Surprise...you're getting a projector!

About 2 months ago our administrator emailed us the agenda for our next meeting as he always does, or maybe he just posted it on his blog..I don't remember the exact details now, but then he said something interesting.  He informed us that there would be a surprise announcement at the beginning of the meeting.  School ended and not wanting to be late all of us hurried to the media center for what we knew had to be a momentous announcement!  There were rumors a flying...was someone else pregnant...was someone leaving our school...was our other administrator having twins (we already knew she was pregnant).  We couldn't fathom what would be so important and exciting that he just couldn't put it on the agenda and it had to be a surprise.  Well, we didn't have to wait long and we were told that each and every classroom was getting it's own projector!  The clouds opened up and the sun shone down as we dreamed of no more complicated checkouts, no more making sure we had the right dongle, no more buffering and wondering if we would get to the lesson because we only had the projector for 2 hours!  No we would each have our own.  As we came down from our high I sat in my spot at my usual table thinking..."oh no, how am I going to use this thing on a daily basis...I barely even checked it out because it was such a hassle...now someone is buying one for me...I need to know how to use it...I need to know what to do with it."  Then and there I decided that this summer I would become informed about, review and study how to use a projector to enhance the student learning in my classroom.  Below you can find my software evaluation, several great websites I came across, and more of my insights about having a projector for my very own classroom use!  Here goes nothing...21st century learning, here I come!!!

Websites and blogs I came across that have helped me in my quest:
http://langwitches.org/blog/2008/11/19/50-ways-to-use-a-projector-in-the-classroom/
http://georgetownisd.org/ccorner/technology/projectors.asp
http://www.edutopia.org/size-matters-large-screen-digital-projector
http://schoolcomputing.wikia.com/wiki/Technology_in_Kindergarten

Software Evaluation:
Kidspiration is a program that I plan on using with my students when my projector is up and running next year.  It is a piece of software that I have access to through my school but I have never used in the past because it is not a tool that most of my kindergartners could use independently in the computer lab, but as a community of learners using a projector, I think it would be a great way to display our collective thinking!  I used the following criteria when thinking through if and how I would use Kidspiration with my kindergarten students.  To complete the evaluation I used what I already knew about Kidspiration after some technology PLC meetings as well as information gathered from peers.  I also went to the Kidspiration website for other ideas and uses.
http://www.inspiration.com/Kidspiration

“Essential Criteria Checklist for Evaluating Instructional Courseware”

Assessment of Commercial/Published Products

Pick 2 Y/N

The following checklist includes four sets of essential qualities used to discriminate between acceptable and unacceptable software material as well as criteria for specific software functions. If software does not meet all these criteria, it probably should not be considered for purchase. For each item, circle Y for yes if it meets the criterion, or N for no if it does not.

Title: Kidspiration    

Publisher Inspiration Software

Content Areas: All  

Grade Level(s) K-5

Cost Information and Pricing Options Available: Available through the district

Courseware Functions:           

______X________Drill and practice        ______X______Instructional Game ______________Tutorial                         ______X______Problem Solving ______________Simulation                    ______X_______Other

Objectives: Building concept maps and graphic organizers to collect individual or collective thinking.  Various math skills which can easily be differentiated!

Set 1. Instructional Design and Pedagogical Soundness - I answered yes to all the criteria below.  It is a very flexible program that I could tailor to my student's needs quite easily.  I would use it with a whole group first and then as the year went on, based on my student's understanding of the program we could try it in the computer lab on an individual basis!  I am also very excited about the math manipulative section of Kidspiration.  I think this will bring some exciting new modeling to math that I was unable to do before!

YES         NO         

Y            N            Teaching strategy is matched to student needs/levels and is based on accepted methods

Y            N            Courseware methods are likely to accomplish the stated objectives

Y            N            Presentation on screen contains nothing than misleads or confuses students

Y            N            Readability and learning difficulty are at an appropriate level for target students

Y            N            Comments to students are not abusive or insulting

Y            N            Graphics fulfill important purpose (motivation, information) and are not distracting to learners.

Comments:

YES         NO        Criteria specific to drill and practice functions: YES NO

Y            N            High degree of interactivity (not just reading information)

Y            N            Appropriate feedback for correct answers (none, if timed; not elaborate or time-consuming)

Y            N            Feedback is more reinforcing for correct than for incorrect responses.

Comments:

YES         NO        Criteria specific to tutorial functions:

Y            N            High degree of interactivity (not just reading information)

Y            N            High degree of user control (forward and backward movement, branching upon request)

Y            N            Comprehensive teaching sequence so instruction is self-contained and stand alone

Y            N            Adequate answer-judging capabilities for student-constructed answers to questions.

Comments:

YES         NO        Criteria specific to simulation functions:

Y            N            Appropriate degree of fidelity (accurate depiction of system being modeled)

Y            N            Good documentation available on how program works (if not intuitive)

Comments:

YES         NO        Criteria specific to instructional game functions:

Y            N            Low quotient of violence or combat-type activities

Y            N            All content accurate and up-to-date

Y            N            No racial or gender stereotypes; not geared toward only one sex or to certain races.

Y            N            Exhibits a sensitive treatment of moral and/or social issues (e. g., perspectives on war)

Y            N            Content matches required curriculum objectives.

Comments:

Set 2. Content

YES         NO         

Y            N            No grammar, spelling, or punctuation errors on the screen

Y            N            All content accurate and up-to-date

Y            N            No racial or gender stereotypes; not geared toward only one sex or to certain races

Y            N            Exhibits a sensitive treatment of moral and/or social issues (e. g., perspectives on war)

Y            N            Content matches required curriculum objectives

Comments:

Set 3. User Flexibility

YES         NO         

Y            N            User normally has some control of movement within the program (e. g., can go from screen to screen at desired rate; can read text at desired rate; can exit program when desired)

Y            N            Can turn off sound, if desired

Y            N            Interface is easy to use (e.g., similar format from screen-to-screen for forward and back movement in program)

Comments:

Set 4. Technical Soundness

YES         NO         

Y            N            Program loads consistently, without error

Y            N            Program does not break (i.e., stop working), no matter what the student enters

Y            N            Program does what the screen says it should do

Y            N            Program works on desired platform

Y            N            If included, online links work as indicated

Y            N            If included, animations and videos work as indicated

Comments: