Classroom Technology Inventory

I discovered many things while completing my classroom technology inventory. I talked with my teacher about all the technology available to my elementary school. There are four televisions total that all the grades must share. There are two smart boards that also must be shared between all the grades. These smart boards must be checked out. I learned that each grade level has a technology set that includes a PC computer, VCR, DVD, and a projector. This set is only for teacher use. Usually the set remains in one of the classrooms of the grade level teachers. If another teacher in that same grade level needs to borrow the technology she simply has to ask to borrow it. I learned that the school does not have wireless internet yet, but it does have internet through cords. Computers in the classroom are mostly for teacher use; my classroom only has one computer on which my teacher keeps attendance and sends in the lunch count each day. There are no software programs for the students on the classroom computers. However, students have scheduled appointments to visit the school computer labs. There are two labs (internet and typing). There are only PCs found in the labs. Each lab has about 30-40 PCs.

I also learned that there are Waterford computers upstairs that contain special reading programs to assist lower and ESL students. These students work on the Waterford computers daily. I also learned that the classrooms have microphones and ceiling speakers. If a teacher has a weak voice or simply just chooses to use a microphone, her voice is then projected through the ceiling speakers.

My teacher told me that in the last four years the school has advanced in technology every year. She said all the equipment available to the school now was not available four years ago. Every passing school year adds new and exciting equipment for the school to use. The elementary schools are avidly entering the technology era!