TIC Co-Chairs

Why do you use technology in your classroom?

I don't have my own classroom anymore, but when I did, technology served as a way to allow my students to learn beyond the resources I had available in the classroom. It also provided a platform for them to share their learning in a variety of ways. In today's world, technology is a part of everyday life. The classroom should reflect that.

Assume you have sufficient wifi and access to devices for your students. What are the top three apps/sites/resources you consider to be "must haves" for your students and why?

A suite of collaborative creation tools is a must. From grades 4-12 that's GSuite (formerly known as Google Apps). The ability for students to access their work from anywhere and share and collaborate with their peers, teachers, and others is indispensable. At K-5, Seesaw can and does fulfill most of those needs. Another non-negotiable is a good search engine and the skills to use it effectively. There's a reason the word Google has become a verb. Students need to know how to find information and make sense of it. Finally, students must have access to tools that will allow them to communicate with others: Skype, Google Hangouts, FaceTime...whatever it is. These tools allow us to open the walls of our classrooms and facilitate conversations with people across town or across the globe.

What message would you like to share with teachers about technology integration?

Our new digital learning curriculum is designed to help teachers meaningfully integrate technology into our students' learning experiences. No one expects everything to be done with a digital device, but not affording our students the opportunity to learn and practice these important skills is not an option either. The good news is that there is help available. Please reach out to your content and grade-level colleagues, to your TIC members, and/or to me. None of us has all the answers, but together, we will figure it out!

Why do you use technology in your classroom?

Technology can be used to leverage and amplify the acceleration, meaning making and transfer taking place throughout the classrooms across the district.

Assume you have sufficient wifi and access to devices for your students. What are the top three apps/sites/resources you consider to be "must haves" for your students and why?

It would be cheating to list G Suite as just one because there are soooo many awesome tools within the suite that are free for education, so this will count for my three.

What message would you like to share with teachers about technology integration?

I encourage teachers to continue taking risks with the integration of technology. While a digital output isn't necessary for every lesson, there are many places technology can enhance student learning. As with many things in education, a balance is key when integrating technology.