For this assignment, I did observe two classes at the Merrimack Middle School  One was for 8th Grade Science and the other was for the Unified Arts Family and Consumer Science Class.  Most of my attention was focused towards the 8th Grade Science Class (Instructed by Mr. E) because there is more interactive technology involved with his instruction.  Mr. E does use an interactive smart board for about 80% of his class presentations.  This allows for him to discuss the features that deal with topics such as the Cycle of Water.  I also ended the interviews by sitting down with one of the computer teachers at the middle school.

8th Grade Science:

The benefits to the students did seem endless because the use of technology did allow for constant feedback from the technology, the instructor and also the students who were involved.  What I was most impressed with was the fact that Mr. E does allow for the use of Smartphones/iPhones in his classroom a certain times during the marking period.  This does allow for the use of various types of formative assessment with the students have the basic capabilities to answer online questions that he has set up.

Whenever technology is implemented in the classroom, there is still a factor of relying on the fact that the technology and programing will work for all devices.  Some students may bring in their own phones to use but often will not always be compatible with the school’s technology.  There is always a need for constant improvements and this is an example of classroom that works with what it has.

Family and Consumer Science

Since the fall of 2004 the Family and Consumer Science Science class relies on the PITSCO programing for its curriculum.  This replaced the older model of a near 100% hands on approach to learning about Family and Consumer Science.  Currently there are 12 areas of study that students have access to that will each take 2-3 weeks so the students will not be able to get through all twelve topics in the 7th and 8th grade.  Students are divided into various groups and the workstations will look a lot like the one shown from the PITSCO Website

The program itself does allow for topics that may help meets the interests of the students. There is access to readings, instruction and then a 3rd component where they will need to complete the task (cooking, sewing, preparing a healthy food menu, studying different careers etc...).  From this standpoint the teacher does have options to attempt to make sure that every student can find what they do relevant.  From classes I have witnessed, the students do benefit from small group interaction both with people and with the computer.  The PITSCO program has it set up with tasks and assessments to attempt to create mastery of knowledge.  85%-90% of what goes on this room during the classes will be computer based.

This class is taught by two different instructors so I was able to ask them both the same questions and this program does work but there are many areas that are still trying to be improved:

• Technology like everything does cost money.  They do see that it does assist in helping students learn but it has often been difficult (just as every other school) to keep up with the demand for the constant upgrading.
• We are moving into a period that does involve making the best use of Enduring Understandings and Essential Questions and this program does not seem to fit what is being created with the school.  This is mainly because the assessments that are being created by the computer programs seem much more about fact based trivia and less about essential skills that all students should know when they leave the middle school.
• However it was noted by the instructor that more work is being done to shrink the module count from twelve to six to allow for every student to receive the same curriculum.  There is also going to be an upgrade done over the summer for the computers to be replaced and programs updated

Final Thoughts........ 

I did make one final set of questions to one of the districts technology teachers at the Middle School named (Mrs. F).  What I had been noting throughout the process is that the technology integration is used but it appears to rely heavily on word processing, powerpoints, story board and research based technology.  I did take the time to ask several questions that relate to the ideas of E-Blogger and Prezi.  I would assume that the greatest hinderance for not having these programs to assist in student learning is simply time.  Computers and Technology is not offered as class at our school and is instead integrated through the regular curriculum.  The idea seems strong to me in theory while at the same time it is very difficult on a regular core teacher to keep up with the various computer based programs that continue to be developed.