How a school could spend 10.000,00€ or 50.000,00€ on media equipment
Before referring to the proposals of how a school could spend 10.000,00€ or 50.000,00€ on media equipment, there will be some general remarks. Whenever a school thinks of buying new media equipment, it should be investigated if the new tool can improve teaching. Today, many companies offer new tools that seem to be attractive, but in reality, they do not improve teaching and are superfluous. To consider the didactic quality of new tools is especially important because media equipment often is expensive, and schools only have a limited budget that they can spend on these things.
In advance of presenting my proposals of how a fictional school could spend 10.000,00€ or 50.000,00€ on media equipment, I would like to mention the tools that can already be found there. In my school, w-lan is accessible in all classrooms. Apart from that, portable CD-players and three notebooks are available. At first, I will present my proposal for 10.000,00€ and after that, there will be the suggestion for the 50.000,00€ budget.
To show what equipment I would buy and how much it is, I have prepared the following table:
In advance of presenting my proposals of how a fictional school could spend 10.000,00€ or 50.000,00€ on media equipment, I would like to mention the tools that can already be found there. In my school, w-lan is accessible in all classrooms. Apart from that, portable CD-players and three notebooks are available. At first, I will present my proposal for 10.000,00€ and after that, there will be the suggestion for the 50.000,00€ budget.
To show what equipment I would buy and how much it is, I have prepared the following table:
In the following paragraphs of this text, there will be explanations why one should buy the equipment listed above, and you will also find some ideas of how the new media can be used in foreign language classes.
Flatscreens
As can be seen in the table, I would suggest to buy ten flatscreens. These screens could be permanently installed in ten different classrooms. Ideally, every classroom would have an own tv, but the financial means are not sufficient to realize it. By installing flatscreens in classrooms, teaching time can be saved. The teacher does not have to bring a tv into class, and as it is already properly connected, he or she can immediately start working with it. The ten flatscreens cost about 5.000,00€, and that is why they are much cheaper than buying notebooks and projectors, instead. All flatscreens should be connected to a blu-ray-player, so that films can be watched easily in foreign language classes. These players would again cost about 1000,00€. Of course, one could argue that dvd-players could also be bought, but I think that it is worth investing a bit more in blu-ray-players. Blu-ray is the more advanced technology and will one day replace the dvd technology. So investing in the more expensive blu-ray-players will save money later on. To protect the players and flatscreens from damage, they should be embedded in a wooden box. This is an idea I got during our filed trip to the Martin Luther school in Marburg. By hiding the technical equipment in wooden boxes that can only be opened by the teachers, one can be sure that the pupils do not damage them or that they are not used improperly.
In my opinion, it is worth investing in flatscreens and blu-ray-players because films can often be used for teaching purposes in foreign language classes. It is often the case that films or certain film sequences have to be analyzed. Apart from that, films can be used to visualize other aspects, like British or American history, or to demonstrate different varieties of English. In the past, teachers often avoided using short film sequences because setting up a tv and the necessary technique always took some minutes. Apart from that, tvs were often reserved or could not be found anywhere. When a screen is already provided in the classroom, no equipment has to be set up, and it can also be used for very short sequences.
Digital cameras
Another thing I would suggest to buy to improve language teaching are some digital cameras. Of course, it is not necessary that every pupil has his or her own camera. In stead of that, I think it is enough to buy ten cameras. If all of them are used in one class at the same time, about three pupils have to share one. But it is also possible that two classes make use of the cameras at the same time. If that is the case, the number of pupils working with one camera is a bit higher. By the help of digital cameras, new teaching methods can be used. For example, it is possible to make the pupils create an own picture story dealing with a given topic. By doing so, pupils have to cooperate, and their social competences might improve. What is of course important for language classes is that pupils can also improve their language skills by creating a picture story. As there is not much space for text, the pupils have to be very concise in their utterances. Apart from that, a picture story can be used as the basis for writing a longer story, too.
