Wednesday was a busy day full of fixing technology, setting up and showcasing technology, and professionally developing the High School teachers to learn and reapply technology.
At the Middle School I had opportunities to fix a light bulb in a LCD projector and to wirelessly connect a LCD projector for teachers to effectively use. I also had the opportunity to setup 2
Elmo document cameras for 4 teachers to share. Document cameras allow teachers to set aside the old technology of overhead transparency projectors and replace them with document cameras hooked up to already mounted LCD projectors to be able to show transparency copies, paper copies, books, pencils, manipulative s, flash cards, hand-written stories and so much more.
In the afternoon I visited North Side Elementary and was able to discuss technology needs to more than half the teachers within the building. Teachers were interested in learning more about
Pages through the use of Atomic Learning (need AEA username and password), and about purchasing LCD projectors to share and
Promethean SmartBoards and/or
MimioTeach to use to make their instruction more effective and differentiated.
While the students dismissed early, the High School teachers had a chance to learn more about effective Technology through their first Technology Professional Development session of the year. The theme was, "how to/forgot how to" to make sure the teachers' laptops and their resources were ready for the school year and to showcase effective tools for them to use throughout the whole school year.
Showcased to the teachers was:
How to use the LCD projector/remote effectively
How to access the online HS library catalog
Making sure each laptop was connected to the correct printer driver
Proper care of the laptop
Online copyright information
Seeing if Google Notifier should be installed for effective uses
Iowa AEA Online Student/Teacher web sites
Understanding Google Docs
Checking login into SchoolFusion
