Sometimes the use of the computer during the daily 30-minute center time revolves around a piece of software related to a current unit of study. Were you to enter my classroom at any time of the day, you would see a student at the Mac. The rotation of the pass is alphabetical. Whoever has the Mac pass may work on an ongoing class project, send or receive e-mail, or choose from our class library of educational software. All of my students are well versed in loading CDs and diskettes.
Headphones minimize noise from the sound accompanying software programs.
One of the most important things I've learned is that I don't have to know it all to bring technology into my classroom. My students have taught me more about using software than I've ever absorbed from the manuals. I remember bringing Kid Pix Deluxe to class for the first time before I'd had time to study the instructions. As I was putting the CD into the Macintosh, little Brittney raised her hand. She said that she had used Kid Pix at the home of her aunt.