Guest Blogger: Randy Berndt, Rosholt Public Schools (WI)
As a special educator I have used assistive technology in my classroom for a number of years, however it is the technology available to all teachers and students that has changed my classroom this year. A blog, wiki pages and Google Docs have my students writing more, reflecting more, collaborating more, and using critical thinking skills on a daily basis.
I started a blog last year and have continued it this by inviting about a dozen students from another school to join. The blog challenges students to solve social and vocational issues while encouraging them to write more and with less mechanical errors. While my students didn’t seem to mind having grammatical, punctuation and spelling errors on the work they turned in to me, once their work became public they became more diligent about using word processing programs to make sure their writing was (more or less) error free.
A new webpage I created this summer which includes several wiki pages open for student use has my students collaborating more and developing a collective knowledge base. On one of the wiki pages they create problems which other students then check for accuracy, a dramatic shift away from the teacher-generated work they had previously done. On another, they post websites they find to help each other learn biology concepts being taught.
Another collaborative tool we have been using is Google Docs. Using Google Docs, students first provided input for their own grading policy and then developed the policy during a round-table discussion. It was interesting to see the students develop a policy that included how to define and measure appropriate use of class time, how to set attendance standards, and how to grade each other during group work. The collaborative effort also gave students ownership of how their grade would be determined.
It could be argued that all of the things I have done this year could have been accomplished using traditional paper and pencil methods. However based on my observations, I can say that the students (especially my reluctant learners) have been more engaged using technology and are developing life-long skills. Now that I have started using more technology in the classroom, I spend less time at the copy machine and have not only increased my productivity, but my students’ as well.