In the Field Project - Activity 2: Teacher Interview

Interview a teacher at the grade level or content area you would like to teach (you may use the same
teacher’s classroom that you observed for Activity 1). Ask the teacher the following questions. Feel
free to elaborate or ask additional questions in response to the answers you are given.

1. What is your name and position? How long have you been teaching?
Darcy O'Toole- Special Education Teacher in a Social Communication (self-contained) K-2
classroom.

2. Which three technologies do you use most often when you teach? Why do you like to use
those best?
1. Coughdrop- it's an amazing communication app that all of our learners can access.
2. Writing Wizard School Version- it aligns with Handwriting without Tears and matches our
curriculum in an engaging format.
3. PowerPoint with timed transitions- it keeps our schedule going throughout the day and moves
to the next activity showing where all staff and students should be.
3. Which classroom technologies do you most often assign to your students to help them learn?
What types of activities are completed using each of these technologies?
We assign Boom Cards that align with their IEP goals and they can complete fine motor,
reading, writing, math, social studies, science, and life skills tasks.

4. When you plan your lessons, how do you decide which methods and technologies to use?
I review IEPs and student documentation to see which would best align with their functional
skills and developmental levels.

5. How did you select the types of technologies in your classroom?

We talked with admin, occupational therapy, speech, and ASD consults.

6. If you want to add additional technologies to your classroom, how do you go about it?
I consult the above staff and paraprofessionals and if all agree that it would be beneficial, we
submit a purchase order.

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7. Is there a committee at your school that addresses a teacher’s needs for technology in the
classroom? If so, who serves on it and how do you communicate your needs to that
committee?
There is not a committee.

8. What would you say is the most important thing a new teacher should know or do to use
technology effectively in teaching and learning?
Always save everything to your hard drive and back up your computer regularly. If it ever needs
reimaged due to issues, you lose everything.

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