Reflection and Data Collection Week 7

This week I collaborated with my colleagues and peers through the weekly twitter feeds.  I received information on other tools to use in my classroom and I explained how Promethean boards and certain tools could be used in my colleagues’ classrooms. One of my colleagues said it was amazing how the online module helped their students stay engaged, rather than discussing as a class. I tried a couple of the ones I received. I found that using the interactive whiteboard as a screen to view something, keeps students engaged. This helps with reading as a whole class. Students are able to see the correct page number and follow along together. If they lose the page number, they can glance at the Promethean board and view the area the class is reading at. I also tried some new math game sites on the Promethean board. My students and I can play these games in teams and as a whole class. When my students go to the computer lab, they are able to play the same games individually.

Data Collection – Week 3, responses from survey (http://surveymonkey.com.) 

Do you use your Promethean Board in the classroom? If no, why not?

1.     Almost everyday. It has been extremely helpful during math this year. I also use it a great deal during WTL to get different lessons from Promethium Planet.

2.     No Promethean board in my Gym.

3.     Yes, everyday.

4.     Yes.

5.     No in a gym setting

6.     No, I do not have one in my room.

7.     Yes, but I am not in my classroom very often.

8.     I do. For signing-in in the morning, using the document camera for Read-Alouds, completing worksheets together as a class, teaching and reviewing math concepts.

What types of technology do you use to keep your students engaged?

(8 responses)

1.     I use the Promethium Board and computers. Students are able to go online to several reading and math sights. We also go to the computer lab once a week. I also use the doc camera which is very helpful for visual students.

2.     No computers in the gym.

3.     Promethean interactive lessons computers in the classroom to do word processing projects keynote presentations google apps educational websites to do at school and home digital cameras to use in projects.

4.     I make flipcharts and download flipcharts from promethean planet and Discovery Education videos. Go Math! videos, flipcharts, and math models. Document camera.

5.     As little as possible, we want these students moving . Not sitting behind a screen or on a ipad.

6.     Websites, movie clips, interactive quizzes, and powerpoint presentations. I also use document cameras when I have access to one.

7.     We only have computers and the Promethean Board.

8.     Promethean board, document camera, music.

When you are using your promethean board, what percentage of the time are your students engaged?

5 responded 75-100% on task

Why are students off task when the Promethean Board is being used?

1.    They all get to participate in one way or another so it really keeps their attention.

2.    When there is technical errors with the board or computer, too small of images on the screen (GoMath), and distracted by the fact that the board is in the back of the room right by the door.

3.    Not enough opportunities to participate and be actively engaged since only one or two people have the pen.

4.    If there are technical problems.

5.    Too excited about activity and they loose focus of the lesson at hand, or when the lesson is not interactive enough and they are just sitting and looking at a the screen.

From this data collection this week, I had eight respond to my survey. Most of the teachers use their Promethean board in the classroom. I didn’t get any responses on classroom management skills being used with technology. I was surprised to hear this. A lot of the responses I received were from rhythm claps, counting down, turning the lights off, positive behavior rewards and table points. The response of why students are of task has to do with the program not working correctly. When I have my students sign in on the Promethean Board in the morning, sometimes it will automatically shut off. This tends to start off tasks behaviors. Some of my students have figured out how to turn the flip chart back on. This week I tried playing an instructional song without giving direction before hand. My students were off task and needed a brain break. I turned the song on and watched my students’ response. 20 out of 23 students stood up and started to follow instructions from the song. Three students needed to be redirected. I didn’t sing the song out loud, like I usually do. 21 students out of 23 followed the instruction. Two students had to come and stand by me while I did the movements to the song. I found this management tool very effective. I let the song give the instructions to my students without explaining the instructions.

During our Math lesson on the Promethean board I had 10 students off task and 13 paying attention. When I asked the 10 students why they weren’t listening in an exit slip, they replied bored, too difficult, hard to see the board and wanted to play with the Promethean board. I have found when I have my students use the Promethean board during a lesson, they all want a chance to write on the board. It is difficult to have one board in the room. It would be nice to have Ipads for each student and be able to access the sites that I show them on the Promethean board.