Tech Guru and Inventory at Harborview

At Harborview, we interviewed Tom McKenna at our ‘technology guru.’ He is indeed, a tech guru at our school because of the action he has taken to be part of the technology committee at the school, do action research with iPods, and how much technology he integrates into his classroom and everyday lessons. Tom first started using technology while teaching out in Unalaska on the Aleutian Islands in the 1990s. He felt that his students deserved a bigger and more global audience than him and the village of Unalaska. He started a writing exchange with students on the Navajo Reservation and a group of grad students and professors at Georgetown University. Although he says the technology itself wasn’t what got students so excited, he saw a real affect in the ability to connect them to higher education.

            Tom still sees this ability to connect his students with the outside world and give them a bigger audience as a central goal to the use of technology. Not only does it give them this incredible experience, but allows for more independence and problem solving opportunities. By using Word Processing in his classroom, he is giving the students a real opportunity so they can publish their work in a professional way. They also can use audio recorders to help influence their reading fluency and comprehension. This is also the main goal of his action research on iPods in the classroom that can become listening stations.

Tom’s intern Rosie noticed a real respect for technology from the students on the first day of class. Tom passes around his iPhone and the students record their “Golden Lines” about what they expect out of the fourth grade and this year. Although Tom has seen some frustration from students when they use technology, the overall reaction is quite a good one. He uses video to record his students doing a math problem and sends it to parents as a good way to help with their child’s homework, and has students using blogs (like this one) where students peer-review each other’s work.

Although there is technology that is provided by the school, Tom has been inventive to integrate it the way he has. Blogs and online math programs are online for free, he wrote a grant for the iPod listening stations, and has a cart of laptops that are available for school-wide use. Overall, Tom has made it a priority to integrate technology into his classroom to get his students connected and give them independence and power over their own learning.

 Approximate Technology Inventory at Harborview:

Building level purchases:

- 32 G4 Apple desktops in computer lab

- 8 G4 Apple desktops in library

- 2 laptop carts with 20 Apple laptops (roving)

- 4-3 Apple desktops or laptops in each classroom (teacher’s choice)

- Software—Study Island (available on internet), Reading Eggs, Pages, Mavis Beacon, Inspiration, Safari 

- Wireless Internet

- Elmo/Document Camera/Projector—In every classroom

- Front Row Microphone—Available to every teacher

- Interactive Smart Board—Available to every classroom (not in use due to lack of tech support)

- Smart board—In computer lab (donation for teacher of the year)

- TV—In half of the classrooms (available on demand)

- Printers—one B&W in each class, one color printer in staff lounge, office printers (wireless printing)

- Copy Machines—Two in school

Individual Classroom’s Technology:

- 4 I-Pads (Steve Byers mini-grant)

- 6 I-Touches (Tom McKenna mini-grant)

- 30 Alphasmarts (technology grant dollars) in classrooms

- Projector, Large screen, Stereo with surround sound (gym)