TECHNOLOGY & EDUCATION DIGEST
Digest No. 99-2 -- April 1, 1999
A Moderated Mailing List
Steve Wildstrom (steve_wildstrom@businessweek.com), Moderator



Return to Technology & Education

In response to the discussion between Herb and Gary about getting schools to really use technology, specifically the Internet, in the curriculum I would like to share a few ideas.

I have been working in elementary schools to help teachers use the technology to enhance the achievement of students. As my school came on-line and began to have access in the classrooms, I encouraged them to pick a few resources from the Web and send the students to the computers. I like to think of the Web as only one more resource to motivate learning.

I think of integration of the Web as a 3 part process.

1. The teacher finds the resource pages to be used. The pages are bookmarked , or set as the home page so students can find them easily. These pages may even be shown to the class on a big screen TV on Monday to introduce how the teacher wants the students to use the information.

2. For each site an activity page is created by the teacher so that student time at the computer is accountable and productive. This page may be only a box for a drawing and a few lines for listing facts or it might include more detailed questions, depending on the age and ability of the student. Each student they goes to the computer and while at the assigned site fills in the activity sheet.

3. The last part of the process is to use the information gathered on the activity sheet while at the computer to do a follow up report, other presentation, or participate in a class discussion.

By following there steps the Internet sites can be successfully used to enrich the information in your school library and classroom. You might try to see how this works and let me know. I work with teacher around the country (K-2) and they are liking this orderly and systematic approach.

Visit my Web site for curriculum specific resources to get you started.

Susan W. Hixson
Integrating the Internet
http://seamonkey.ed.asu.edu/~hixson/index/

I got the following question in my email from a FamilyEducation Network user. Anyone have any suggestions or thoughts on this issue?

=== USER MESSAGE =======

I'm on a committee to come up with suggestions & possibilities of award/incentive programs in our K-8 school (this school is 2 years old and is laying down groundwork for many good years to follow). This has proven a very daunting task in that what some see as incentives for some students is seen as a closed door to other students. Are there any other schools that have been able to find a common ground to reward educational strides for both individual students and teachers? (Personal note: I have difficulty with the notion that in our sports programs we have such universally defined ways of giving awards but we don't want to stick our necks out for academics for fear of making a wrong move.) Any suggestions here?

===END MESSAGE======

Dennis Randall, Editor
FamilyEducation Network
http://familyeducation.com
Work Phone: (617) 542-6500 ex. 139
Toll Free: 1-800-558-3382 ex. 139

I go back to the punch card days, and want to give to my students as much enjoyment and power from this great technology. As a community college administrator and history instructor, I must ask if you have can post more info for our non techie classes. Please let us in on any stuff for humanities and we would love to incorporate it into our classes. By the end of the summer, we will have our computer projection system and powerpoint software online. So, let us humanities folks in on the fun.

Many teachers have learned software applications but are struggling with how to integrate technology into their existing curriculum. For a searchable database of over 1,000 such lessons developed by classroom teachers, please visit: http://www.eduniverse.com/schools/intel/lesson.html

Regards,

Bob Nolan
Institute of Computer Technology
589 W. Fremont Avenue
Sunnyvale, CA 94087
Telephone: 408-736-4291
Fax: 408-735-6059
E-mail: rnolan@ict.org
Web site: www.ict.org

ABOUT THE INSTITUTE OF COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY

The Institute of Computer Technology is a non-profit California public school agency which provides technology training and planning services to both schools and industry. Since its founding in 1982, the Institute of Computer Technology has trained over 100,000 individuals.

The Institute is an official Microsoft Solution Provider and a FileMaker Solutions Alliance Trainer. Training is available on both Windows and Macintosh platforms. The University of California-Santa Cruz awards credit for the Institute's teacher-training courses. Online versions of the Institute's teacher-training courses are now available.

The Institute is currently operating technology-training programs in partnership with the Intel Foundation, Kaleidoscope Software, Microsoft, and Hewlett-Packard. The Institute's program sites are in California, Texas, Oregon, Washington, Massachusetts, Arizona, New Mexico, Georgia and Washington, D.C.

Georgia Youth Science & Technology Centers, Inc., a private non-profit educational organization affiliated with Southern Polytechnic State University outside Atlanta, GA, has opened a web page where students of any age (K through college) can "Write to a Scientist or Engineer." The web address is: http://www2.spsu.edu/gystc and the page is called "Students Only." For information, contact Jim Thompson or Tina Knight at (770) 528-4978.

Jim L. Thompson
President & CEO
GEORGIA YOUTH SCIENCE &
TECHNOLOGY CENTERS, Inc.
1100 S. Marietta Pkwy.
Marietta (Atlanta), GA, USA 30060-2896
Tel. (770) 528-4978
Fax (770) 528-4980