Observation on technology in the classroom
Classroom:
Grade: 4th
Curriculum Area: Reading
What I notice
The reading time is done workshop
style. Most of the time is dedicated to
the students being on their computers.
Technology is very important in this
classroom. The students go on iready
everyday for at least 30 minutes. Iready
is a computer program that has all
different types of reading lessons for
the students to complete. These
lessons are based off of a score from an
assessment students take on the
program. They get specific lessons to
assist them in growing in certain areas.
The lessons are meant to be engaging
for students and require responses in
order to move forward.
Students also use their computers to go
on canvas. The canvas page has the
vocabulary on it that the students are
required to complete for the week. They
have the option to complete their
vocabulary on a piece of paper and
submit it directly to the teacher or they
can submit it through the canvas page.
Every day the teacher plays GoNoodle
and flocabulary for students to listen
and dance to. She plays it on the smart
board so all students can see. The
students get up and sing and dance.
The flocabulary raps their vocabulary
words for the week in an engaging and
fun way.
The use of technology is high in this
class. They are currently using an
online website called board builder
through discovery education to create a
story board for their unit wrap up.
Students are expected to work on that
during workshop time when they are
not in their small group with the
teacher.
Observer: Kaitlyn Forte
Date: 3-22-2017
Time:
Thoughts, Questions, Connections to
Methods Classes
The students always have something to
work on. This is beneficial to the
teacher because she doesnt have
students constantly coming up to her
asking what they can do next. I also
love the use of the computers in the
classroom. Students are assigned their
own computer that they use every day.
The iready is a great program that is
more individualized for each student.
The teacher has access to see students
results and she also has the ability to
switch up the lessons in a students
iready if she feels it is necessary.
The use of canvas in an elementary
school classroom was pretty unusual to
me. I was unsure how it would be used
to benefit the students because they
are so young. After seeing how well
students used it I began to understand
why they want to implement these
types of programs so early. The goal of
common core is to prepare students to
be career and college ready. Canvas or
another type of online learning system
is something they will have to do when
they are in college, so they are
experiencing it earlier on in their
education career. It is also beneficial for
students to find their vocabulary on
there because they wont lose it.
The students love GoNoodle and
flocabulary. They get up and dance. I
can tell this is useful because its a way
to engage students but it also gives
them a break from their individual and
group work during class time.
Having the students create their work
online makes the work more engaging. I
interviewed a student in this classroom
and she mentioned to me how she
hates writing but she doesnt mind it
when she can do it with technology
such as board builder.

The use of technology in classrooms is

a 21st century skill that students need
to learn and become comfortable with.