mp3-players
The next tool I would recommend to buy is mp3-players. In this case, a school should by about 33 mp3-players so that there are enough for one class. It is obvious that each pupil should be able to work with an own player as only one pupil can listen to it at a time. One idea where mp3-players could be used in classrooms is to practice listening comprehension or pronunciation. The use of mp3-players is a great help to pay attention to the individual needs of the learners. The pupils can listen to the recorded tracks as often as they want to, and certain sequences can also be repeated. This is an advantage of mp3-players compared to portable cd-players. If portable cd-players are used, the whole class has to listen to the same tracks at the same time, and if it is loud outside, the pupils will face difficulties in understanding.
As I have already mentioned, one idea could be to use mp3-players to practice pronunciation. The pupils could listen to recordings of native speakers, for instance, and then compare it to their own language. Apart from that, mp3-players could also be used to analyze songs or recordings of poems, for example.
Scanner and printer
Besides these tools the pupils can work with themselves, there are also two tools I would recommend to buy for the staff room. The first tool is a scanner. By the help of a scanner, printed information can be made available in a digital way and can also be accessed online if it is published on the web. This simplifies teaching because now, students can access the material from home, as well. It is also an advantage that the material does not have to be copied by the teacher. That is why a scanner is time and money saving.Nevertheless, there is one aspect teachers should bare in mind when using a scanner, and that is copyright issues. As we have been told, less than 20% of a document can always be scanned for classroom purposes without having to worry about copyright.
The last tool I would buy with the budget of 10.000,00€ is three printers. I do not think that one printer would be sufficient as about 100 teachers are employed at an average school. These printers should be placed in the staff room and be available for the teachers. In my opinion, it is necessary to install printers in the staff room, because today, the most authentic texts can be found on the internet. By the help of printers, it is possible that the teachers are always up to date and can bring new texts to class. They can even use the break to check whether there is new news about a certain incident and can bring the latest versions to class. If no printers are available in the staff room, the whole lessons have to be prepared at home, and it is more difficult to bring the latest versions of some material to class. But it is also possible that the teachers use the printers to print some results the pupils came up with.
What I expect of a printer is that it should be able to print on transparencies, and it should also be able to read memory cards and sticks directly.
As you can see in the table provided above, there is a rest of 490,00€. This money should not be spend on any new tool, rather it should be spend on paper and ink needed by the printers. When you decide to buy a printer for school purposes, you have to be aware that there will be additional costs when the printer is actually used. Ink and paper can be expensive, and that is why the rest of the budget should be saved for that.
Proposal for 50.000,00€
If I now consider a budget of 50.000,00€ instead of 10.000,00€, I recommend different tools that could be bought. Again, I have provided a table which lists all the tools I suggest.
Flatscreens
As can be seen in the table, I would suggest to buy ten flatscreens. These screens could be permanently installed in ten different classrooms. Ideally, every classroom would have an own tv, but the financial means are not sufficient to realize it. By installing flatscreens in classrooms, teaching time can be saved. The teacher does not have to bring a tv into class, and as it is already properly connected, he or she can immediately start working with it. The ten flatscreens cost about 5.000,00€, and that is why they are much cheaper than buying notebooks and projectors, instead. All flatscreens should be connected to a blu-ray-player, so that films can be watched easily in foreign language classes. These players would again cost about 1000,00€. Of course, one could argue that dvd-players could also be bought, but I think that it is worth investing a bit more in blu-ray-players. Blu-ray is the more advanced technology and will one day replace the dvd technology. So investing in the more expensive blu-ray-players will save money later on. To protect the players and flatscreens from damage, they should be embedded in a wooden box. This is an idea I got during our filed trip to the Martin Luther school in Marburg. By hiding the technical equipment in wooden boxes that can only be opened by the teachers, one can be sure that the pupils do not damage them or that they are not used improperly.
