My Anthropological Assessment of Glacier Valley's Technology Culture
As part of my first assignment for Integrating Technology in the Classroom, I looked into the views of technology at Glacier Valley Elementary. My partner and I sat down with two of the "tech savviest" teachers at the school to hear their thoughts on the usage of technology in the classroom. We discovered that even though Glacier Valley is a Title I school, it provides access to all the essential pieces of technology to its students. Teachers are not usually resistant to trying innovative technology at GV (Glacier Valley), but the staff has definitely developed preferences for some types over others. All teachers are given a laptop and projector or tv screen to use in their room, and some have applied for and received grants to try newer types of technology. As an aspiring music teacher, I think that technology is a significant aspect of making and sharing music in the 21st century, and I greatly encourage it. I am delighted to know that my mentor uses programs such as SmartMusic and GarageBand to give students the opportunity to work with new technology while creating a more efficient way of assessment.
My and my partner's findings from the interview can be found here.