The Connection: Home and School

One of the exciting aspects of teaching using a 1:1 computing system is the new ways in which students are becoming connected to their learning. No longer does learning take place within the four walls of the classroom. Now, students can access the subject areas from anywhere that internet is available. Recently, one student was hospitalized for over a week and while she was recovering, she was able to complete all of her work. She even had the opportunity to stay in contact with her peers and myself through our wikispace. When she came back to school, she said that it really made a difference to be able to stay connected with what was happening in school. She never felt that she really was gone. The transition back to school was made a lot easier because of her ability to stay connected to the classroom and to be able to complete tasks in the different subject areas while she was away. Another student was gone from the classroom for a two week family holiday in Scotland. Again, the student's comment was that it was great to see what the class was doing while away and that it made coming back a lot less stressful. From home, students are also able to view when assignments are due on our wikispace and to preview our classroom schedule using google calendar. One student commented that he likes using google calendar from home because by viewing the daily and weekly schedule, it organizes his day and it makes him feel more prepared. Parents are beginning to also access our class's wikispace and they also like being connected to what the students are doing in school.