In my opinion, it is worth investing in flatscreens and blu-ray-players because films can often be used for teaching purposes in foreign language classes. It is often the case that films or certain film sequences have to be analyzed. Apart from that, films can be used to visualize other aspects, like British or American history, or to demonstrate different varieties of English. In the past, teachers often avoided using short film sequences because setting up a tv and the necessary technique always took some minutes. Apart from that, tvs were often reserved or could not be found anywhere. When a screen is already provided in the classroom, no equipment has to be set up, and it can also be used for very short sequences.
Digital cameras
Another thing I would suggest to buy to improve language teaching are some digital cameras. Of course, it is not necessary that every pupil has his or her own camera. In stead of that, I think it is enough to buy ten cameras. If all of them are used in one class at the same time, about three pupils have to share one. But it is also possible that two classes make use of the cameras at the same time. If that is the case, the number of pupils working with one camera is a bit higher. By the help of digital cameras, new teaching methods can be used. For example, it is possible to make the pupils create an own picture story dealing with a given topic. By doing so, pupils have to cooperate, and their social competences might improve. What is of course important for language classes is that pupils can also improve their language skills by creating a picture story. As there is not much space for text, the pupils have to be very concise in their utterances. Apart from that, a picture story can be used as the basis for writing a longer story, too.
mp3-players
The next tool I would recommend to buy is mp3-players. In this case, a school should by about 33 mp3-players so that there are enough for one class. It is obvious that each pupil should be able to work with an own player as only one pupil can listen to it at a time. One idea where mp3-players could be used in classrooms is to practice listening comprehension or pronunciation. The use of mp3-players is a great help to pay attention to the individual needs of the learners. The pupils can listen to the recorded tracks as often as they want to, and certain sequences can also be repeated. This is an advantage of mp3-players compared to portable cd-players. If portable cd-players are used, the whole class has to listen to the same tracks at the same time, and if it is loud outside, the pupils will face difficulties in understanding.
As I have already mentioned, one idea could be to use mp3-players to practice pronunciation. The pupils could listen to recordings of native speakers, for instance, and then compare it to their own language. Apart from that, mp3-players could also be used to analyze songs or recordings of poems, for example.
Scanner and printer
Besides these tools the pupils can work with themselves, there are also two tools I would recommend to buy for the staff room. The first tool is a scanner. By the help of a scanner, printed information can be made available in a digital way and can also be accessed online if it is published on the web. This simplifies teaching because now, students can access the material from home, as well. It is also an advantage that the material does not have to be copied by the teacher. That is why a scanner is time and money saving.Nevertheless, there is one aspect teachers should bare in mind when using a scanner, and that is copyright issues. As we have been told, less than 20% of a document can always be scanned for classroom purposes without having to worry about copyright.
The last tool I would buy with the budget of 10.000,00€ is three printers. I do not think that one printer would be sufficient as about 100 teachers are employed at an average school. These printers should be placed in the staff room and be available for the teachers. In my opinion, it is necessary to install printers in the staff room, because today, the most authentic texts can be found on the internet. By the help of printers, it is possible that the teachers are always up to date and can bring new texts to class. They can even use the break to check whether there is new news about a certain incident and can bring the latest versions to class. If no printers are available in the staff room, the whole lessons have to be prepared at home, and it is more difficult to bring the latest versions of some material to class. But it is also possible that the teachers use the printers to print some results the pupils came up with.
What I expect of a printer is that it should be able to print on transparencies, and it should also be able to read memory cards and sticks directly.
As you can see in the table provided above, there is a rest of 490,00€. This money should not be spend on any new tool, rather it should be spend on paper and ink needed by the printers. When you decide to buy a printer for school purposes, you have to be aware that there will be additional costs when the printer is actually used. Ink and paper can be expensive, and that is why the rest of the budget should be saved for that.
Proposal for 50.000,00€
If I now consider a budget of 50.000,00€ instead of 10.000,00€, I recommend different tools that could be bought. Again, I have provided a table which lists all the tools I suggest.
