interact with the material. In addition, he has found that he makes use of the Mimio device every day (See Picture 2).
The Mimio is an invaluable tool when it comes to motivating and engaging students in the learning process. The lesson plans that include the Mimio are so popular that I have to randomly call on students because everyone is so enthusiastic about using the whiteboard. Mimio even has an application that randomly selects students for the instructor! It is energizing to see students that are eager to participate in class.
Another great feature of the Mimio is that all of the material that is covered on the Mimio can be stored permanently. This is useful when reviewing material the next day, at the end of the unit, or for a test. I also find it beneficial to provide special need students or absent students a copy of the material covered in class.
In addition to daily lessons, the Mimio provides an opportunity to review for quizzes or tests. It has a variety of applications created to take the ordinary review game and make it extraordinary. Add a boat race or a car race to an oral team review and watch complacent students become competitive. Create more complex review games with Jeopardy or Concentration templates. Design your own game using the various features provided in the Mimio gallery. There are so many choices that it is often difficult to choose.
It is important to note that not all students immediately take to interacting with the Mimio. I found that my upper level students liked the technology, but they were reluctant to engage or interact with the Mimio itself. I had to create a safe environment in which my students felt comfortable making mistakes and feeling silly. Soon, we enjoyed a great deal of laughter and learning.
What is next for the Mimio? Last year the MACUL grant allowed us to purchase two Mimios. Because use of the Mimios was so successful, six additional Mimios were purchased for special education classrooms. My goal for next year is to share what I’ve learned about the Mimio with the other teachers so that they can effectively use the device in their classrooms. It’s a great tool and I know they will enjoy using their Mimio as much as I enjoy using mine.
So what can the Mimio do for you? It can help you connect to your students in a world rich with technology. It can also help make your lesson plans easier to develop, and the classroom can become more exciting for your students and more entertaining for everyone. I know it did for me. I look forward to using my Mimio and interacting with my students everyday – do you?
Candice McDevitt is the Language Arts Chairperson at Napoleon High School in Napoleon, Michigan. She teaches language arts and economics. She can be reached at
candy.mcdevitt@
napoleonschools.org.
MACULJOURNAL | Spring/Summer 2011 | 31 2
1
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36