post #1

Thus far in my practicum I have spent quite a bit of time assessing the needs of the teachers at my school. One teacher (W) in particular is new to teaching and is working on an emergency licence. She is not at all familiar with the technology used in the school and is challenged by basic troubleshooting. She is eager to learn and is frequently looking for support. Another teacher  (D) new to the school is experienced in the classroom, but not comfortable in a 1:1 environment. The teacher has previous 1:1 experience, but it was not a positive situation. On the other side of the spectrum are the teachers who are on year three with 1:1 and are comfortable with the basics of GSuites for Education but are looking to add to their teaching toolboxes.

Before I offer any technology suggestions to the teachers, I have made sure to use the tool myself. For example, D mentioned he would like to use Kahoot! in the classroom but two of his classes do not have chromebooks since they are in eighth grade. I decided to try plickers with my students for a review game before I advised him to try it. The students enjoyed it and D plans on using plickers soon. We discussed some of the hiccups with the program, including needing to laminate the plickers with a matte finish instead of the glossy laminate the school has available. Glossy laminate will cause a reflection as the teacher scans the plickers.

I have also spent a considerable amount of time discussing technology with W to get a gauge of her skill level. As it is now, she has to rely on students to assist whenever the technology doesn't quite work. She wants to add technology but she isn't confident in her ability to actually do it successfully.