Computer Scheduling Ideas

Here are some ideas for scheduling computer time:

• Consider equity: You may want to identify users for each day, and have students cycle through to complete a project. If you let students who finish work first go to the computer, the students who are kinesthetic learners and need to be on the computer don’t get the chance to do so.
  
  
• Set up a weekly schedule and assign open blocks to students.
  
  
• Put a timer and a student roster next to the computer. Teach the students how to set the timer for 15 minutes and to tap the next person on the shoulder when they are done.
  
  
• Consider the project when allowing computer time. Some projects may take more time.
  
  
• Emphasize the importance of preplanning so that time on the computer is efficiently used.
  
  
• Use 3 X 5 recipe card file with student names to identify computer users for each day. Have students cycle through to complete the project.
  
  
• For taking turns, make a vertical pocket chart out of two sentence strips that is pleated and stapled on the bulletin board right beside the computer. Make cards with the student’s names on them and put a name in each pocket. When the child has had a turn at the computer, he/she turns over the card with the appropriate name on it, and then knows that another turn will come after all the other cards have been turned over. Make sure you always shuffle the cards before replacing them in the pockets, so they all have equal chances at being first.
  
  
• Draw Popsicle sticks. Write each student’s name on a Popsicle stick. Place the can of Popsicle sticks at the computer station. Draw a stick at the start of the day. The person whose name is on the stick will start the day at the station. The student will draw a stick to determine who goes next.
  
  
• Establish color-coded groups. Divide the class into five groups. Write the names of each group on a different sheet of colored paper, and post the papers by the computer station. The students in each group will spend time at the computer on a given day (for example, the students in the red group will have computer time on Mondays). The students within a group will go to the computer in assigned or random order.