This Week In Ed Tech

Earlier this week, I blogged about what I bought in 2009. Now, as I prepare to ring in the new decade, I thought I'd reflect on what my school bought in 2009. I can't imagine ever teaching without these amazing high tech tools.

Mimio Wireless Pad

Teacher proximity is critical to good classroom management. With the Mimio wireless pad, I can literally stand anywhere in the room and control the computer, write on the interactive whiteboard, start and stop video clips, access the web -- the list seems endless.

Mimio Interactive Whiteboard Solution

This device attaches to the side of my whiteboard with suction cups or sticky tape. It transforms my existing whiteboard into an interactive one. Now, my students can write on the interactive whiteboard with digital ink. I can save what's on the board and show it to the class at a later date. With the Mimio Interactive Whiteboard Notebook Software, I can create my own lesson plans using Mimio's interactive flash-based media which includes reveal tools, balloon pops, right/wrong active buttons with sound, and much more.

Renaissance Responders

Whether I'm in anonymous mode and just checking the class for understanding, or administering a formative assessment, these little handheld devices make grading a snap. I can ask a question at my own pace, or allow students to work through an exam or activity at their own pace. Students can use the instant feedback they receive to reflect on their work and fix their own understanding.

AverMedia Document Camera

Goodbye overhead transparency projector -- I'm not sad to see you go. No more wasting money on costly transparency sheets. No more running to the workroom to make a transparency for an upcoming lesson. No more multi-colored fingers! No other device has been as long-overdue to hit the classroom as the document camera. I can't tell you how many teachable moments have occurred since being able to just "put it under the doc cam."

Kevlar 2 way ceiling speakers

Four (4) Kevlar 2-way 6 1/2" speakers are now ceiling-mounted in our classrooms. The wires, which are hidden behind custom moulding, run down the wall and run directly to my workstation, which connect to a powered mixer. The mixer includes an input for the PC, an extra mic input, and an aux channel for an iPod.

Hitachi LCD projectors

My 24" CRT color TV is still mounted to the ceiling in my classroom and is feeling very, very lonely these days. Things to do in 2010: (1) contact the facilities department and ask them to please remove it! It's been replaced with a ceiling mounted Hitachi LCD projector, which projects everything on my whiteboard. Speaking of whiteboards, my markers are drying out, too, because instead of using markers, we write with Mimio's digital ink. (2) return unused whiteboard markers to the district office warehouse.

Belkin USB 2.0 Plus Hub (7 Port)

Since practically all of our new gadgets connect to our computers through USB, my principal decided we needed one more thing: the Belkin USB 7-port hub. Our laptops only have three USB ports, and with all our new tech tools, we require a minimum of six open ports. Now, we not only have enough ports to connect everything; there is no cable mess, and we even have a little room to grow.

Our school also purchased an English Language Development (ELD) lab that includes portable workstations, dance mats, touch screens, extendas, document camera, mimio, mimio pad, responders, ELD Unit Lessons and software: all of which I'll describe in greater detail in a subsequent post in 2010.