Laptop Carts
Laptop Carts - A Tool to Use in the Classroom
Written By: Jenni Donohoo

Laptop carts in schools are providing teachers with greater opportunities for integrating technology into the curriculum. What a great way to utilize this tool. No longer do you have to physically leave the classroom; the computers can come to you!

If questions like, “How will I use a cart of 16 computers when I have 32 students in my classroom?” or “What are the best ways to integrate technology into the curriculum?”are going through your mind, you're not alone. Below are a few suggestions on how to make the best use of a rolling laptop cart of computers.

Question: “I have 30 students, how will I use a laptop cart that has only 16 computers?”

One Answer: Assign Cooperative Group Work

Place students in groups of 4. In a class of 32, each group could have access to 2 computers. Positive interdependence among team members and individual accountablilty are necessary elements of productive, co-operative team work. Both must be present when students work together toward achieving a common goal. How are these elements established in projects where technology plays a central role? The implementation of technology in this environment can be useful not only as a tool to locate, organize, synthesize and present information but also to foster positive interdependence among group members. Group members rely on each other for the unique skills and experiences individuals bring to the table. While one student may have experience with file management, another may have experience navigating the Internet; one student may have knowledge in formatting documents while one is an expert at keyboarding. The unique technology skills individuals bring to the project enhances the interdependence of group members as rely on each other’s abilities and begin to share their knowledge to produce a quality product.

Individual responsibility is achieved by appointing members to be in charge of different tasks and holding them accountable for contributing their fair share. How can you introduce and reinforce role responsibilities using technology? Assign students roles and responsibilities that support the tool they are using. The technology related roles that could be assigned would vary, depending on the project. Students should be given the opportunity to develop skills in a variety of roles and not be assigned the same role too often.

Roles Responsibilities
Researcher focuses on Internet searching strategies
Resource Organizer decides which resources to use and keeps track of the souces for citation purposes
Evaluator checks sources for bias and currency of information
Recorder in charge of inputting information into the computer
Data Expert in charge of charts and various ways to display data (graphic organizers)
Graphics Specialist photographs and manipulates graphics
Editor spell checks and proof reads copies
Producer in charge of production design
Layout Artist works on desktop publishing also story boards layouts using graphic organizers
Transistion Specialist chooses transitions for multimedia projects
Sound Specialist makes recommendations to the group for which sounds to incorporate into projects
File Manager ensure that files are saved in proper locations so they are accessible by all group members
Communications Manager keeps track of all electronic communication

Another Answer: Develop a Centre Approach

Set up some of the laptop computers as a centre in your classroom and have students alternate between centres. Students can be grouped in many ways.

Homogeneous Groups Students are part of the same group, focused on the same quest and working toward a common goal. An example of this may be students coming to a consensus on what is the most important invention of the 20th century based on information they will be reading on the Internet.
Home and Expert Group Students are assigned a task as a member of a Home Group before they break into Expert Groups to accomplish their task. Once they have completed their job, they bring information back to the Home Group to assemble the pieces of the puzzle. An example (based on the topic of the Expulsion of the Acadians): the expert group at the computer centre researches factors that led to the expulsion while other groups explore issues such as their dispersion through English settlements, deportation of people against their consent, etc.
Semi-Homogenous Groups Students are using computers to work on a similar tasks but work individually to produce an individual product or demonstrate their knowledge independently. An example of this may be students planning and creating patterns by changing one or more attibutes of an object using the Stamp Editor in KidPix Deluxe 3.

Some additional ideas for Computer Centres...
Research Centre (Internet or CD Rom Encyclopedias)
Investigation Centre (Science Court - Work and Simple Machines or Electrical Current)
Drawing Centre (KidPix Deluxe 3)
Presentation Centre (KidPix Deluxe 3, Hyperstudio, Star Office Presentations)
Writing Centre (Storybook Weaver, Student Writing Centre, Appleworks)
Publishing Centre (Microsoft Publisher 2002 - creating invitations, brochures, etc.)

The laptop computers are also an excellent tool to assist teachers in providing both enrichment and remediation for students.
Enrichment ideas are readily available in today’s text books. Often, these ideas have a tie to technology (usually indicated by a small computer icon and may be accompanied by a CD Rom with ready made files for student access. Remedial assistance is easily accomplished with programs that have word prediction (Co-Writer) and text-to-speech (Write Way) capabilities.

Question: "What are the best ways to integrate technology into the curriculum?”

Here are a few suggestions:

1. Start simple.
2. Establish computer usage as part of the classroom routine.
3. Rotate students to ensure that each child gets an opportunity to use the technology for each subject.
4. Train (or ask someone else to train) “Technical Assistants” in your classroom whose responsibility will be to address minor technical problems as they arise.
5. Address learning skills as part of the expectation of the assignment. When assigning an independent computer activity, place a check box on the work sheet similar to the one below.

Independence Level

4

3

2

1

When explaining the assignment, be sure that students understand that they will lose a level of independence each time they ask the teacher an unnecessary question. This will encourage them to read and work independently. The first time a student asks a question that could have been answered if he or she had continued to read, place an “X” through the number 4 on the Independence Chart. It is unlikely the student will repeat the same mistake when it is known that the teacher is tracking independence.

This technique also works well on index cards and can be valuable data when reporting.

6. Consider procedures for demonstrating to the whole class. When introducing a web site or software program as a whole class you may use the data projector before having students work on their own. If you have a student operate the PC, you can be free to walk around. This is also a way to preview problems students may have with the site or program.

The computer is one of many resources that is available to you when planning a lesson. Consider the objectives you wish to achieve and then decide if the computer is an appropriate tool that will assist in achieving outcomes. Students should have a specific, meaningful, context specific purpose when using the computer. Becoming familiar with available software will be a key factor in successful planning.

A few key points to ponder...

Software can be used to both teach and re-enforce concepts.
Plan activities that will enable students to construct meaning.
Student need directions and should be given specific tasks when directed to use technology.
Computers are an automatic “hook” with students. Kids are not intimidated by technology.
Regardless of ability or behaviour, because students seem to view computer use as a privilege, they are generally well behaved when allowed to use technology.

So, wheel the computers into your room, plug them in and provide your students with a tool that will enable them to become better learners.

 

 

 

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