Technology Infused Classroom

So, what does a technology-infused classroom look like? I see it as a place where a wide assortment of technology is easily accessible for teachers and students to incorporate into the lessons.

A few weeks ago I was actually wondering, or rather dreaming, what my classroom could look like if it was a "technology-infused classroom." First of all, I would have a portable mac lab. I do not have the space to have a hard-wired lab, so it would have to be portable. We would have programs like Vectorworks Spotlight and Rendering on it so that we can do professional lighting and set designs. We would also have sound design programs like audacity and various movie editing and graphic design software. These would mostly be used by my technical theatre students.

In addition to the portable mac-lab, I would have 16-20 i-pads for my regular theatre classes. The i-pads take up less space and are even more portable. Students would be able to easily videotape their performances, attach them to their E-Portfolios, do real-time peer evaluation blogs, write scripts on screenwriting website, search, download, and play music for performances and this is just the tip of the ice-berg. Students would be able to work on their design presentations and record process for portfolios as they went.

There would be an interactive Smartboard to incorporate into lessons for more active visuals. I would also have a portable sound system with sound board in my room for performances and for my students to learn about sound design and how to assemble a sound system. We would have a light grid installed with a LED Source Four lighting system, some moving lights, and an ION light board. Students in both my acting and technical theatre classes would benefit from being able to create lighting and sound connections to the mood of a performance.

I can only imagine what it would actually be like to have this classroom. We would not have to schedule days in the computer lab. We would be able to use the technology in conjunction with what we are immediately working on. The transitions from lesson, to activity, to reflection could be incorporated so much better. For example, right now, if we don't have enough time to complete the work in the computer lab, it is either homework or I have to schedule another day and many times, the computer labs are being used. Classes use the auditorium during the day for instruction, so we are not able to use the light board or sound board.

I can see the possibilities. The funding is the problem, but I am working on that. I am pursuing getting certified as a CTE instructor in Technical Theatre. If this happens, and the district approves the course, we will have some additional funds to begin creating my technology-infused classroom.

ION lightboard & LED Source Four from Barbizon Lighting Co.