Smartboards
At first, I recommend to buy five smartboards that can be installed in five language classrooms. The budget of 50.000,00€ is again not sufficient to equip all classrooms with smartboards, but five smartboards should be sufficient for a normal school. But why should we buy smartboards if we consider the relatively high price of 4.000,00€? Smartboards are a good addition to the normal blackboards that can be found in classrooms. In contrast to the normal boards, interactive whiteboards can be used interactively. This means that you can directly work on the screen and in the material displayed there. How smartboards work and how they can be used for teaching purposes can be seen in this youtube video : www.youtube.com/watch?v=i0Yv7JYklQw .
The video that you can access by this link www.youtube.com/watch?v=OkhMgBNiheA shows some teachers that are interviewed about their opinions on smartboard use.
Document cameras
If the five smartboards are bought, one should buy five document cameras, too. If you are interested in what such a camera looks like, you can consult the official smart website http://smarttech.com/us/Solutions/Education+Solutions/Products+for+education/Complementary+hardware+products/SMART+Document+Camera . In my opinion, it is a good decision to buy the document cameras together with the smartboards as they are a perfect addition. The document cameras enable the teachers to scan documents right in class and then to display the documents on the smartboard. When it comes to language teaching as well as to teaching natural sciences, this can be a great help. It is now possible to scan a student’s work and to discuss it with the whole class immediately. So, discussing a vocabulary test or a character map a student has drawn can be started in the same lesson, as the teacher does not have to copy them in advance. Apart from students` works, pages of schoolbooks can be scanned, too, and the class can work with them on the screen of the smartboard. Another advantage is that screenshots can be taken whenever needed, so that the scanned pages or works can be made public later on. Of course, you can save the changes that have been done to them on the smartboard. Due to that, especially pupils who have missed a lesson profit as they can be offered the possibility to access the lessons later on.
I personally think that the interactive whiteboard technology is a technology that will sooner or later replace normal blackboards, and that is why I think it is worth investing in this technology now.
Tablet pcs
The last tool having to do with interactive whiteboards directly is tablet pcs. If a school decides on buying interactive whiteboards, it should also buy the appropriate number of tablet pcs. These are very handy mobile computers you can write on with a pen or your fingers. But what are reasons for buying tablet pcs if smartboards can also be used with normal computers or notebooks? One reason is that writing on a tablet pc is more comfortable than writing on the screen of a smartboard. The teacher or the pupils do not have to write with their arms up in the air, but they can place the tablet pc right on the table in front of them. Because they do not have to use the keyboard as it is the case with normal computers or notebooks, writing is much quicker. If you do not want the tablet pc to display your usual handwriting, you can turn it into a computer font. This change is done automatically if you advise your tablet pc to do so. Another advantage is that the teacher or the pupils working with the whiteboard do not have to stand in front of the screen. It is possible to connect the tablet pc with the board and then to move to different places in the classroom. Due to this possibility, the teacher does not have to turn his back to the pupils but can look at them while writing.
Notebooks and Laptop-Trolleys
Apart from buying five tablet pcs, I would suggest to buy 33 notebooks, too. Before referring to the hardware and software the notebooks should provide, I would like to mention how they are supposed to be stored. The 33 notebooks could be stored in three laptop-trolleys. This is important because the trolleys offer the possibility to move the notebooks to different classrooms without having to carry every notebook individually. This saves a lot of time and makes it possible to reach many different rooms. Another advantage of such trolleys is that the notebooks are charged when they are connected to the trolley. Due to that, the teacher can always be sure that he or she can use all of the notebooks in his or her classes. As there will be three laptop-trolleys and not just one, it is also possible that up to three classes can use some of the notebooks at the same time. In my opinion, these advantages justify the purchase of the trolleys, although they are relatively expensive.
