Last Thursday, I had the opportunity to visit Bumpus Middle School and Hoover High School thanks to @theory249, @jennifer_hogan and @BUCSlead. Hoover City Schools have deployed iPads, chromebooks and other devices for student use over the past two years. Hoover High School is a 1:1 iPad school. During my visit, I talked to a tech coach, a library media specialist, an English teacher and a math teacher. At Hoover High, I observed a Spanish and a French lesson implementing iPads to practice speaking in the target languages through various recording apps. It was a great visit!
One of the things @jennifer_hogan and @BUCSlead (co-founders of #ALedchat on Mondays at 9pm CST) have said over and over again is that they do not look specifically at device usage in classroom observations. Not every day needs to be tech-filled. Not every day needs to be tech-less. The teachers have the freedom to use tech in their lessons when it best meets the learning objective at hand.
Technology must be gently woven with best practices in order to enhance learning, not overload it or water it down.
Below are some of the quotes from educators I met during the site visit. Thanks again for a great visit at HCS! Great things are happening there!
"With technology, you have to take risk. With technology, kids see you troubleshoot. That's important because you will be [troubleshooting] you whole life."
"The teacher's job is to teach children, not worry about technology."
"Kids are changing and you have to change with them."
One of the things @jennifer_hogan and @BUCSlead (co-founders of #ALedchat on Mondays at 9pm CST) have said over and over again is that they do not look specifically at device usage in classroom observations. Not every day needs to be tech-filled. Not every day needs to be tech-less. The teachers have the freedom to use tech in their lessons when it best meets the learning objective at hand.
Technology must be gently woven with best practices in order to enhance learning, not overload it or water it down.
Below are some of the quotes from educators I met during the site visit. Thanks again for a great visit at HCS! Great things are happening there!
"With technology, you have to take risk. With technology, kids see you troubleshoot. That's important because you will be [troubleshooting] you whole life."
"The teacher's job is to teach children, not worry about technology."
"Kids are changing and you have to change with them."