As a 1:1 computing school, we have opportunities that most schools do not. Sometimes it is easy to look at all of the issues and become frustrated with technical issues and how they interrupt the flow of daily plans. I know I am guilty of it, and whenever I am feeling defeated in this way, I think about what it would be like if had to go back to having 3-4 computers in each room. I realize that is not the reality I want to imagine. I hope that nobody else would either.
We have to embrace our opportunity in new ways to keep the laptops exciting, relevant, and engaging for our students. We also have a responsibility to be the leaders of our district when it comes to educational technology. "How do we do this? Isn't it overwhelming? I didn't sign up for this!" (maybe some of the reactions I expect to hear).....But seriously, we need to have fun with our laptops just like the kids. There are so many possibilities that may seem overwhelming at first, but lets set those goals and work toward them. We don't expect our students to be able to understand and master a concept after one attempt. The only thing that gets them there is practice and experience. Same with technology in the classroom. If you think that it sounds fun or exciting - give it a shot. What is the worst thing that could happen? What is the best thing that could happen?
Moving forward from using a website for research, or an online textbook - we need to move towards having an online classroom. That might mean different things to different teachers, but let's think about the possibilities. It is very easy now to set up a free website for your class as a place to post information, documents, links, and more. In the past, building and maintaining a website was a daunting task for many teachers that also usually cost money for a website server. Now, that is very different, as websites like Weebly are free, and very easy to set up. I would highly recommend signing up for a free Weebly education account and trying it out. It is a fun and graphic way to organize your class that reaches not only students but parents that want to be informed about classroom activities and updates. It is also an easy way to keep all your classroom files in one managed place. The idea of "teaching in the cloud" is very practical when you have one online place to pull your files from no matter where you are or what computer you are using. It is also something that you do not need to rebuild every year. You will need to make adjustments and updates, but the frame will only need to be built once, and every year it will get easier as it becomes something you continually use on a daily basis.
Many teachers have also gotten excited (not to mention students) about using Edmodo. This is basically a facebook page for your classroom. Don't be scared of it. It was designed by an educator for educational purposes only. The fear that comes with using facebook is eliminated by the excellent design that was put into this website. Students do not have the ability to talk to one another, which is where many of the issues would come from. They can only communicate to the teacher or the entire class group, which is great. Edmodo also allows you to set up a class calendar with assignments and events that students can check to stay organized and up-to-date with their work. You can also send documents and links to students and class groups so that they have digital copies of handouts to refer to.
Creating an online presence for your classroom accomplishes a number of things. First of all, kids love it. It is a way for them to see their classroom content organized visually. This engages them, and allows them to take ownership of what takes place in the classroom. It is truly empowering for students to have this capability. Second, it not only allows you to have a central location for your resources, but it also allows other teachers to collaborate with you by sharing your online material with them. It will also be motivating to you, because - as much as the kids love it - you will love it too. It is addicting in the sense that it is a new medium that you be able to show off the pride you take as a teacher to build an outstanding resource and channel of communication between you and your students, parents, and fellow teachers.
Excited yet? I hope so. Don't hesitate to ask for help. I can't wait to see what your online classroom looks like. Neither can your students.
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