Paperless?

The laptops have arrived! We've logged them onto the network, and all but three were happy to be part of the KMS Network - the relcalcitrant ones were taken back to Central Office for re-programming.. (There's a lesson in there someplace!!)

Marty and I had a discussion about going paperless and he suggested this would be a good time to try. I said I thought I'd give it a go, but that I hadn't used Dropbox so I was pretty much clueless. After discussing the options; Google Docs, (log-in, over 13), Dropbox, (not educational, less constructed for our purpose), he recommended using Edmodo. I'm concerned I'm not an "expert" in it, but we also agreed that, just like he has been upfront with our group that he doesn't know everything and that we're all learning together, that that's the approach I should take with my students. I have confidence my students will come along for the ride! (and help paddle!)

PBL, Project/Problem Based Learning is my plan for instruction delivery. We discussed how much input the students will have with creating assessments built around objectives because I have read students should take an active part in the formulation. I believe by the end of the school year, my students will be active participants in partnering with me to create their assessments based on our objectives. I think Marty's skeptical. We did discuss the benefits of a whole school being PBL-based, (Hanes Magnet) and how, by the 8th grade, the students should be creating/producing some very amazing end products.

Also have heard that Dr. Weyker, our District Assistant Superintendant - Technology, has coined the phrase to describe our District's march toward 1-1 devices: Mobile Learning Community! Very Catchy! I like it!! (I had been playing with the idea of my classroom being a "Student Learning Community", so the idea of a Mobile Learning Community is in that same vein!)