tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8318734518772387227.post7657007659349221001..comments2024-03-28T05:35:07.354-04:00Comments on Lisa Nielsen: The Innovative Educator: X's & O's for the OLPC XO - A View from the ClassroomLisa Nielsenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07759123507185453030noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8318734518772387227.post-89395124998844584662008-05-23T19:19:00.000-04:002008-05-23T19:19:00.000-04:00Hi Lisa! I have caught the fever and must share my...Hi Lisa! I have caught the fever and must share my experience also. This week my colleague and I took the dreaded trek from Brooklyn to the Bronx to visit CIS 339. With my antifreeze leaking and a few prayers we took the ride across the Brooklyn Bridge, onto the FDR Drive, the Major Deegan and the Cross Bronx Expressway to our 9:30 am appointment to work with Mr. Pena and his students. After passing through the metal detector and signing into the office we finally made it to the room with the class already in progress.<BR/><BR/>What we witnessed immediately erased the turmoil we had experienced in the previous hour. The class was fully engaged and the evidence of technology integration was apparent. <BR/><BR/>Slides projected on the SMARTBoard outlined the ELA lesson on Onomatopoeia.<BR/><BR/>One half of the class was using the OLPC computers to type their original poems. The other half of the class was using iPods as voice recorders to record their original poems to share with their classmates. A simple upload to iTunes in a follow-up session will allow the students to create MP4 audio files. With the addition of a few photos, they will use Garageband to enhance the podcasts. <BR/><BR/>Although some students were copying their homework into a notebook, when I questioned one young man about copying his homework, he replied "Oh, he is going to e-mail it to us". This particular student was posting a comment on my blog and wouldn't be distracted. Another student was saving his poem in Google Docs so his teacher could review and make comments.<BR/><BR/>The low cost of the OLPC will certainly help to close the digital divide. The 1:1 computing in the classroom allowed for each student to work at their own pace without having to rush and share. The use of Google Docs helps to create the paperless environment this teacher is striving for. The iPods promote cooperative learning and instant feedback for editing.<BR/><BR/>Were there any surprises in what you shared? For this iLearn Brooklyn girl, the answer is a resounding NO! <BR/>See you soon! <BR/>ReneeBKReneehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13386159796722526057noreply@blogger.com