My First Placement

A couple of months ago, I completed my first placement as a high school mathematics teacher. I was impressed with the uplift in technology, as compared to my days sitting on the opposite side of the classroom.  I noticed that although the school was investing in technology, there was a disconnect between the tool and purpose. Integration of technology in the classrooms wasn’t seamless.

For example, the school invested in iPads for students but there was no clear plan of how they would be used in the classroom. Where they a supplement? A replacement? How could they be used in senior classes?

There was a clear lack of integration in mathematics classrooms. Particularly, in the higher stages where content was more advanced and teachers couldn’t find an app/game/website to cater to the content. I asked a teacher about a time they used the iPads and she mentioned an app which graphs trigonometric functions. One lesson a term where an iPad was useful!?

It was clear that although technology was a focus in education, its integration had failed.

Watch this video of how an iPad should be used in the classroom!!

An iPad is more than a tool for games, youtube videos and apps you use once a term. It is a tool which can replace your textbooks, notebooks, and pencil case! A one stop shop, which is also backed up on the cloud (so no more dog ate my homework excuse)

As a teacher, I used an iPad, Apple Pencil, and Apple Tv to mirror class notes and exercises onto a projector and annotate them wirelessly. Combining these tools made my backpack a walking SmartBoard (given that a classroom has a standard projector).

Let me know your thoughts?! Do you agree? Is studied integration of technology as important as the tool it self?