Basically, I get to tell them how I screwed up, then tell them what not to do, and then tell them what to do. Fail often to succeed sooner, right? Maybe I should have named this blog "Screwed-Up Teaching."
Anyway, after reflecting on my new role for next year, I have come up with what I term as my "top technology tips" for anyone who is going to implement 1:1 computing in their classroom. You can think of them as "tips," or you can think of them as "things you should do because someone didn't do them and suffered the consequences, that someone being that crazy teacher lady."
Without further ado, here are my top tips:
1) Survey your students to get a feel for their technology backgrounds. Just like students in our classes come to us with differing abilities and academic experiences, students come to your class with all different levels of technological proficiency. (Most are good with those small computers called "phones," but not so experienced with netbooks or desktop computers.) Teachers in a 1:1 classroom need to know what technology skills students have/don't have so they can plan their instruction accordingly.
2) When introducing new technology, teach them the "why" before the "how" and "what." When you're dealing with students that have little to no computing experience, you have to create buy-in first; you have to tell students the purpose of having them learn how to use a new piece of software or hardware. I had been struggling getting students to use technology over pencil-and-paper methods during the entire first semester; they kept reverting back to their nontechnological-papered ways whenever I wasn't looking. So, when I wanted to have them use a wiki, I first showed them a video concerning the rationale and purpose behind using a wiki. Once I showed them this, then I showed them and to use it, and it was smooth sailing (for once)--students now regularly use the wiki to post lab results and have their own discussions without me having to make them do it.
3) Provide access for students with no or limited access. A statement I hear quite a bit is this: "I don't have internet/a computer at home, so I can't do the work." In my situation, students can't take their netbook home with them, so I stay after school from 3:00-4:15 every day so students can come in my classroom and use their netbooks. If you're not willing to/cannot do that, maybe you can use resources that already exist in your building that have computer access, such as an after-school study room, or if the media center in your building is open before or after school, they can use the computers there. If your 1:1 program does allow students to take their computers home with them, I know of districts who give students a list of all the free wifi hot spots in the area so students can have access to the internet.
4) Teach students that, in the digital age, everything is recorded and timestamped. My students caught on very quickly to the fact that using technology meant they could no longer bend the truth about when they did assignments or how much work they actually did on assignments. This especially applies to groupwork in Google Docs. Since I don't give group grades (I give individual scores on learning objectives for each student), I need to see evidence of everyone's knowledge, even if they worked as a team. Google Docs, by allowing you to see the revision history, can tell you when and how much each person worked on a collaborative document. My students also do their journals and exit slips through my website, and it e-mails me every time this happens. So, when a student tries to submit his/her exit ticket 10 minutes into class just to get it done, I know. When I have them take formative assessments using Google Forms, it timestamps when they did it, so I can see if they did them all the night before, or did them after each activity like they were supposed to do. When they edit the wiki, I get an e-mail telling me which user did it, when they did, and what the change was. So, you see, there's no more, "You gave me an F when I worked on this for four hours a night every night for the past two weeks!" when they realize that you can actually verify that claim.
5) Use technology to your and to your students' advantage. I don't know if using technology has made my life easier, but there are some distinct advantages to using it. Through the miracle of Google Forms, I can give formative assessments and get a general idea of where my students are having trouble without having to look at individual results (unless I want to). Try to have students download and work on files electronically--this will save you trips to the copier. Also, use tech tools that support the teaching of higher-order thinking skills along with your content. Students can create (not regurgitate) some amazing things using free software for concept mapping, or create cartoons with Toon-Do or animations with DoInk; they can evaluate web pages and write summaries of their arguments with Diigo; they can take their own writing and make a Wordle out of it in order to self-evaluate their writing to see if the intended message is getting across. These are just a few examples; I'm sure there are many, many more.
6) If nothing else, teach collaboration and problem-solving through the use of technology. Technology should be used as a vehicle for learning, and there is a LOT of learning that can be done with technology. However, if you teach students nothing else, teach them first how to work collaboratively, using current Web 2.0 tools. Working with groups of people is a necessary life skill (not just a 21st century skill). I have had many students tell me, "I prefer to work alone." I tell them, "So do I, but I can't--I have to work with other people, because together we are better than me." A good way to show them this is to set up some tasks that are problem-based, designed to teach students content through solving the problem. In order to solve the problem, students must work with each other in order to reach a solution and create something that represents their evidence of understanding. You can visit this site for examples of problem-based units and tasks for high school and middle school. (To explore more about problem-based learning, check out Illinois Math & Science Academy's PBL site.)
7) Give students time to gain confidence using technology. If you have students that haven't had much experience with computers or other learning technology, you must take it slow. Start with something easy, and let them learn the ins and outs of it--for example, Google Docs. (I say it's "easy" because most of them have encountered some form of Word or Excel in the past, so they already have a frame of reference.) Then, gradually add in small, easy-to-learn software or Web 2.0 tools until they develop their learning-how-to-learn-technology skills together. Soon, you can just suggest sites for them to use, and they'll use them without you even having to give them any instruction. Why? Because, by going slow, you allow them to gain confidence in their ability to use tech tools.
8) If possible, modify or create a computer applications or technology course that teach students the technology they will need to use in your class. We are working towards this in our district, and I know that the New Tech High School at Zion-Benton East in Zion, Illinois has this in place. Without this type of technology pre-teaching, the classroom teacher has to not only be content specialist, master of assessment, designer of learning, and all-around great person, but also the technology teacher. And, as you can guess, it takes time to teach students how to use technology, time that would usually be spent on the core curriculum. Designing a class or modifying an existing one to meet these needs would be of great help when implementing 1:1 computing.
9) Teach them to use technology in a professional manner. We have to remember that these students will need to be gainfully employed someday, and that skills employers in the 21st century value go way beyond just reading, writing, and 'rithmatic. Students need to be taught how to use technology professionally, safely, and with some modicum of dignity and self-respect. Hold them to the same standards of professionalism to which they will be held when they are in the work world someday. Don't let them send you e-mails that read like text messages. Teach them how to properly title a document. Teach them proper internet and e-mail etiquette. Help them learn these skills now so they won't have so much on-the-job training later.
If anyone else has been involved in 1:1 computing (especially if you've been involved for much longer than I have!) please feel free to share your tips and tricks in the comments below.