Classroom Observation

For Learning and Technology we are to observe a classroom that uses technology, and then write a reflection on it. I decided to use the interaction between my co-teacher  Tanya and myself and how we found a new program that influenced our lesson today.

While prepping for class today, Tanya and I were discussing about various ways to helps students remember and practice the simple divisibility rules (i.e. how do you know if a number is divisible by 3?). Using our smart board we went through a bunch of interactive software that would allow the teacher or student to drag numbers into a vortex of "divisible by 3" or "not divisible by 3". If the number was correct it would be sucked into the vortex, if it was incorrect it would stay on top of the vortex and make a sound. It was a great way for student to get immediate feedback of their choices, but still gave the teacher the ability to ask questions if students chose the wrong number. This was great, but by pointing and dragging, students will eventually get bored and this is more of a way to introduce the rules but not to practice them.

This lead us to trying to find a new way for students to interact and practice rules individually. We found this new game called "Fling the teacher". This is an interactive flash game that can be customized to your content of choice. We also found that there is a site called http://www.contentgenerator.net/ that has many customizable games. In our class we created a Fling the Teacher for using the divisibility rules. The game is like a reverse Hangman. Students are given multiple choice questions but for each correct answer students get a piece of equipment. After answering a certain amount of question the equipment turns into a catapult that will fling, or throw, the teacher across the screen.

During class each pair of students was given a computer and the website for this game. Students worked in pairs to find the correct answers to fling the teacher. So many students were engaged and very motivated to know what the divisibility rules were in order to create the catapult. I saw many students having conversations and creating strategies in order to work towards a common goal.

Between the Smart Board activity and the computer game, I think that students were able to become more engaged, but they also became intrinsically motivated to make schemas and connections to the material. If students had questions, they asked first asked their classmate, and if both struggled a teacher could help them through. Since students played a game they forgot about the academic structure of the rules, but they made the rules their own. I plan on using many more games in my classroom, and many more ways for students to interact using the technology of the Smart Rule.