Change With the Times

I have been to four PD days in as many weeks and I still have Convention next week (although since I am on the Convention board I don't get to as many sessions as I would like to). This month's PD has inspired me to completely change the technology in my school, once again.
I know change is difficult for many teachers, I remember when it was for me, so I am a bit nervous about even suggesting some of these ideas.

5 years ago I bought a SmartBoard with some money I received from BP Energy's A+ for Energy grant program. It was awesome and within a year all our classrooms were fitted with one. We were renovating/building a new school so we had a good budget to do it and the AB gov't was kicking in funds for the technology too. I am not sure that all the IBWs are being utilized to their full capabilities. I use it sporadically, sometimes a lot and then not for a long time, depending on what I am teaching. A projector would certainly do the trick for most things.

But I am thinking not just a projector and desktop computer. A projector, desktop, Apple TV and an iPad (or several iPads in the hands of students). That is still cheaper than a SmartBoard and more interactive for more children. And apparently we are starting to replace SmartBoards already (I thought they would last at least 10 years...) so why not consider this alternative. At yesterday's PD session I also learned about some apps and a stand that will turn the iPad into a document camera. There is a lot of value in that compared to a SmartBoard.

So at Monday's staff meeting Darren and I will be starting a tech needs assessment to see where our staff wants to go. It is so difficult to predict technology. I didn't think I'd be willing to give up my SmartBoard so soon.