I have struggled to accept technology as a part of my classroom. I attend technology workshops with cynicism and regularly bemoan the amount of money that goes into technology purchases school- and district-wide. Yet, as technology pieces have rolled into my classroom, I have found the benefit of some of them, that they really can enhance teaching. One of these is the Apple TV that was installed last spring and the iPad that I’ve had for a couple of years. I’ve made the switch to using the iPad as a document camera and love that I am now cordless, but found that the real magic is being able to instantly display pictures and videos of my students at work through the Apple TV AirPlay system.
Partnerships: It is hard to teach the complicated communication skills that go into partner work. Often one student dominates or does the work for another student. Other times the students may sit next to each other but essentially work independently, barely communicating at all. I’ve learned to watch for successful partnerships and quickly grab my iPad to video what I see. With the ease of AirPlay I can share the video almost immediately so that the class can see a partnership at work. We talk about what they notice in the video and what is going well in the partnership. Seeing their peers in action really helps students understand what I am trying to teach. It is amazing, the immediate improvement I will see after showing the video.
Student Interviews: Another way that I have used video is to interview students about a procedure in our class. This might be an interview about book shopping or what is in a student’s book box, what is in their writing folder and how it’s organized, or solving a math problem. Again, when students see their peers almost immediately after I teach something, they are more clear on my expectations and how to be successful. It’s almost like the students are helping me teach!
In-the-Moment Experiences: Throughout the year, I try to get students to notice, wonder, and appreciate the natural world around us. We often take walks about our “campus” to see what is happening to the trees and surrounding growth. Students use clipboards to write and draw about these experiences, and we discuss and research any big questions that come up. I take pictures as we go but can also get some video to review when we get back to class. One day we say a family of deer on our field, and I was able to video them as they hopped the fence off of school property. It was so fun to go back into the classroom and see it again!
End-of-Unit Celebrations: If I’ve taken enough pictures (and/or videos) throughout a unit of study, it’s easy to put them together into a quick slideshow for the students to see. Add a little music and voila! it’s a video of our progression and growth over a unit! I actually love doing this as a reflection, especially after making a chart to reflect on the unit, because I don’t always think that students can remember or realize all we’ve learned and tried out. When they see these videos, they are proud and are able to reflect on all of their learning.
I’m still a little skeptical about the value of all the technology that is entering schools. But using video and a direct airplay system has been very beneficial to me and to my students. They learn quickly from each other and realize that the expectations are within reach.
Tips for Getting Started
- Be open-minded: I’m not known to be open-minded about technology, but I was willing to think about new ways that would help my students learn something such as partner work. Technology varies between schools and districts, but these new routines are not dependent on Apple TV and iPads. Many programs and devices can work together for these purposes. I used to use my smartphone, then airdrop my material onto my computer and then connect it to my document camera. I also used a district airplay system for a while, and that worked also. Be open-minded and explore the resources that you have!
- Be a risk-taker: It has taken time for me to get used to this technology, because I am a technology skeptic. I found that just jumping in, ditching the document camera, and trying it worked best for me. It felt clunky at first, but I slowly got used to it and sought help from colleagues when I needed to make adjustments. It’s now a habit and routine for me, and it’s all I use.
- Be reflective: There aren’t any tricks to remembering to use this technology except to start using it. I didn’t used to take selfies on my smartphone but find that it has slowly become part of documenting my life. Teaching technology is the same. I don’t grab the technology for every moment in the classroom, but it’s an option when I want it (and remember it). When I think about what I want students to learn, especially about collaboration, I’m always looking for multiple ways to teach it. Video and pictures can often make something clear for students.
