Technology Interview

I interviewed a friend, Amanda Higgins, from Texas about the technology she uses in her classroom; she teaches 1st grade. Some of the technology resources she had available to her right in her classroom were 4 desktop computers (these computers have microphones and 2 have webcams), a laptop at her desk, a sound system of sorts where she hangs a microphone around her neck and then the whole class can hear her, the I clickers like we have here at BYU, and a fancy overhead projector (not the old rickety kind).

She also can check out a digital camera, a dvd player, and a TV. The school has a computer lab that they go to twice a week and if needed can find more times to visit there.

The main thing she said she would love to have is something called a Smart White board. They are supposed to be getting them installed over the summer but I guess these white boards have tons of abilities and programs. She also said it would be nice if they had a projector automatically hooked up into the ceiling so she wouldn’t have to mess with the overhead projector.

She said she tries to use technology quite a bit, but her computers get the most use during free time. There are a lot of math and science games, which are great, except she had to figure out a system so they could take turns. They do use the digital camera as often as possible because the students love taking pictures themselves. She gathers a lot of her ideas off of teacher websites and other teachers in the school.

I asked her if she felt like technology did enhance her lessons or if she felt like she had to work hard to use the technology because it was available to her. She said that most of the time, it definitely helps because it makes the students feel more grownup. Sometimes though, she said it was just high maintenance because it breaks and she doesn’t always know how to fix it and there’s not much technical support.