| The Multi-Computer Classroom | |
| Having multiple computers in your classroom gives you more opportunities to truly integrate technology into your teaching. | The multi-computer classroom is usually considered to have 3 or more computers (scheduling, planning, and management for the 2 computer classroom is probably more similar to the one computer classroom). Several computers in your classroom allows you to engage small groups of students (up to the entire class) in technology activities. It also allows you to use the computer in many different ways simultaneously (e.g. as a math center, as a writing tool, or in a science experiment). |
| Scheduling | Scheduling
time for students to work on the computer will always be an issue. There
are many methods suggested for the one computer classroom that will work
well in the multi-computer classroom. However, be aware of the differences.
Scheduling your day in long, thematic blocks is probably the best way to utilize the computers in a mini-lab setting. It allows you to have students working on technology all day and never lets the computers sit idle. Nevertheless, you still need to arrange students and activities carefully to best use your time. |
| Assigning
Time
Hint: Switch your groups every 6-12
weeks to give students the opportunity to work with all students in the
class. |
Assign students
to a computer. If you have five computers in your classroom and 25 students,
a group of 5 students would be assigned to each computer. These students
create their projects on this computer, publish writing here and engage
in instructional activities. This makes management somewhat easier because
you are only scheduling 5 students per computer instead of 25!
Make each student group as much a mixture as possible; combine students of different abilities (academic and social), genders and technology competency levels in each group. Students are able to all learn from one another and to use the strengths and individual talents that they bring to the group. |
| Planning | The lessons
in this book work well in the multi-computer classroom. The main issue is
scheduling the time for students to do the work. When creating your own
technology projects, try to create technology projects that lend themselves
to positive cooperative group activities.
For example, create a project (or modify a lesson in this book) so that it has specific jobs. Each day, the students are assigned the jobs they will perform during that day's cooperative technology experience. Have students use the job performance record to keep track of their contributions to the group. |
| Management | In any elementary classroom, you will have certain behavioral expectations. Your expectations will not be any different in a multi-computer classroom than a classroom with one computer. For student management suggestions, refer to the chapter on the one-computer classroom for ideas. |
| Use Cooperative Learning Groups | Organize students in cooperative learning groups to get the most out of computer time. Keep in mind that this is different from putting students in a group and telling them to share the work. Effective cooperative learning requires prior planning and adequate management by the teacher. It also takes effort and self-control on the part of the students. There are many resources available to teachers that give the whats, hows and whys of cooperative learning. Refer to these to help make cooperative learning work for you. |
| Example of Cooperative Learning with Technology | The Inventors
and Inventions HyperStudio
On day one the students worked as a group to select their inventor and make a plan to complete the project. In the following days, students are assigned the following jobs, which change from day to day. |
| Student Roles: Researcher |
The researcher is responsible for finding information and helpful resources to aid in the research of the inventor. This may include using the computer to research via the internet or CD-ROMS or it may include going to the school media center to find resources. The student takes notes on the Inventor Research sheet. On this day, the student is required to find information about the inventor's early life. |
| Graphics Manager | The graphics manager searches for helpful pictures, diagrams, artwork, and even animations or video clips for the project. This may include scanning pictures, using the internet to download graphics or finding helpful pictures via CD-ROM. This person can work with the researcher to find good resources. |
| Computer Engineers | Two computer engineers share the responsibility of working on the actual HyperStudio stack (setting up or working on the frame of the stack, adding effects, typing in information). To balance time evenly between the 2 computer engineers, use an egg timer to measure keyboard time. (Each five minutes, students switch). The student who if "off" the computer encourages the student using the keyboard and organizes the information they find. |
| Hints for
Using Cooperative Learning with Technology:
Behavioral |
Don't expect students to be able to work well in cooperative groups if they have not done so before. It takes very good organization and management, as well as practice. Don't give up on it if your first experience does not go smoothly. Learn from your mistakes, make changes, talk to your students, and give it another shot! |
| Checklists
and Rubrics |
Use checklists and rubrics to keep students accountable for their share of the work. One of the main problems with cooperative learning is training students to do their portion of the work and putting in place the checks and balances that will keep students on track. Use a popular cooperative learning checklist or the Job Performance Sheet on p. xx to manage students' participation. |
| Allow for Individual Projects | Cooperative learning is great to keep students involved at all times on projects, but not all projects lend themselves to a cooperative group organization. Allow students to do their own individual projects where they are the only ones accountable. This gives them the opportunity to test their own technology skills and evaluate their own proficiency rather than that of a group's. |
|
Louisiana INTECH, a Project of the Louisiana Center for Educational Technology http://www.lcet.doe.state.la.us/laintech |