Three years ago, Felida Elementary School teachers Aimee Demaret and Anne Bowling submitted a proposal for Microsoft Technology Grants. They each received $10,000 worth of equipment for their 4th-grade and 2nd-grade classrooms. They each purchased a StarBoard, a large electronic whiteboard with imbedded age-appropriate software. Felida PTA paid for some supporting equipment, like projectors and document cameras.
Bowling and Demaret took part in extensive training to find ways to use technology for learning. The training and tools have changed the way they teach and the way their students learn. In fact, they’ve changed the environment of their classrooms.
For her 4th-grade students, Demaret uses the StarBoard to make her lessons more engaging and relevant. “It takes a lot of planning on the part of the teacher, but using the interactive screen along with everything else really helps,” she says. “Students want to be involved.”
The StarBoard is linked to her computer, so she also can download resources off the Internet or show live feeds. Her class watched the Space Shuttle Discovery land in real time. Together, students research science and social studies topics online. Using educational software, they “play” math and reading games to sharpen their skills.
Demaret often uses virtual manipulatives, particularly for math exercises. “Students come up to the board and move things around. It really helps with engagement,” she said. Many resources, including a national library of virtual manipulatives, are free.
Her students also use digital recorders, flip video cameras and digital cameras to create plays, PowerPoint presentations, and slide shows. Recorders are used for reading—students tape themselves, correct mistakes, and make improvements. For social studies, they record interviews.
As a condition of the grant, Demaret and Bowling agreed to share their knowledge with other teachers. The following year, the grant provided additional funds to equip two more rooms. Now three 4th-grade and three 2nd-grade classrooms at Felida have StarBoards.
While training other teachers to use these technologies takes time, Demaret doesn’t have to worry about her students. “Many already know how to use the equipment,” she said. “They teach each other. And sometimes they teach me.”
"I love having
technology as a teaching tool. This really is the language our kids will be speaking as they grow,
and it's nice to give them a head start."
