Tool # 9

1.Why do you think it is important to tie the technology to the objective? The learning outcome or objective is what drives the learning. Technology is a tool especially used for communication of the skills or learning.Technology devices are used everyday by our students and we don't want their "learning" to stop when they come to school, we want to use the "technology with the learning in school."  Technology devices are motivational, timesavers, and familiar to the students.
When students have choice in using devices that match their learning styles, can choose the device/Web 2.0+ tool to research or practice the learning, and have technology included in their choice of projects or menu items then technology and learning go hand in hand and are being used in the optimal way.
2.Why should we hold students accountable for the stations/centers? Students need to take responsibility for their part in learning and this includes doing what is expected at the centers, incorporating and using technology appropriately, and demonstrating their learning through products or sharing ideas with others. Resident experts on different steps of technology or programs etc. are available for their peers
when the teacher is helping another group. Also when a student "teaches" something then it pushes his/her learning to a higher level.
3.Visit 2 of the applicable links to interactive websites for your content/grade level. Which sites did you like.
Interactivate seemed a little past fourth grade mathematicians, but there were a few items that might work in our classroom.
Thinfinity seems to offer more choices and to match the fourth grade curriculum better. It also has math and science choices.
4.How could you use them as stations? How can you hold the students accountable for their time in these stations? A certain game on the above site Thinkfinity would be assigned to a workstation that week. Time would be set up for exploration and practice during the workstation assignment. A reflection sheet would be included in the workstation for the student to track the time they spent as well as questions they would respond to about that specific task.
5.List two to three apps you found for the iPod Touch/iPad that you can use in your classroom. What do you see that station looking like? How can you hold the students accountable for their time in these stations?
Arithmetic could be used for homework practice of multiplication facts or as a resource in our math facts workstation.
Math Ninja HD Free might me a high interest math game to reinforce basic facts that could be used in a workstation or for reinforcement at home.
Since we start out the school year with an emphasis on multiplication facts, that's why these particular apps appealed to me.
The station set up and accountability was addressed in previous answers.
6.What about other ways to use the iPod Touch/iPad? Share another way you can see your students using the device as a station.
I especially see these devices being used for research, for note taking or planning by small groups. In class I am starting a "Share and Show" where students can share apps they have found useful or a trick in a certain web 2.0+ program that helped them in creating an imovie, a video, etc.