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.
This problem of being "glued" to the front of the classroom can be addressed using a device called the Mobi (Mobile Interactive Whiteboard). This is a wireless device that can be used to write over content that is projected from a computer screen. Since it is wireless the teacher can write from anywhere in the classroom. These lessons can also be saved for students or the teacher 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. There are also similar products such as the Wacom Tablet that could also be a solution to this problem. The Mobi and other related products are anywhere from $200-$500 compared to thousands of dollars for other Interactive Whiteboards that are usually installed to a wall in the classroom. 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 CPS (classroom performance system), a program called ExamView, and simultaneously with other Mobi devices.
To solve the problem of engagement and need for circulation to manage, the teacher and students will use this device when taking notes in class. Notes will be projected from a Microsoft Word document or PDF. The teacher will complete notes with the students from the Mobi while circulating around the classroom. The teacher will randomly select students, or take volunteers, to answer practice problems and allow them to complete the problem using the Mobi. When notes are finished, the teacher will save the notes and post them on the school/class blog for students to access from home to review content.
The following are resources for research on the Mobi and other similar devices
• Mobi Article
• http://www.einstruction.com/products/mobile-interactive-whiteboards/mobi-mobile-interactive-whiteboard
• Mobi™ and CPS™: A Williamsburg Collegiate Charter School Case Study
• http://www.einstruction.com/products/mobile-interactive-whiteboards/mobi-view
• Interviews with colleagues that use the Mobi in their classroom
During this course, I will use the Mobi during my first hour math class for three days while refraining from using the Mobi during my second hour class of the same subject. I will observe any changes in classroom management and student engagement because of the mobility provided by the Mobi.
After this course, I could test this device using other technologies, such as the CPS (classroom performance system), ExamView and using multiple Mobis together. The Mobi can be used with the CPS and has settings to give the teacher instant results for each student to see who is comprehending the material and who is not. ExamView, a program used to create tests and quizzes, can be used along with the Mobi. The teacher can create a quiz using ExamView and then use the Mobi and CPS to administer the quiz. Students get instant feedback and the teacher also gets feedback as to which concepts students are still struggling to grasp and which individual students are struggling. Multiple Mobis can be used simultaneously; therefore multiple students could have a Mobi as well as the teacher. This device, or a combination of devices, could be used over the course of a chapter and compared with a class that did not use the Mobi, or other devices, to see if there is any correlation with students’ scores and the use of the Mobi.
The teacher will know that the implementation of the Mobi was successful by observing students’ interaction during notes and keep a journal of what is observed. Factors such as participation and engagement will be observed to compare differences among the class that is using the Mobi and the one that is not. Students will be given a survey after the Mobi is implemented to see what their reactions are to the change in instruction. Select students will be interviewed to give feedback about their experience with the use of the Mobi in class.
In regards to, "the teacher will save the notes and post them on the school/class blog for students to access from home to review content." You may consider using: https://posterous.com
ReplyDeleteGreat plan, Amanda! I also have been trying to find strategies (tech and non-tech-based) to help make my lessons less teacher-centered. I hope the Mobi serves to facilitate that for you and your students. I recently attended a training where the facilitator said, "Teachers, You're doing too much." His point was simply that-- we tend to do too much. I think your problem of being at the center of the classroom helps demonstrate this notion-- when you are the center of attention and focus, it means more work for you and sometimes less involvement or less demands of the students to keep things going. I'm looking forward to seeing how this project pans out for you. I've never used tablets like Mobi, but I've heard positive things about them. Good luck! :)
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