Philadelphia and looking forward to having time during the summer to hunt for more exciting things. ~Christine

I have found a lot of different programs, teaching tools, and videos that can be used in our Physical Education classes. We will be able to track our progess and record our lifts/sets/reps much easier now in weight training. Also, with the lift techniques online in vidoes, I think the will help them understand how to do these lifts with better understanding of the technique. Also, in our fitness and conditioning class we will be able to track our diets, exercise, and count calories much easier with the programs online designed for such classes.

Michael J. Twichell

There are tons of tools that we will be able to use in math. As Lois said, Geometer's Sketchpad allows studentsto create their mathematical situations, then alter them for each individual situation. I think programs like this and In Motion will be useful in reaching the student and actually alowing them to "see" math. I also like the Google and Moodle programs for the reason that I can have students research real world math and then have a discussion about it among their peers. As nerdy as it sounds, there are a tons of online math games that are really fun. Once we can all play at the same time, it will challenge the students to be better than the next and push them to learn more and harder material. ~Lea B.

I will have the students use their laptops to keep up with current events. They will need to find one relevant to Civics each week and respond to it in a Google Form. The students will also be able to use them to work on class projects involving election research, creating and marketing their own product, and creating their own city. They will also be a great resource when we look at things like propaganda techniques because they (hopefully) will be able to watch videos that illustrate these concepts. -Brandi Philipps

I am really excited about using VoiceThread with my Art students. There are a variety of possible uses of VoiceThread in the art room. You can use VT to document demonstrations or introductions to lessons for later playback in the classroom or by students who missed a class. They can also post artwork, photographs or video clips with questions to prompt students to analyze and interpret the works shown. Students can use VT to tell digital stories and to showcase their artwork by creating online portfolios that include reflective comments about each piece. Portfolios can then be shared with classmates who can also add their comments on the work shown.

Holly B.

Health Occupations students will use their computers to complete computerized charting for simulated patients. They will also submit electronic journal entries, take notes during lectures, participate in group projects, and complete various other assignments. ~Lynn McCoy

I really like the idea of having my classes "centralized" using a website like Moodle. Moodle will basically serve as an interactive course outline that will keep the class organized and on-track. I like that students who are absent will be able to easily see what they have missed and can keep up with their work. I am also excited about the different features of Moodle, particularly the discussion forums. I think that students who are reluctant to participate in class discussions can "find their voice" in an online forum. This will be very useful for assessing the understanding of all students. On top of all this, simply having the unlimited resources that the Internet provides will be invaluable for research. There is a wealth of information pertaining to agricultural issues and statistics, environmental issues and current events, and technical horticultural information regarding plant culture. This will, of course, require a lot of preparation and planning, but it has the potential to revolutionize education in Pamlico County.

- Jeremy Johnson

Already working in a 1:1 lab, I have students engaged every day in various types of computer activity. Not only are they learning the applications (such as Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and many others), they are learning HOW to use them for life application. We do resumes, job applications, budgets, letters, and many other types of documents. ~Jammie Tyndall

Teen living students currently use technology for class presentations as well as research opportunities. Students will also be able to keep up with assignments resulting in better grades. Students will have access to notes and teacher presentations.

I have found a lot of different online activities where students can practice pronunciation, grammar rules, writing and reading in Spansih. For example, in **quia.com** students can play various games like hangman, battleships, rags to riches, etc,. while they are learning or reviewing vocabulary. also, **bitships** allows students to create their own comics in Spanish and do different roles in a conversation. Martha P.

I like to use interactive games that teach vocabulary and demonstrate comprehension of the material with the students. Right now we do this using the promethean board and the whole class standing up at it to be involved. With the 1:1 laptops I will be able to have many different games being played at the same time with multiple teaching points going on throughout the class. AO1 Edsall

As Martha said, interactive games will be useful in Spanish for different types of assignments. In addition to that, I will use the forums (in moodle) to interact and answer basic questions in the target language. I think this is a very useful tool to communicate and apply your knowledge on the foreign language. Oscar Franco

I am excited about the 1:1 Laptop Initiative because students and teachers can be so much more creative. To me it is like a whole new way of teaching and learning is at our finger tips. I hope I will have a chance to teach the students research skills through the use of their laptops in classrooms and in the media center. I am excited that I will be able to teach them about accessing information such as our online catalog, NC Wise Owl and NC Live at school and at home. There are a lot of other excellent information sites for them to use. The ability to research and produce products in school and at home will be more realistic to how our world is functioning now. I can truly picture how I could become more involved with project based learning and play a major role in teaching and learning. I already think that students will be in our media center after school working on projects and other classwork in the afternoons when they have their new student laptops. The public library now has wireless access! That is a great asset for our community, especially students. I am expecting project based learning to inspire a lot of teachers and students. Change is here! I know there is a great deal of work that has been done and there is more work to be done. I think we have made some giant steps for our 21st century learners, and next year will be a huge, positive milestone at PCHS. I dream about our media center expanding with a new three story wing dedicated to high school teachers, high school students and college students. We have to be ready to meet the needs of the students that will keep coming through our high school and community college each year to be educated. Wendy I. Potter