Using Technology Effectively in the 1 Computer Classroom

Common problems or complaints from teachers	My kids don't get to be on the computer long enough to accomplish anything. Something always goes wrong when my kids use the computer and I have to stop whatever I'm teaching and fix it. I don't feel confident enough on the computer to teach my students how to use it. When my kids actually get on the computer, they type SO slow. It takes them a lifetime to do anything.
Don't despair! It is possible. Below are 8 steps that myself and other teachers have followed and found to be very helpful in using technology in our 1 computer classrooms.
Step 1	Use the computer yourself. Set an example for your students.
Step 2	Teach your students how to type at the beginning of the year. If they have an idea where the keys are, they will take less time hunting and pecking when they are on the computer. You can use a typing tutor on CD like Mavis Beacon. Try checking out some old typing instruction text books from the public library and have your students complete the lessons in your word processing program.
Step 3	Decide on an objective. What do you want the students to accomplish while on the computer? Integrate it into what you are already doing! Don't create another subject to teach. Teach to the standards while using technology at the same time. Start with something easy and basic. Build up to harder projects. Get as prepared as possible for the project. The more prepared, the less stressful the project is!
Step 4	Train Computer Specialists (students in your classroom that can help when problems arise). Make training ongoing. (I do training once a week during recess.) Always have them be one step ahead of the rest of your class Consider using high and low achievers for this job. It can be a great self-esteem builder. The better trained your computer specialists are, the less problems you will have to fix on the computers. Computer specialists are especially helpful if you do reading groups or other types of small group instruction. The computer specialists can help solve problems so you don't have be disturbed during small group instruction.
Step 5	Make a computer use schedule for your classroom. for a sample schedule. Schedule students for individual or group computer time. Make the schedule on the computer and hand it out to each child. Consider also posting it near the computer. Schedule students on the computer throughout the entire day. It is the student's responsibility to go at their correct time. If they miss it, it's their loss and they have to figure out a way to make up the work.
Oh no! My students will miss valuable instruction time! If this is what you are thinking, you're not alone. That's what I thought at first also. Below are a list of some common concerns and possible solutions.
Concern #1	Students will miss instructional time while they are on the computer. Schedule students on the computer during subjects they are strong in. If a child is struggling in math, don't schedule them during math time. If you are introducing a new topic and don't want any students to miss it, tell the students that they are not going to be able to go the computer for their time that day. As long as you let the students know this is a possibility up front, it's not usually a problem.
Concern #2	When do students complete work they miss while they are on the computer? Try using incomplete work folders. Any work that the student is not able to complete because they were on the computer goes into an incomplete work folder somewhere in the classroom. Set aside about 30 minutes 1 day a week for students to complete work that is in this folder. (Students can also put work in there that they don't finish during other times of the day.) If they don't have any incomplete work, have another activity for them to do or give them free time as a reward for getting all their work done on time.
Concern #3	What if something goes wrong on the computer when I am in the middle of teaching a lesson? Make sure the students know what to do if they have a problem and can't solve it on their own. Below is what I tell my students to do when they have a problem or need help: Look at the cheat sheet and try to solve the problem yourself. Go to a computer specialist and ask for help. If I am not doing whole class instruction, come ask me. If you still can't solve the problem, leave the computer and go back to your seat. If a child misses their computer time, their life will go on (even though they think their life is over)!
Keep reading below for the last 3 steps.
Step #6	Train your whole class. You can try training you whole class at once if you have access to some sort of projection unit. Below are 2 relatively inexpensive units that you can use in your classroom: TV-View - hooks up your computer to a TV LCD Panel - panel that goes on top of your overhead and projects the image that's on your computer monitor onto a screen. Date Projector - projects a very clear image of whatever is on your computer monitor onto a screen (unfortunately this is not as inexpensive as the previous two) You can also train your class in small groups. Gather a small group of kids around the computer and teach them what you need to. When you are training your class, make sure to demonstrate and ask questions (What do I do next? Where do I go to . . .? What do you do if you need help?)
Step #7	Start using your schedule and get to work!
Step #8	Enjoy the success of your students. Share student work with parents, teachers, and administrators
I know what you're thinking. This all sounds nice, but what about the Internet? I can't turn my kids loose on the computer throughout the whole day searching on the Internet. Consider the following ideas:
Internet Tips	Base a project around a site(s) that you have checked out first. (A WebQuest is a great example of this.) Have a parent volunteer come in and sit with groups of kids when searching. Have your Instructional Aide work with groups of kids when searching. Consider "whacking" a site using WebWhacker or Web Buddy and browsing off-line.
If you have any questions, please feel free to e-mail me and we can talk more about this.