Concerning the notebooks, I would like to mention that they do not have to be the most expensive ones that can be bought. For the language classroom, it is sufficient if there are some basic tools and the standard programs. Of course, the notebooks should be equipped with a good graphic and sound card so that watching films is also possible. Apart from that, they should have a quick processor and about 4GB ram memory. Concerning the software tools, the notebooks should be equipped with all tools needed. This is open office, for instance. This program is available for free on the internet, and most of its functions are similar to those offered by Microsoft office. By using a program that is for free, additional costs are avoided, and it is possible for all pupils to work with the same program at home. If you are interested in open office, you can download it by visiting the following page:
http://de.openoffice.org
In language classes, notebooks can be used for different purposes. In this paragraph, there will be some teaching ideas for the use of notebooks. One idea might be to use computers for research purposes. As wireless lan is available in all classrooms of my fictional school, pupils can use the computers to search for information on the internet. The pupils could visit the pages of English newspapers or search some pictures they could use for posters. Apart from that, the notebooks can also be used to create presentations, for instance.
Software for creating and editing films
As I also suggest to buy a digital video camera, the notebooks should be equipped with a software for creating and editing films. This software is available for about 50,00€. In the best case, this is a school license and has to be bought only once. Then it could be installed on all notebooks.
Digital video camera
Concerning the digital video camera, it is of course enough to buy a single camera for the whole school. A digital video camera will improve teaching as this tool offers the possibility to use new teaching methods. Instead of making pupils only analyze films, they can produce some themselves. Due to the experience they will gain when producing their own films, they will be able to analyze films even better than before. They might develop a feeling for the importance of gestures and facial expressions and will be familiar with camera angles and the effects of different filming techniques. All in all, a video camera allows the pupils to put their theoretical knowledge of films into practice. Simultaneously, they can practice their language skills, if you ask them to write their own scripts, for instance. An example of a trailer produced by German students for a Macbeth version is available on youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z4UO4j5XqjM . If you go to youtube to watch the trailer, you will also find a link where the whole movie can be downloaded.
Voice recorders
Apart from buying a video camera, I would suggest to buy 17 voice recorders, too. Here, it is not necessary to buy enough recorders for a whole class because the pupils can easily work in teams of two. Voice recorders can improve teaching, as they offer the possibility to record the language of the pupils. After recording their own speech, the pupils could listen to their speech samples and analyze their pronunciation. By listening to the tracks, they can realize their pronunciation mistakes and improve their language skills. In addition to using the voice recorders in order to record their own language, the recorders could be used for interviews with other people, too. Another idea would be to create podcasts with them. A very interesting and informative article about the use of voice recorders can be found here: http://www.edweek.org/dd/articles/2009/07/16/04recorders.h02.html
Headsets
Now, there are only two thing left to describe that can be found on my list. One of these things is the purchase of 33 headsets. In my opinion, there should be the same number of headsets as notebooks. As you can easily see, a headset can only be used by a single pupil, and that is why there should be enough for a whole class. By the help of the headsets, new projects can be realized. One possibility is to use the headsets for Skype (www.skype.com). Via Skype, the pupils could have contact with a school in an English speaking country. Listening to the language that should be learned is important to train the students` listening skills, and what could be better than listening and talking to native speakers? Apart from that, headsets could also be used to watch movie scenes on the notebooks, for instance. Due to the use of headsets, every pupil can listen to the scenes as loud as he or she likes. It is also possible that the pupils watch the scenes in a different order or repeat them if they did not understand the whole scene or parts of it.
USB-sticks
The last things I would suggest to buy for my school would be 33 USB-sticks. If a school is equipped with lots of media tools, it should also offer its pupils to make use of USB-sticks. Imagine an English lesson during which the pupils are supposed to do some research on the internet and to create a presentation out of their findings. If the pupils do not possess any USB-sticks themselves, they are forced to complete their work during school time. If, on the other hand, they have got the possibility to take their results home, they might engage with the topics in their free time and might improve their results. Of course, the optimal situation would be that every single pupil gets his or her own USB-stick for free, but again the budget is not sufficient. But if there are at least 33 sticks, the teachers can lend them to the pupils and collect them again after they are not needed anymore.
