Introduction+(Project+4)

=** Introduction **= ===Our Technology Day will give all students in the third grade an opportunity to interact with technology in a variety of ways. Students will have the opportunity to use the Smartboard in their classroom, to use use websites for a variety of purposes, to use digital audio recorders, to use email, to set up a wiki page, to use Flip cameras, to present their findings using presentation software, and to even use the X-box Kinect. This day will be a starting point for many other uses of technology and technology projects that will be used in the students' classrooms.===

** Student Description **
===The third grade classes are made up of students with many different learning styles and classes include students with special needs, English language learners, and students who participate in academic enrichment programs. Students have a great deal of experience working together in cooperative learning groups, but have varying experiences with technology both at school and home. During our Technology Day students who are more proficient in technology can act as the "technology experts" to help those less proficient students navigate the technology.===

** School Description **
===The school is located in a large, suburban district with a total enrollment of 13,374 students. The district is high performing and is rated excellent with distinction. The enrollment of the elementary school is 348 students in kindergarten through fifth grade. The Ohio Department of Education's School Year Report Card lists the following subgroups for the school: 5% Black, 15.8% Asian/Pacific Islander, 4.4% Hispanic, 9.7% Multi Racial, and 65.1% White. Among the students at the school, 17.9% are economically disadvantaged, 10.7% have limited English proficiencies, and 10.1% are students with disabilities. The school and the district follow an inclusion model of instruction with much push-in support and some pull-out support for students. The use of technology in all academic areas and to help make modifications and accomodations for students with special needs is highly encouraged. Support is given to purchase technologies to be used by students and teachers and professional development in the area of technology is offered regularly.===

** Classroom Description **
===The third grade classrooms are set up to provide students with opportunities to work together cooperatively. Each room has a mounted SMARTBoard, an Elmo document camera, a student desktop computer, a teacher laptop computer, a printer, and a mounted flat screen TV with VCR/DVD. The grade level has a mobile laptop cart to share.===

** School Computer Facilities **
===The school has a computer lab with desktop computers and a mounted SMARTBoard. In addition, the library houses desktop computers that can be used by classes in the school. Four mobile laptop carts are available for checkout by any grade level. Primary grades each have five desktop computers in their classrooms and intermediate grades have one, but also house the mobile laptop carts. All staff and students have access to the internet and storage space on the server, as well as, access to wiki/ blog pages for classes and students. These wikis and blogs are housed on a district server and are password protected. The computers used in the school have a wireless internet connection. Class sets of ipods, Flip cameras, and digital cameras are also available for checkout from the school library. The school's Technology Support Specialist helps both staff and students learn to use the school's technology by providing staff professional development and co-planning and co-teaching lessons involving technology with the teachers in the school.===