|
February 8, 2005 - Vol. 6, No. 6
TechLearning News
- In January, students across South Dakota linked with Wheeling Jesuit University's Center for Educational Technologies to use their science knowledge and math skills to avert a possible disaster.
- School web sites are making it easier for parents to keep track of school events, keep an eye on attendance and even check on test scores and grades.
- In what may well be a first, the New York City Council is holding public meetings online to allow students, teachers and parents to voice opinions on how to improve the city's public schools.
- iQ Academies at Wisconsin, offered through the School District of Waukesha, offers classes via the Internet in every school subject except physical education and art.
e-Mission Engages Students in Real-World Science
In January, students across South Dakota joined one of four crisis management teams and used their science knowledge and math skills to avert a possible disaster, modeled on the 1996 real-life threat to the island of Montserrat. In a two-hour period, the volcano and hurricane teams analyze real-time data and determine the risks to people on the island. The analyses are then presented to the evacuation team, which forms a rescue plan. Throughout the mission, the communication team is in live contact with Mission Control via video, audio and a chat window. It's all part of e-Mission: Operation Montserrat, developed by the Challenger Learning Center at Wheeling Jesuit University. Participating classrooms linked with Wheeling Jesuit University's Center for Educational Technologies via the Dakota Digital Network, South Dakota's statewide data and video network. The South Dakota Discovery Center helped align the distance learning activities to South Dakota Department of Education standards in science, math, and English and trained 40 teachers across the state. Resources for teachers included lesson plans, assessment materials, technology support, and information on science, math and other standards addressed by the activity. Teachers and students prepared for four weeks prior to mission day, collecting data about emergency events, analyzing the data, and learning to make logical recommendations based upon scientific analysis. Engaging students in trying to solve a real-life problem has proven to increase students' achievements and attitudes towards science, math and technology.
Source: Marshall County Journal
Internet Links Schools and Parents
School web sites are making it easier for parents to keep track of school events, check what their child had for lunch and even keep an eye on attendance and tardiness. Schools have been somewhat slower to move toward posting student grades online, worried about security issues and concerned about families that don't have Internet access. Some teachers find electronic gradebook software hard to use and worry that they will be pressured to provide close to real-time turn around of test scores and assignment grades. But educators also recognize that increased information about student progress can help minimize mid-term "surprises" and head off major problems. And while teachers may have to spend some extra time explaining all that goes into deciding a student grade, they know that increased parental involvement is all to the good. As teachers get more comfortable with the technology tools available, some are beginning to post information on future assignments, written comments, notes on class participation and disciplinary actions as well. To serve parents who don't have Internet access, some schools print out weekly reports to send home or include a voice mail option that lets parents access information by phone.
Source: The News & Observer
NYC Holds Online Education Hearings
In what may well be a first, the New York City Council is holding public meetings online to allow students, teachers and parents to voice opinions on how to spend the billions of extra dollars coming to the city's public schools. Last November, following a long legal battle, a court-appointed panel recommended that the city get an additional $5.6 billion over the next four years. The online hearings — called "Your Voice, Your Schools" — will run through February 15. Public comments will be used to help the special 13-member Commission on the Campaign for Fiscal Equity prepare a report for the City Council. Global Kids, a non-profit organization that educates youth about critical international and domestic issues and promotes their engagement in civic life and the democratic process, is providing the platform and supervising the Your Voice, Your Schools site. Online participants can either post a message on the site or join a discussion group. Global Kids will use a technique called small group dialogues that puts roughly 50 people in a room to ensure meaningful discussion and let everyone have a chance to contribute. The Commission on the Campaign for Fiscal Equity wants the online hearings to focus on six areas ý including class and school size, teacher retention, recruitment and quality, after school programs, pre-Kindergarten programs, facilities and technology, and school accountability ý but participants will be free to address other issues as they reflect on the question "If you could improve education in NYC, what would you do?" Two Global Kids representatives will monitor each group, highlight areas of interest and steer participants toward a particular discussion. All threads and posts will be searchable. Demographic data and statistics of site usage will also be provided.
Source: Global Kids
Virtual High School Widens Choice
iQ Academies at Wisconsin, offered through the School District of Waukesha, offers classes via the Internet in every school subject except physical education and art. Wisconsin's largest virtual high school has a full-time enrollment of about 250 students. Any high school student in Wisconsin is eligible to enroll through the state's open enrollment program. Tom Young, the school's only full-time teacher, is a veteran educator with nearly 30 years experience. He teaches earth science, biology, chemistry and physics to about 200 of the school's students, many of whom are home schoolers who have outgrown their parents' ability to address the required curriculum. A number of other teachers from the School District of Waukesha teach part time at iQ Academies, allowing students to take full class loads. Students can receive a diploma from the virtual school, with the PE credit being replaced by community service. All students enrolled in iQ Academies receive a laptop computer, printer and Internet connection through the School District of Waukesha. The school district also provides textbooks and other classroom materials. Teachers are available via e-mail to guide students through their studies and to answer questions. Teachers also use chat rooms to discuss classroom work, to allow students to see each other's work and to look over students' work.
Source: Beloit Daily News
|