At first, I recommend to buy five smartboards that can be installed in five language classrooms. The budget of 50.000,00€ is again not sufficient to equip all classrooms with smartboards, but five smartboards should be sufficient for a normal school. But why should we buy smartboards if we consider the relatively high price of 4.000,00€? Smartboards are a good addition to the normal blackboards that can be found in classrooms. In contrast to the normal boards, interactive whiteboards can be used interactively. This means that you can directly work on the screen and in the material displayed there. How smartboards work and how they can be used for teaching purposes can be seen in this youtube video : www.youtube.com/watch?v=i0Yv7JYklQw .
The video that you can access by this link www.youtube.com/watch?v=OkhMgBNiheA shows some teachers that are interviewed about their opinions on smartboard use.
Document cameras
If the five smartboards are bought, one should buy five document cameras, too. If you are interested in what such a camera looks like, you can consult the official smart website http://smarttech.com/us/Solutions/Education+Solutions/Products+for+education/Complementary+hardware+products/SMART+Document+Camera . In my opinion, it is a good decision to buy the document cameras together with the smartboards as they are a perfect addition. The document cameras enable the teachers to scan documents right in class and then to display the documents on the smartboard. When it comes to language teaching as well as to teaching natural sciences, this can be a great help. It is now possible to scan a student’s work and to discuss it with the whole class immediately. So, discussing a vocabulary test or a character map a student has drawn can be started in the same lesson, as the teacher does not have to copy them in advance. Apart from students` works, pages of schoolbooks can be scanned, too, and the class can work with them on the screen of the smartboard. Another advantage is that screenshots can be taken whenever needed, so that the scanned pages or works can be made public later on. Of course, you can save the changes that have been done to them on the smartboard. Due to that, especially pupils who have missed a lesson profit as they can be offered the possibility to access the lessons later on.
I personally think that the interactive whiteboard technology is a technology that will sooner or later replace normal blackboards, and that is why I think it is worth investing in this technology now.
Tablet pcs
The last tool having to do with interactive whiteboards directly is tablet pcs. If a school decides on buying interactive whiteboards, it should also buy the appropriate number of tablet pcs. These are very handy mobile computers you can write on with a pen or your fingers. But what are reasons for buying tablet pcs if smartboards can also be used with normal computers or notebooks? One reason is that writing on a tablet pc is more comfortable than writing on the screen of a smartboard. The teacher or the pupils do not have to write with their arms up in the air, but they can place the tablet pc right on the table in front of them. Because they do not have to use the keyboard as it is the case with normal computers or notebooks, writing is much quicker. If you do not want the tablet pc to display your usual handwriting, you can turn it into a computer font. This change is done automatically if you advise your tablet pc to do so. Another advantage is that the teacher or the pupils working with the whiteboard do not have to stand in front of the screen. It is possible to connect the tablet pc with the board and then to move to different places in the classroom. Due to this possibility, the teacher does not have to turn his back to the pupils but can look at them while writing.
Notebooks and Laptop-Trolleys
Apart from buying five tablet pcs, I would suggest to buy 33 notebooks, too. Before referring to the hardware and software the notebooks should provide, I would like to mention how they are supposed to be stored. The 33 notebooks could be stored in three laptop-trolleys. This is important because the trolleys offer the possibility to move the notebooks to different classrooms without having to carry every notebook individually. This saves a lot of time and makes it possible to reach many different rooms. Another advantage of such trolleys is that the notebooks are charged when they are connected to the trolley. Due to that, the teacher can always be sure that he or she can use all of the notebooks in his or her classes. As there will be three laptop-trolleys and not just one, it is also possible that up to three classes can use some of the notebooks at the same time. In my opinion, these advantages justify the purchase of the trolleys, although they are relatively expensive.
