Feedback+Comments

// Regarding BYOD at the Middle Schools in 2012-2013: // "I think there is a lot of excitement to try something so different. When unfortunate situations arise, sometimes we have to make the best of them. In this situation, I think this is another opportunity for us to reach beyond our comfort zone while still impacting student learning for the good."

Lara Lindsey, Director of Instructional Technology for McKinney ISD

//Regarding Penguin Palooza:// "It was a project-based learning opportunity like nothing we have seen or done before and it was impactful!"

Melanie Burford, a Library Media Specialist in MISD

//Regarding the 1:1 iPod Project in grades 3-5:// "With the collaboration feature of Sundry Notes I have quick access to students' notebooks. Within the digital notebooks students have inserted pictures, text, and voice recordings documenting their thought processes. In the past it has been difficult to extract student thinking from analyzing the content of traditional math/science notebooks. Many students have difficulty transferring ideas from their brain to paper. With digital notebooks students tend to express their thoughts naturally and with ease."

Eddie Wood, 4th Grade Teacher @ Webb Elementary School

//Regarding the iPad Project in Grades PK-2:// "For 1st grade math we have to give the students performance tasks. We are able to use the iPad for these tasks. For example, we are assessing skip counting. The 100's chart app allows the students to count by 2's, 5's, and 10's. Using this app in centers in previous weeks has helped my struggling students be successful during the assessment. They are engaged and on task."

David Bill, 1st Grade Teacher @ Finch Elementary School

//Regarding the Apple Initiative:// "The Finch Elementary staff has embraced our distict Apple initiative. Our teachers have and iPad and a MacBook. Classrooms K-2 have five iPads per classroom and 3-5 students have and iPod Touc. The teachers use their iPads and iTouches on a daily basis in their classrooms. Out teachers love exploring new apps and love watching their students collaborate and create projects. This initiative has given new energy and passion for our teachers."

Mary Carole Strother, LMS @ Finch Elementary School

//Regarding Tech Stars:// “It provided a forum that allowed us to explore learning possibilities that we didn’t know existed before!”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Karen Hartford, Teacher @ Minshew Elementary School

//Regarding the Adventures of Maybelle Digital Storytelling Contest:// “This project motivated me to step out of my comfort zone in learning new things with my students,”

Becky Raymond, a second grade teacher @ Minshew

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">//Regarding Tech Stars:// <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">"Tech stars has greatly improved teacher moral on our campus and just helped our teachers to become more proficient in the area of Technology. This year our teachers have a bingo board and they can complete the projects that interest them to earn their bingos. Our teachers have learned some great new Web 2.0 tools and are implementing into their daily classroom lessons. Our students are becoming much more technology saavy and they are equipping themselves with the skills they need to be ready for college and beyond. Our students are enjoying making the digital products to showcase their work and are excited to share what they know with families and friends. Since the implementation of the apple initiative on our campus, our students are producing, collaborating, and problem solving instead of simply being consumers of technology. This initiative has finally given our students the chance to use the latest and greatest technology and they are proving that they are ready and very capable and teaching the teachers how to use it. We are becoming facilitators and putting them in charge of their own learning."

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Christy Hames, LMS @ Webb Elementary School