Teched Out

I've never been on the cutting edge of technology. In fact I shunned it in high school, then had to catch up later in college. These days I cautiously wait for others to lead on the front lines and work out the kinks before I jump on the technology bandwagon.

So when it comes to technology in the classroom I feel a mix of excitement and dread. When it works it's wonderful and the kids seem to enjoy it. When it doesn't work I wonder why we moved beyond pencil and paper in the first place. I try to be a good example for the students by keeping my calm and resisting the urge to quit technology. Most importantly, I try to have a backup plan.

Some of my goals in the previous post are technology related. I want to use Google Docs and Google Classroom as well as web quests.  I planned to have the kids take pictures and videos and make presentations using technology.  

I've been using tablets and Chromebooks with other classes throughout the year and I've dealt with some of the hangups that come with technology. The link wont link. The internet connection is down or spotty. The work didn't send or it didn't save. The students sometimes cannot remember their log in information. The students get frustrated because it's not working like they thought it should. I get frustrated because the tablet keeps auto-correcting my user name.

 Recently I tried a web quest with my elective class using Chromebooks and I'm about done with them.  This time it was more of a logistics issue than a technology issue. Either way I think that I might tone down the technology and keep it simple until it becomes more accessible.

Therefore my tech goal to focus on is to use Remind to communicate with students and parents for both class and extra curricular activities. I'm new to remind but so far it is really easy to use. I can send one way text messages to everyone that signs up and my number is kept private. I think it's great because many students are not in the habit of checking their email but they do check their phones often.