A Valpo Life in the Spotlight: Justin Schafer

When researching the next Valpo Life in the Spotlight, I spoke with Bekah Postma, a Valparaiso University student doing field work at Parkview Elementary School. She spoke of Parkview teacher Justin Schafer saying, “He is incredible! The technology being used is really neat and he uses it to its maximum potential.”

Justin Schafer is a fifth grade teacher at Parkview and is utilizing some of the latest technology available to help aid in his students’ learning. Some of the technology being used in his classroom includes an iPad and a Samsung Galaxy Tab. With the Kindle app on both of the devices, he is able to let students follow along in the latest book the class is reading.

By implementing the use of audio and screen projection, he is able to use the iPad and Galaxy Tab as well as a remote control advancer for the screen projection. By combining these technologies to read the class’ latest book, Hoot by Carl Hiaasen, Schafer allows full participation from everyone in the class.

Students take turns using the iPad and Galaxy Tab while another student has the opportunity to use the advancer for the screen projection, designed for page-by-page reading. Justin, a fifth grade student in the class explained, “I like using the advancer. You always have to pay attention so you know when to turn the page.”

Click here to see a video Justin Schafer made of his fifth-grade class!

“Utilizing the audio allows the children to hear a story read professionally and fluently. Many students benefit from hearing the fluency,” Schafer explained. “With the audio, every student hears it clearly and the way the author intended it to be read.”

Sophia, a student of Schafer’s said, “I like listening to the audio because you can hear the voices of who is talking.”

Schafer continued, “I am passionate about using technology in the classroom because I know the students are going to be using it in the future. It will no longer be an option for them. I want to embrace that and better prepare the students for down the road. It is as simple as giving them an iPad to read off; it is putting the technology in their hands.”

Schafer includes other technological advances in the classroom, including having the students take tests using a remote control device. The remote sends the answers from a student’s remote to Schafer’s laptop. Schafer said of the technology, “One benefit is immediate feedback for the students and for me. I can spend time focusing more on the students. I try not to overly use all the technology so it doesn’t become mundane and I can try to keep an authentic freshness.”

Travis, another student of Schafer’s said “I like not having to wait to see the test scores, you get to see them right away.”

I have observed this class personally and saw the enthusiasm expressed by all the students in Schafer’s class. Technology is a part of our lives today. We all have cell phones and they keep advancing. Computers keep improving and the advancement in technology is almost a daily occurrence. By utilizing, even a little bit, of the technology that is out there, Justin Schafer is thinking ahead and putting the needs of his students’ future first, which makes him a Valpo Life in the Spotlight.