Using technology in the classroom to assist learning and documenting evidence.

This year I am focusing on trying to use technology more in the classroom to assist students learning and also as a way of collecting and recording evidence.

Because of the large number of students who are out of class regularly for extra curricular activities, or school jobs and responsibilities, keeping them up to date with work has been tricky.  I am also trying to find ways of recording students work when they are using materials etc because they may not always have evidence of their work in their books.

So far this term I have set up a class google drive with a range of folders in it.  Each student has their own folder as well as a folder for each writing, math, reading group etc.  I am using the google drive to upload my planning, tutorial clips, resources, activities...

I have found using the google drive extremely helpful when teaching maths.  When I teach a new concept and model it with materials, I have had the students take photos of the demonstration and upload it into their groups folder.  This way they have evidence of how to work out the problem that they can later refer back to, or if a student was absent for the lesson, they can look at the examples and catch up.  This way of recording also allows me to keep evidence of students work when they may not have any written evidence in their book.  If I need to, I could always print the photos and glue them in too.

Below are some examples of some photos taken during maths lessons.

(Solve multiplication using the place value strategy)

 (Solve multiplication using our 5x tables)

I have also been using the goolge drive to upload group WALTs and Success criteria.  See an example below:

For writing, I am also finding google docs very helpful.  Instead of using a modelling book, I am using a google document to type examples up and the students can see this via our interactive tv.  Students can then access the writing example via their writing group folder on the google drive.