Martin Institute Summer Institute- Student Panel

Devin Snipes Fairly High School Memphis City Schools
Bailey Sanderson Marshall County
Kanha Mishra PDS/MUS
Ashley Ewen Arlington Elementary


This is a paraphrase transcript of the student panel.

Describe typical classroom environment that you have experienced as a student.
Devin discusses pen and paper type of school with little technology.  The school
Ashley discusses laptops in the room, posters on the walls, and teacher (student) assistant desk.
Kanha each classroom has a motivating environment that is uplifting to the students.

Technology in the home:
Bailey: Three macbooks, iphones, ipod touches, ipads, wii
Devin: ipad, ipod touches, iphones, computers
Ashley: ipad, iphones, ipod touches
Kanha: hp laptop, ipod touch

Compare the home environment with the classroom environment.
Devin: The technology department is ridiculous.  A room full of computer collecting dust, computers running windows 2000.  They need updates and he can't keep
Kanha: Our school as has a lot of technology.  Each 5 and 6 grade students
Bailey: We have the technology but the teachers do not use it.  Smart  Our wifi doesn't work all the time.
Ashley: A lot less technology and the laptops that  they do have but they do not use it.  They do have a flex cam and a projector.

How do you use your home technology for classroom assignments or curriculum?
Devin: Teachers blog weekly but still use pen and paper test.
Bailey: You can't bring in your technology.  You have to bring in printed documents.
Kanha:  The laptop that he is assigned is carried between home and school. Teachers create webbased content to review
Ashley:  Exampro, Study Island, Spelling City

How did you learn the technology skills that you have?
Devin:  Exposed by family then self taught once his interest was sparked.

Bailey: Most of the teachers do not know how to integrate technology or use it.

What type of activities motivate you to learn other than technology?
Bailey:  The teacher is the key to motivation.  Group work
Kanha:  Dances, songs, poems, and projects
Devin: Group work interaction with other students
Ashley:

Do you play with technology to use the tools that are available?
Bailey: No
Devin:  Yes, I use technology



Do you think your classroom experience is preparing you for the workforce?
Devin: Yes and no I would develop more software
Bailey: I want to be a teacher so what I watch my teachers do and that influence what I aspire to be.
Kanha:  The little things that the teachers show can out do technology.  There is often not enough information out there.  Teachers provide more.

How can teachers improve what they do in the classroom?
Devin:  Teachers should bring in their own equipment. Allow students to use cell phones.
Kanha:  Competition between other schools.  Have science and social studies all year long not only one semester.
Bailey: Competition between schools is great idea. Teachers use the technology that they have.
Ashley: Teachers need to get to know the students personally to individualize learning and understanding how to teach them.