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After each semester, I am going to rank the use of technology in the class. The competition is tough with hard hitting hardware like Mac Notebooks and iMac Desktops, new and improved iPod Touches and iPad, and the flashy Flip video camera. After 9 weeks of back and forth usage, the first semester standings look like this:
1. Mac Notebooks – 40 out of 100 Usage Points – No surprise here. By far the best “bang for your buck” item on the list. The Mac Notebook beats the other four this semester because of its overall efficiency and mobility. A massive forty percent of the technology activities is done on this machine. The majority of its use comes from educational websites.
Favorite thing to do on the machine – Carrot Sticks (One on One Math Battles Online)
2. iMac Desktops – 25 out of 100 Usage Points – A close second. The iMac Desktop offers power and durability. The wider screen makes watching Brain Pop videos more enjoyable and multiple safari windows easier to manage. The majority of the Desktops’ use has came from educational websites.
Favorite thing to do on the machine – Study Island (All Subject Questions with Arcade Style Gameplay)
3. iPads – 20 out of 100 Usage Points – A surprising third. Coming into this school year, I thought the iPad would dominate the classroom. Don’t get me wrong. The iPad is great but when you have Mac Notebooks and iMacs at your disposal the iPad gets the cold shoulder. The majority of the iPads’ use have come from ibooks and math apps. If I could find a useful reading app, the iPad could move up in the rankings.
Favorite thing to do on the machine – ibooks (Book Reading App)
4. Flip Video Camera – 10 out of 100 Usage Points – A promising fourth. I wasn’t sure how I was going to integrate video cameras into the classroom other than field trips. But as the semester went on, we started using the flip more often. The majority of the Flip’s use has came from videoing our garden and assemblies.
Favorite thing to do on the machine – videoing the garden
5. iPod Touches – 5 out of 100 Usage Points – A disappointing fifth. Not a surprise though. With the arsenal of technology in the classroom, it has been hard to find time to use the iPod Touch. The majority of the iPod Touch’s use has came from random educational apps.
Favorite thing to do on the machine – Brian Thaw (Math App on Factors and Multiples)
