The students at Delmae Heights Elementary School in Florence, SC, truly enjoy interacting with the whiteboard as they learn the parts of the computer. For the last two years I have introduced my students to the computer by teaching them the names and functions of each part. Once the students learned the names of the parts, they had to classify them as either input or output devices. After attending a technology conference where I saw the many ways to incorporate an interactive whiteboard into my curriculum, I persuaded my principal to purchase one for the Technology Lab. The board is designed for teachers to teach lessons that actively involve the students. Using the Techno Kids Computer Curriculum (http://www.technokids.com/), I created a mini-unit entitled Computer Basics and Care. Most of our students are visual learners so I chose the lessons that provided visual aids and a hands-on approach to learning. Each class visits the lab for one week every five to six weeks, and this allows me to plan a weeklong unit of activities. Using the curriculum guide, I designed two lessons that allow students to interact with the whiteboard.
The learning standards for the mini-unit were to:
- Identify parts of the computer
- Explain the function of each part
- Identify a computer part as either input or output device
I introduced the students to the computer parts by using large, colorful flashcards to illustrate each part as I said the names and explained their functions. I also used the computer to demonstrate some of the functions as I taught the lesson. Then we played a game called "I spy." I said to the children, using a large magnifying glass as a visual aid, "I spy with my little eye something that ......., and it allows the user to ........†(giving them the function of the part I would like for them to identify). On the whiteboard were pictures of computer parts. I chose a person to go to the whiteboard and click on the matching part. We continued this process until the class had identified each of the basic parts of the computers. The next day, we reviewed the parts of the computer. I told the students that each part could be labeled as either an input or an output device, and then we discussed the terms input and output. There were pictures of parts of the computer on the left side of the board. In the middle of the board were two columns, one labeled input and the other output. I called on students to come to the board, click, and drag each picture under their appropriate heading. They explained why they thought that computer part should go under the heading they chose. I performed a written assessment at the end of the mini unit, and the majority of the students in each class passed the assessment with 85% accuracy or higher. The students really had a great time learning about the parts of the computer. They were fascinated with being able to manipulate the computer with just a touch of the finger. Students were focused and on task the entire time. They were listening to the clues and anxiously waiting for their turn to go up and manipulate the interactive whiteboard. There are so many other standards that could also be taught using the interactive whiteboard that I can’t wait to plan my next unit.
Email:Genevieve Boston
