Pencil Labs?

I am in total agreement. If I had my way, every student would be equipped with a laptop on their desk. I loved the comment "When was the last time we sent students to Pencil Lab?" Here are the roadblocks as I see them:

1. Finding time to come up with meaningful lessons integrating technology.

2. Finding time to teach them how to USE the available technology.

3. Having all equipment in working order, having updated equipment, and having enough equipment for the entire class - in other words - money :o)

Having a self-contained classroom is helpful because you can combine objectives from the various disciplines into one project. However, if you have a class only one period a day, by the time you take them to the lab, get them logged in, (time consuming if you have slow computers) you have barely 30 minutes to work.

I am finding that lack of the above (time and good working equipment) is both frustrating and discouraging.

I don't know the answer. Having a full time coordinator in every school would be helpful. Of course teachers would have to make use of the expertise you have to offer. I know that I would be using you a lot if you were on our staff. BUT I also know that not all teachers would. Maybe the answer is in educating teachers on the importance of tech integration and teaching them how to use it. An administration that strongly encourages it is also very necessary. Change is difficult and truthfully, it is easier to open a text book, teach a lesson and hand them a worksheet. Once all teachers can get past that as the primary method of teaching, we can move on to more effective learning techniques.