Computers, Computers, Everywhere. But...
The Case of the Curiously Non-Productive Computer Laboratory
Who Are You?
Curriculum Coordinator for Elementary Education
The Scenario:
One of your elementary schools has an Accelerated Reader lab that is also used to run a Jostens Integrated Learning System. This lab has a full-time aide who tends to oversee the students who are sent to the lab (usually as an entire class). Still, the classroom teachers come to the lab with their classes...although it's unclear just what the teacher does. Further, it seems that the use of this lab is just about the ONLY exposure the children in that school get to technology. Classroom computers (each classroom has one networked machine) are really only used for teacher productivity and not much else.
Your Challenges:
What changes can you suggest, and then make (i.e., how will you make them?) that will alter the way that students in that school use technology? Simply eliminating the lab is out of the question unless you want to inspire immediate full-scale revolt from that school's teachers (and parents)..but how will you get those teachers to use the classroom computers WITHIN their existing instructional practice?
Think About:
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Last updated, December 29, 1998