Past projects 1
Technology = Efficiency and Effectivity
Funded May 7, 2021Thank you for supporting this project for my students. The day that the package arrived in our classroom, my students were puzzled of what was in the box. When they saw that it was a touch screen laptop, they were happy because I could finally annotate the lessons and mark their online work. In addition, the iPad allows me to grade work and check emails, which is very helpful. These devices allow me to create engaging and interactive lessons, communicate with parents, and grade while providing feedback.
Using the laptop and iPad, I can create engaging and interactive lessons for my students. I was able to use the updated version of PowerPoint; in comparison to the old version, the software ran much smoother without much lag. I could also convert files into different formats. For example, the devices can convert Word to PDF, PDF to Word, and so on. Creating instructional videos was easy and efficient with the laptop on Screencastify and even on PowerPoint. I used these enhancements to create a video on Solving Absolute Value Equations and Inequalities, where my students could access the content outside of the classroom. My students' learning experience has improved thanks to the technology from this project.
Communicating with parents and students has never been easier because of the new devices. Parent-teacher communication can occur in person or virtually. I used Zoom to conduct parent teacher conferences for those who could not attend in person as well as tutoring sessions for students who needed extra help. The iPad and the laptop also allowed me to respond quickly to parents through email. Additionally, I was able to use the iPad to reach out to parents with Google Voice because it was an easier platform both the parents and I to communicate via voice message. These devices provided me with the tools to communicate quickly with students and parents.
With the new devices, I could grade and provide feedback to students in a timely manner. I began to efficiently send progress reports to students and parents; the speed of the devices allowed me to receive messages quickly as well as respond in a timely manner. In addition, grading online work became easier with the help of the laptop, as its fast connectivity and response to Synergy gave me the boost to grade more work. Both devices helped me provide crucial feedback on students' work; many of my students were able to improve their work by reflecting upon this feedback. This also helped me improve my teaching based on the needs of my students. I was able to efficiently grade and provide feedback to students and parents with the fantastic help of the laptop and iPad.
I just want to thank Livia & Biz Stone for funding my project "Technology = Efficiency and Effectivity" through DonorChoose. Without you, I would not have the technology as well as efficient delivery and communication with parents and students. Again, thank you for funding my project, and I hope that you will continue to help other people/projects like this one.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Santiago
This classroom project was brought to life by Livia & Biz Stone.