Technology in the classroom

Technology has been a large part of my life for the past 6 years.  I was enrolled in an undergrad program online, then enrolled at NCSU as a graduate student.  We have primarily worked on Blackboards and Moodle.  When I started teaching 2 years ago, I realized that I really had to "BEEF UP" on my tech skills. 

The school that I went to teach at was fortunate enough to receive a 1:1 Laptop Initiative Grant from the Golden Leaf Foundation.  The grant provided funds for each student to have a laptop, tech support, and repair materials.  Students immediately began using the laptops to work on coursework and, most of the time-social sites.  It was incredibly easy for them to find by-proxy sites to get around the server and search any site that they wanted to.  We do have a security system in place to prevent students from going to other sites, called Schoolvue, but the students found a way around that too.  I spent this last summer and created 3 separate courses in Moodle for my students to work through.  Although Moodle is an awesome tool to use with students, sadly, students arriving from the local middle schools did not have the technical capabilities to be able to progress through the system or maneuver around.  I have to take take an additional week out of instruction, during the first week of school, to hold training sessions for students who are not tech savvy.

Last year was difficult with teaching at a new school as a first year teacher.  This year I was ready to fight fire with fire!!  My moodle courses were set and ready to go as was I.  It didn't take me too long to see that students would go around the system, lose their laptops, claiming they had been stolen, or simply show up without them.  This posed so many problems during the first semester this year that I decided to go to          "PAPER" this semester.  I can keep track of who has submitted assignments, who has not, and who needs individual help.  Only assessments will be performed online now, as per the District's instructions.

Now I am prepared daily with the printed materials that students must complete and give them pencils, since they think that if they don't come into the room with a pencil, they will not have to do any work.  I have shot their excuses down at every angle.

At my school we have to also sit in on 20 hours of technology instruction, during planning periods, per year.  We have learned to work with some phenomenal sites.  Our tech lady is great.  Every week she also e-mails the entire staff a new technology instruction link.  They are wonderful and break up the monotony of regular instruction, since we are on the 90 minute block system.

I recently started taking my final course at NCSU under Dr. Wendy Warner.  I filled out a preliminary survey and indicated that I was "average at best" in the field of technology.  We have learned so many wonderful things.  Admittedly, I had never used Facebook, Twitter, or Blogs before.  I am still learning.  I feel these assignments are bringing me out of my tech shell a little.  I am currently incorporating a few of the things I have already learned in my class to teach my students with.  That is all for now.  If you have any ideas on awesome tech sites that you can teach High School students with, please send me a link so I can check it out.