Concerning the notebooks, I would like to mention that they do not have to be the most expensive ones that can be bought. For the language classroom, it is sufficient if there are some basic tools and the standard programs. Of course, the notebooks should be equipped with a good graphic and sound card so that watching films is also possible. Apart from that, they should have a quick processor and about 4GB ram memory. Concerning the software tools, the notebooks should be equipped with all tools needed. This is open office, for instance. This program is available for free on the internet, and most of its functions are similar to those offered by Microsoft office. By using a program that is for free, additional costs are avoided, and it is possible for all pupils to work with the same program at home. If you are interested in open office, you can download it by visiting the following page:
http://de.openoffice.org
In language classes, notebooks can be used for different purposes. In this paragraph, there will be some teaching ideas for the use of notebooks. One idea might be to use computers for research purposes. As wireless lan is available in all classrooms of my fictional school, pupils can use the computers to search for information on the internet. The pupils could visit the pages of English newspapers or search some pictures they could use for posters. Apart from that, the notebooks can also be used to create presentations, for instance.
Software for creating and editing films
As I also suggest to buy a digital video camera, the notebooks should be equipped with a software for creating and editing films. This software is available for about 50,00€. In the best case, this is a school license and has to be bought only once. Then it could be installed on all notebooks.
Digital video camera
Concerning the digital video camera, it is of course enough to buy a single camera for the whole school. A digital video camera will improve teaching as this tool offers the possibility to use new teaching methods. Instead of making pupils only analyze films, they can produce some themselves. Due to the experience they will gain when producing their own films, they will be able to analyze films even better than before. They might develop a feeling for the importance of gestures and facial expressions and will be familiar with camera angles and the effects of different filming techniques. All in all, a video camera allows the pupils to put their theoretical knowledge of films into practice. Simultaneously, they can practice their language skills, if you ask them to write their own scripts, for instance. An example of a trailer produced by German students for a Macbeth version is available on youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z4UO4j5XqjM . If you go to youtube to watch the trailer, you will also find a link where the whole movie can be downloaded.
Voice recorders
Apart from buying a video camera, I would suggest to buy 17 voice recorders, too. Here, it is not necessary to buy enough recorders for a whole class because the pupils can easily work in teams of two. Voice recorders can improve teaching, as they offer the possibility to record the language of the pupils. After recording their own speech, the pupils could listen to their speech samples and analyze their pronunciation. By listening to the tracks, they can realize their pronunciation mistakes and improve their language skills. In addition to using the voice recorders in order to record their own language, the recorders could be used for interviews with other people, too. Another idea would be to create podcasts with them. A very interesting and informative article about the use of voice recorders can be found here: http://www.edweek.org/dd/articles/2009/07/16/04recorders.h02.html
Headsets
Now, there are only two thing left to describe that can be found on my list. One of these things is the purchase of 33 headsets. In my opinion, there should be the same number of headsets as notebooks. As you can easily see, a headset can only be used by a single pupil, and that is why there should be enough for a whole class. By the help of the headsets, new projects can be realized. One possibility is to use the headsets for Skype (www.skype.com). Via Skype, the pupils could have contact with a school in an English speaking country. Listening to the language that should be learned is important to train the students` listening skills, and what could be better than listening and talking to native speakers? Apart from that, headsets could also be used to watch movie scenes on the notebooks, for instance. Due to the use of headsets, every pupil can listen to the scenes as loud as he or she likes. It is also possible that the pupils watch the scenes in a different order or repeat them if they did not understand the whole scene or parts of it.
USB-sticks
The last things I would suggest to buy for my school would be 33 USB-sticks. If a school is equipped with lots of media tools, it should also offer its pupils to make use of USB-sticks. Imagine an English lesson during which the pupils are supposed to do some research on the internet and to create a presentation out of their findings. If the pupils do not possess any USB-sticks themselves, they are forced to complete their work during school time. If, on the other hand, they have got the possibility to take their results home, they might engage with the topics in their free time and might improve their results. Of course, the optimal situation would be that every single pupil gets his or her own USB-stick for free, but again the budget is not sufficient. But if there are at least 33 sticks, the teachers can lend them to the pupils and collect them again after they are not needed anymore.
