Google & Tablets for 1st Grade Reading And Response Program

My Project: We decided to implement Google Apps this year as an affordable way to provide collaborative resources to our students and teachers and have begun the process of becoming a data-driven district to plan using data collected from our students through a variety of ways. We also have used the Lexia reading program, have Promethean hardware so we came up with a program to use affordable interactive Google Nexus tablets with the Promethean Response clicker app, reading & math literacy support apps to integrate these three programs. There are five 1st grade classes each that currently have 1 classroom Nexus tablet. They are making great strides integrating them in centers & whole-class lessons connected to Promethean/Google apps but find the program will be best supported if they had a small student set. Then groups of students could respond to questions through the Promethean software, Google Forms used in Response to Intervention, & their skills supporting apps. The reading program will be greatly enhanced through the use of the Kindle app as we have set up an account to send both free and content to any device we can put the Kindle app on. We would pair this up with our Lexia reading and math program to enhance and remediate skills in the learning setting.

For the elementary group, their past learning environment did not support a technology-rich learning environment & were falling behind in these skills. They were in 3 separate schools with fire hazard structural issues, little technology access and less connectivity. Now, in 1 building with better connectivity, tech access & support, I am so impressed in the strides both these teachers and students have made in using technology in their learning as opportunities like these are made possible.

My students need 5-10 more Google Nexus tablets to support their 1st grade reading and response system program that uses Google Apps, Lexia reading and IWB response software. We use the Meraki Wirelss MDM to manage and support devices and can deploy apps through the wireless Management. We also have Amazon Kindle Whispercast set up to deploy ebook content to the Kindle app on the devices. This will allow for a supported system to provide reading content that is up to date and easily accessible by our students. We would no longer have to depend on outdated and expensive paper texts and could have students interact with reading content as well.