AngieW in Texas Posted July 8, 2016 Share Posted July 8, 2016 I started teaching at the ps two years ago when my youngest was in 11th grade (went through alternative teacher certification while she was in 10th). None of the schools I have taught in have had much technology available. In fact, one of them was very anti-technology. I am looking at using Google Classroom for next year, but my students would have to access it through their phones and I always have a few students in each class who don't have phones or have had them taken away. I want to set up just my warmups and exit tickets through google forms and flubaroo so I can have automatic grading and see the results instantly. How would I work this for the few students who don't have phones? Do I just have them do it on paper? Do I get a cheap tablet (like maybe a Kindle Fire) and put it on lockdown and let them use that to do the warmup/exit ticket? And then it would need to be shared between 2-3 kids each class. I don't have the possibility of getting a class set of ipads or anything like that. We just don't have much. Just trying to get scientific calculators for all of my students has been a struggle. They had to share the few we had. Picture 25 kids sharing 6 calculators during a test. We had plenty of 4-function calculators, but why even bother with those at the high school level. For my classes they need to be able to enter scientific notation, raise to different powers, take roots, use log and e^x and sin/cos/tan.They don't need graphing calculators, but scientific calculators are essential. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted July 8, 2016 Share Posted July 8, 2016 I think you need to ask your administration this question. I would hate to be the parent of the child without the smart phone and feel that my child was openly not included or feel pressure to purchase something I couldn't actually provide. I haven't worked in PS since the birth of the technology in the classroom boom. We were still going to the computer lab for all things technological when I stopped teaching. So, take that FWIW. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OneStepAtATime Posted July 8, 2016 Share Posted July 8, 2016 Is the school against tech or just hasn't got the resources? Has anyone looked into a grant? Fundraiser? Locally, years ago, parents with the PTO helped the teachers run a fundraising campaign to get the computer lab updated and they were able to raise quite a bit of money. They also did something to get a grant. I don't recall details now but I know it was really successful (we won't discuss the idiocy of then shutting down that same lab a couple of years later when the Principal decided it wasn't actually needed). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G5052 Posted July 8, 2016 Share Posted July 8, 2016 This has been debated at the local community college where I work. The consensus was that it's possible to have them use their phones if you have an alternative in the classroom for those without phones that won't interfere with your teaching. In other words, if they're waiting in line to do their work with the alternative for very long, it's a problem. When I worked there, I taught in a computer lab, so it was completely feasible for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Debbi in Texas Posted July 8, 2016 Share Posted July 8, 2016 I will be student teaching next semester at a small school in Texas. The school has very limited technology. In third grade, the only ipads are for the students with dyslexia. I don't know the answer to your dilemma, just wanted to say, you are not alone. It's sad that we learn a lot of neat things to do with technology while taking education courses, then can't use them in the classroom. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmmetler Posted July 8, 2016 Share Posted July 8, 2016 would old cell phones on wifi work? I imagine there are quite a few people who have ones sitting in drawers that they could pass on if that would serve. With so many schools going to BYOD, there has to be accommodation for kids who don't have their own. Also, check with technology companies-sometimes they have stuff sitting in closets that they can pass on. (Possibly other companies as well, but DH is in IT). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AngieW in Texas Posted July 9, 2016 Author Share Posted July 9, 2016 We've been told that the science department is supposed to get a class set of laptops or notebooks or tablets (don't know which) for all of us to share, but there are 15 science teachers, so if they split them up between us, we'd have just 2 each. If they keep them on a cart that we check out, then we wouldn't be able to use them every day. Funds just aren't there. And the class set that we are supposed to get was supposed to happen last year and the year before and the year before that, so I really don't see it happening. What I'd love is to have 6 tablets for my classroom so that each lab group could have one (4-5 students per group), but that isn't going to happen. Then anybody in a lab group who didn't have a cell phone could either do the warmup/exit ticket on paper or do it on the tablet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cougarmom4 Posted July 10, 2016 Share Posted July 10, 2016 Last year I wrote up a request on donorschoose.org and received full funding for two mini iPads for my classroom. Several other teachers in my school have also had a lot of luck there, so check it out! I also think you might ask your friends/student families if they have any older devices they aren't using anymore that they might donate. If you do find more devices and are able to have each group with one, Check out Kahoot....it is a fun way to review with students. create.kahoot.it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ali in OR Posted July 11, 2016 Share Posted July 11, 2016 In my dd's school (she attends for band and science), every student has been issued an iPad. The teachers always have paper copies of the work available for kids who didn't bring their iPad, had the battery die, or otherwise are having technical difficulties. The technology actually wastes a lot of class time due to the technical difficulties and there haven't been many assignments/activities that made good use of the iPad (at least in the two classes dd has). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KungFuPanda Posted July 11, 2016 Share Posted July 11, 2016 Wouldn't phones be cheaper than scientific calculators? Then everyone can just download a scientific calculator. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arcadia Posted July 11, 2016 Share Posted July 11, 2016 Wouldn't phones be cheaper than scientific calculators? Then everyone can just download a scientific calculator. A scientific calculator cost less than $10 and can be use for SAT, ACT, AP exams. A phone can't be used for exams. OP, Below linked TI model cost $9.50 and Casio model cost $6.97. You could put up a request at donorschoose.org. People are willing to donate cash to requests like that. https://www.amazon.com/Texas-Instruments-TI-30Xa-Scientific-Calculator/dp/B00000JBNS https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000Q5XTBQ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KungFuPanda Posted July 11, 2016 Share Posted July 11, 2016 It's been a while since I bought one. I think we spent about $80 on DDs about 6 years ago. I didn't realize the price had dropped. It's about time! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heartlikealion Posted July 11, 2016 Share Posted July 11, 2016 It's been a while since I bought one. I think we spent about $80 on DDs about 6 years ago. I didn't realize the price had dropped. It's about time! You're not kidding! I remember having one in school years ago and thought they were expensive. Not sure exact price. Had no idea they were so affordable now. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joyofsixreboot Posted July 11, 2016 Share Posted July 11, 2016 Speaking as a parent of kids who don't have phones or tablets I would feel pressured and judged and I suspect my kids would feel like they were being excluded. I wish I had an answer but just putting in my opinion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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