Been There, Done That

TeachersFirst's Time Tested Tech Tips from the Trenches to Help Technology-Based Lessons Run Smoothly

Do not allow yourself to feel "less of a teacher" if a student knows more about the technology than you do. Since many adults and students are self-taught these days, it is very likely that your circle of knowledge and that of a student will differ. Celebrate the fact that she can help you (assuming she is trustworthy) and use this as an opportunity to remind all students that adults are life-long learners. Thank her for teaching you something new and go on.

Have copies of any files you are using saved in more than one place. Email them to yourself, use floppies, use a shared folder, etc.

Floppy disks are as reliable as a five year old. Don't trust them unless you have to. Have MANY spare disks available if you must use them.

Avoid having students type a URL. They will usually spend valuable class time making typing errors. If using web sites, make an electronic list of the URL's in Word so you can click on them as links OR have them marked as favorites in your web browser ahead of time.

When working with younger students (grades K-2), make a shortcut directly to the web site or electronic handout on the desktop of the computer. Experiment with RIGHT-clicking while on a site to make the shortcuts. A menu will give you the option to "make shortcut" and place it on the desktop.

Teach students how to "undo" in the programs they are using!

Remember that you can have more than one program open at a time in Windows. This is especially handy when copying and pasting typing, clip art, or student work from one file to another. Familiarize yourself with these shortcuts! If your machines are very old, they may not "like" running more than two programs at a time. If they become sluggish, close a few windows to get your total back down to two. The more graphics you are using, the slower they will become.

Develop a list of students who are good helpers (who do not do the work FOR peers, but coach them through it). Offer them ways to earn extra credit or trade for assignments by doing this after their own work is done.

Have assigned seats in the computer lab. Place learning support students along easily-accessible aisles and near the front so an aide can fit next to them and/or you can circulate to them easily.

Make sure you have a clear path to see all monitors while students are workingin the computer lab. You can use this to collect scores as they finish work (you will see their finishing screen).

In the computer lab, keep a written record of which student used which computer (date, time). This comes in handy to for tracking down Internet use that is inappropriate.

Know your school's procedure for reporting technical problems and USE it. Leave a note on the board for teachers who follow you (date and sign).

During direct instruction or demonstrations, have students place the mouse (mice!) on top of their monitors so they cannot be using their computers while you want their full attention.

Select a student to run the computer for demonstrations. This can be someone who thrives on attention, will be extra cautious in front of peers to avoid embarrassment, and follows oral directions. Sometimes you can "win over" a troublesome student this way.

Make a printed sheet of all computer lab directions for those who do not follow your oral directions. They can prop it in front of their keyboard. Refer them to this when they say they are lost.

Teach all students to stop and pull their hands off the computer keyboard (up in a "hands-off" gesture), and think when something goes wrong, This will prevent "mouse panic" where the student madly clicks and makes the problem worse. Usually a simple "undo" will solve the error.

In computer labs, use a signaling system for help and be consistent with it. Cups on a string or sticky note "flags" placed atop the monitor work well. Give no help to those who do not seek the help of a neighbor first. Reward trios or pairs that are mutually supportive. Rotate the responsibility of sitting next to difficult peers.

Resist the urge to grab the mouse for the student who is in trouble. Try to talk him or her through the problem solving. She/he will remember better!

In the computer lab, always stop at least three minutes early to get all files saved, programs closed, and disks filed. Note that MANY programs get "upset" if you remove a disk before you close the program (such as Microsoft Word). To avoid this, have students close all programs before removing disks.

Have students ALL do a "Save as" immediately after they start a computer assignment to be saved and/or printed. This way they can use control+S or the disk icon as a quick save while working.

When students work on computers, give loud oral cues every five minutes reminding students to save with Control-S or the disk icon and then to keep on with their work.

When printing in computer labs, give one or two students (the first ones done) responsibility for standing at the printer and delivering completed work to others. No one else gets up. As the teacher, collect the work at the end of class at the door. To save paper, require students to ask permission before they print.

When working with clip art or graphics, limit choices for most students. Making decisions takes them a VERY long time if they have unlimited options.

When working in a computer lab, give frequent "By now you should have ____done. If you do not, you are behind," reminders.

Spell out specific and harsh consequences for students who use the computers for unassigned tasks during your class. These will vary by grade level. With secondary students, loss of points usually works. No negotiating.

If you are unsure of the reliability of a floppy disk, always save to the desktop first, then save as to the disk. If the floppy freezes the machine, you still have saved your work.

If you temporarily saved items to the desktop or hard drive in the computer lab, remember to go back and delete them. This is the equivalent of picking up your own trash.

emember to shut down all computers properly when you leave a computer lab, unless there is a building policy otherwise. Do not allow students to change settings. This is a matter of courtesy to all who use the lab after you.

For classroom lessons using a computer and projector, arrange your room so you have to move as little as possible to hook up and use the projector. This may take some imagination. No one says a computer has to be at the back or hidden. Make it the center of the room!

On your classroom computer, organize your Favorites (Bookmarks) in folders that students can understand: by subject, by unit, or by some other logical category.

Use a record keeping folder at the classroom computer for students to record scores, or have them put up a silent signal (flag, cup, etc) when they finish a task so you can verify it.