Time Warp!

Just taking some time to revisit a lesson from undergrad that involved getting the students using technology, in this case TurningPoint.

TurningPoint is an "audience response system" that I used in turn with PowerPoint. My school had "clickers" that where like tiny remotes. I see now that TurningPoint can be used with cell phones and iPod touches, which is exciting!

Turning point is great because it gives students interaction with their lesson and great for teachers to get immediate feedback and can be used as formal or informal evaluations.

Take a look at this sample lesson:

Showcase Lesson Reflection

Technology: 2/20/09

Lindsey Huber

            My incorporation of TurningPoint in my lesson in order to review vocabulary words gave a different approach to studying. Not only did I enjoy making the presentation, I was able to informally gage how the class as a whole understood their words. My showcase lesson went very well I believe, but there would be some things I would change in order to enhance it.

            For instance, on the day before when I was setting up the classroom computer to do this lesson, the technology coordinator and I only tested a few clickers to see if TurningPoint worked. Now I know that I should have tested every clicker that day because half of them did not work when I went to do the lesson. I was very embarrassed with my supervisor there, but luckily I had alternate work prepared that would review their vocabulary words. This really saved me because I was not stranded with nothing for the students to do that day. The clickers ended up to be out of batteries and my supervisor was very understanding of my situation, but I was still embarrassed. So now I know that I should check every piece of technology that day in order to make sure it all works correctly. Also, I should always have a back up plan in case things do not go right.

            Another thing I have learned with my lesson is to not take too much time on the TurningPoint activity in order to prevent boredom. With my other class, I took the time to read every sentence and choice of answers. This approach took a lot of time and by the end I felt as if I was loosing the students. With the lesson where my supervisor was there, my mentor suggested that I should not take the time to read every sentence and choice to words. This seemed to work better because we moved faster and also the students where more engaged. This is most likely because the students would have to read the selection for themselves and not have to hear the droning of my voice. So the showcase lesson used TurningPoint for just enough time.

            I think that next time, I would use a short matching worksheet as an opening activity to get the students think about the words and their definitions. This is because the activity that I had for the students was a little bit more difficult and took too much instructional time. Though I do like the reenforcement activity, I think it was a little over kill on their minds. 

            I think that the use of technology in my lesson gave the students an alternate way to review their vocabulary in a way for me and my mentor to see their progress. We gave this lesson the day of their test and I was able to informally see if they understood the definitions correctly in a short amount of time. I liked doing this and I think I will do this again in the future and make appropriate changes.