Interactive Projector on a White Board
The interactive projector on a mobile white board chart works similar to the "SmartBoard" found in many of the classrooms. This projector has special software that senses where the touch of a special pen is on the accompanying white board. The information is transferred to an accompanying computer. The touch of the pen on the board controls the activity on the computer just as if the user were manipulating a computer mouse or touch pad. Because of the engaging characteristics of this tool including the ability to interact visually, tactilely and audibly, students are more likely to be engaged in learning. Movies, presentations, and online websites can be shown and integrated into lessons using this new technology. Students come up to the board during a lesson and interact with presentations, websites or lessons for a more fully immersed learning experience. I have noticed the tendency for students to be intrinsically motivated to participate in classroom lessons because the technology is so engaging. This interactivity tends to keep students interested long after the novelty should have worn off and provides teachers with a vital tool for reaching increasingly visual learners.
13 Library Computers
There are 13 student use computers in our library.They are used for a variety of reasons. Our students most commonly use them to gather research for regular classroom and library assignments/projects/reports, search the library electronic catalog, take Accelerated Reader tests, or check their library account.
20 Library iPads
In addition to use in the regular library lessons with students in grades K-5, Robotics activities in 5th grade, informational text investigations of online articles pertaining to current events of interest to children in grades 3-5, and computer coding activities in grades K-5.
10 Sphero Robots
This program is available to students in grade 5 and involves creating and manipulating computer code to make a robot follow your instructions. This can be intellectually challenging. Students can expect to be frustrated at times when trying to complete some activities because that is part of the learning process. They work in teams to complete a variety of tasks. Sphero can run on iPads or Chromebooks. To learn more about what this robot is, type in What is Sphero SPRK Edition? on YouTube or go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yg8LmEkI_0c, or go to http://www.sphero.com/sprk-plus.