Problem:
Each math class period begins at the front of the classroom going over the warm-up question with my students. We then move into the notes for the day and again I am stuck at the front of the classroom, using the Elmo (document camera) to write notes with my students. By the end of taking notes, I have been glued to the front of the classroom for almost the whole class period. As a teacher, I feel that it is important to circulate around the class to help engage students and keep them on task. This proximity to students also helps with classroom management. When writing notes using an Elmo, this circulating to engage and manage is nearly impossible.
Solution:
The solution to this problem of being “glued” to the front of your room can be addressed using a Mobile Interactive Whiteboard, also known as a Mobi. This is a wireless device that can be used to write over content from a PowerPoint, PDF, or Word Document that is projected from your computer. Since it is wireless you can write from anywhere in your classroom. These lessons can also be saved for students or teachers, to refer back to at a later time. The Mobi is far less expensive compared to other Interactive Whiteboards and gives mobility that other products do not have. The Mobi and other related products are anywhere from $300-$500 which is less than half of the cost of other Interactive Whiteboards or SmartBoards that do not provide the mobility that the Mobi does. The Mobi and other similar products also allow students to participate from their seats, helping to engage students in the lesson. By allowing students to participate from their seats, less time is wasted and students who do not feel comfortable coming to the front of the room are more likely to participate. This product can also be used with other technologies such as the Classroom Performance System (CPS) or other handheld “clickers”, a program called ExamView, and simultaneously with other Mobi devices.
What are the key interactions among TP & C that make this solution so promising?
The pedagogy that I have chosen to employ involves circulating around the room while instructing. This strategy helps manage my classroom discipline, increase student engagement, and enhance the interaction between the students and me. When working through notes in my math classes it is nearly impossible to circulate because I have to write on the Elmo (document camera) so that students can copy down the math examples and notes. With the use of technology, specifically the Mobi (Mobile Interactive Whiteboard), I can circulate and take notes at the same time. With the use of technology, using this teaching strategy is possible while taking notes with my students.
By using the Mobi, student engagement increases by allowing them to participate from their seats. This use of technology allows a greater comprehension of the content. Technology allows me, the teacher, to engage more students by increasing my mobility. This gives me access to my students and allows me to the opportunity to recognize their misunderstandings and challenges. Some students that may not be comfortable raising their hands could whisper to me as I am circulating around the room. With the use of this technology, I can also save lessons, allowing students to go back if they have additional questions. In math, being able to go back and review the lessons can be helpful in the learning process. Employing this pedagogy is possible with the use of this technology which leads to a greater understanding of content.
Describe how you think your students will experience this problem differently/better with your new solution.
Students will experience learning differently by using these instructional strategies because I can identify mistakes that students are making throughout the lesson due to increased mobility. This is an improvement from relying on students to provide feedback when I am stationed at the front of the classroom. I can identify instructional problems sooner rather than later and adapt the lesson if needed. Also, when students are engaged and actively participating in a lesson they are more likely to comprehend the material. With the use of proximity during a lesson, there are fewer disruptions in class and therefore learning is not interrupted.
Wicked_Problem_Project
