Eldrid Vossler Kindergarten Teacher in the Sioux Falls School Distict
In regards to the state standards for technology the Sioux Falls district had already addressed some of the areas. There is a commitment to provide accessibility to different types of technology and to integrate technology as much as possible in all of the areas of curriculum.
The Sioux Falls School has curriculum guides for technology beginning at the 6th grade. In the 6th and 7th grade the curriculum consists of keyboarding classes. In the eighth grade students are required to take personal computing. This class consists of learning how to use spreadsheets, word processing programs and presentation programs. In high school there is a required computer class of .5 credits to graduate.
In the elementary school there is an emphasis to teach keyboarding and use of the computer. There is no formal curriculum for teaching technology except what is connected to other curriculums. The elementary schools either have a computer room or computers in the classroom for the teachers and students to use. These computers are loaded with various software depending on the software the district or the individual school has purchased.
Currently the Sioux Falls school district The Sioux Falls School District is making significant hardware purchases to give both the teachers and students more access to computers and software. Especially important in the purchases are the Smartboards that are being installed in the elementary classrooms. The district provides training for teachers who have smartboards in their classrooms. There also is a requirement that new staff pass a basis technology test using Microsoft Office programs. The district provides training for any staff that feel that they need to learn or brush up their skills on these programs. As the district upgrades or changes the software offered to the staff there is training made available to the staff using the new software.
In my classroom I introduce the students to a basic keyboarding program to familiarize the students to where the letters are located. The students learn how to use the shift key and the space bar as well as the location of the letters and numbers. I also use the computer lab to practice basic reading and math skills. Finally, I have the students use the pbskids site to learn to navigate the internet. My goals for computer lab include: learning the keyboard, learning to navigate a desktop to find programs and learning to navigate the internet. The technology standards that are addressed in the computer lab are K.CT.1.2 Use input/output devices to operate various technologies, K.CT.1.1 Describe technology using accurate terminology. K.SI.1.2 Identify five ways to respect equipment, K.NC.1.1 Identify three human-made objects and K.NC.2.1 Identify that parts make a whole.
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Patrick Henry Middle School and State Technology Standards
The Sioux Falls School District is trying to implement the state technology standards within the next few years. In order to do this, keyboarding must be taught at the elementary level. At the present time, elementary schools are not set up (and many don't have room) to teach keyboarding. Sixth graders will continue to be taught keyboarding until this change can be made.
The middle school curriculum has changed this year to reflect the new standards. It is a "bubble" year for the 7th and 8th grade. They will both be doing some of the same type of things. Instruction and practice in Microsoft Word will be taught in both the 7th and 8th grade. This will prepare the 7th graders for additional changes next year.
In comparing the lesson plans for 8th graders with the state standards for 8th graders, it appears that they are meeting many of the goals. In the Nature/Concepts/Systems section, students are being taught about the history and progression of technology throughout the year and how to problem solve. They are labeling and studying the parts of the system in the beginning of the quarter as well as taking a career test. This test will help them examine skills that would be needed for different professions.
The Social Interaction area of learning the school acceptable use policy is covered in one of the first classes. Students must also sign a form. The advantages and disadvantages of using technology is shown by comparing the use of library information versus finding information, pictures and graphs on the internet.
Information and Communication Tools/Processes is taught throughout the entire quarter. Problems are discussed and solved as they come up. Technology use and projects include: excel-bowling chart, business cards, tables and borders-menu, animation, flyers, word art, brochures and research papers. Students are also shown how to do work cited when taking any information off the internet.
The Information Literacy/Decision Making section is taught in the beginning of the quarter. The school police officer discusses internet crime and safety and students complete an online safety survey. They are pointed toward other sites besides google when they search for information. The reliability of each site is also discussed so that students can tell which sites are accurate and relevant.
One of Patrick Henry's teachers was on the state committee to change the standards and she was helpful in supplying information to me.
The middle school curriculum has changed this year to reflect the new standards. It is a "bubble" year for the 7th and 8th grade. They will both be doing some of the same type of things. Instruction and practice in Microsoft Word will be taught in both the 7th and 8th grade. This will prepare the 7th graders for additional changes next year.
In comparing the lesson plans for 8th graders with the state standards for 8th graders, it appears that they are meeting many of the goals. In the Nature/Concepts/Systems section, students are being taught about the history and progression of technology throughout the year and how to problem solve. They are labeling and studying the parts of the system in the beginning of the quarter as well as taking a career test. This test will help them examine skills that would be needed for different professions.
The Social Interaction area of learning the school acceptable use policy is covered in one of the first classes. Students must also sign a form. The advantages and disadvantages of using technology is shown by comparing the use of library information versus finding information, pictures and graphs on the internet.
Information and Communication Tools/Processes is taught throughout the entire quarter. Problems are discussed and solved as they come up. Technology use and projects include: excel-bowling chart, business cards, tables and borders-menu, animation, flyers, word art, brochures and research papers. Students are also shown how to do work cited when taking any information off the internet.
The Information Literacy/Decision Making section is taught in the beginning of the quarter. The school police officer discusses internet crime and safety and students complete an online safety survey. They are pointed toward other sites besides google when they search for information. The reliability of each site is also discussed so that students can tell which sites are accurate and relevant.
One of Patrick Henry's teachers was on the state committee to change the standards and she was helpful in supplying information to me.
Technology at Sioux Falls Christian
I was sad to find out that our school does not currently have a technology plan in place. I talked with our tech coordinator- and he said that he is busily working on getting this set up for us to implement.
So currently each teacher is doing his or her own thing! Some perhaps are even unaware that there are official technology standards! I am working very hard to get my team and I to satisfy the standards in our grade level. But this year our school is requiring nothing.
The first standard discusses this history and progression of technology. I had an in depth lesson where we discussed the development of tools in farming, and then how communication has progressed throughout the years, and then finally how computers have progressed, and how they are a wonderful tool for us. I had them brainstorm what it would have been like before technology was developed, and then they journaled about what future technologies they could com up with.
Also for the safety/ethical/legal issues standard- we as a class talk lots about what good ethical Christian behavior on computers would look like. How we can practice good Christian conduct, even in the computer lab. We also talked lots about safety issues and specifically never putting whole names on the web. For our blogs that we use weekly, the are only allowed to sign their first name.
The standard which has the students recognize and demonstrate skills and operating technological systems is one that we work very hard on in the 4th grade. Every computer lab lesson has at least one or more of these operations. We constantly are writing newsletters, which involves text boxes, copy and pasting pictures, carefully using spell check, and navigating through specific menus and tool bars. They also are required to save their document, and are accountable for relocating it the next time!
The standards state that 4th graders are required to key 10 WPM at 90% accuracy. Every computer lab lesson we work on keyboarding, and my students are already at or above this level! We do lots of games, and FUN activities where the students are accountable for proper keyboarding. They really pick up on this quickly!
Students also are understanding the purpose of information technologies to communicate with a variety of collaborators. We do weekly blogs in our class. Each student is then required to go back and read the blog and everyone else’s comments, and then they need to comment on other’s comments, etc! They LOVE the fact that they can write something on their computer, and use it to communicate to someone on the way other end of the room! This is an introduction to computer as a communication tool! This is a big highlight!
And the final standard that we satisfy in the 4th grade is students using technology to locate and acquire information. We do a HUGE animal research project in the 4th grade. The students are required to do all of their research for their specific animal on their own. They have to locate appropriate and accurate information. They also search for images of their animal!
We use technology an awful lot in the 4th grade, but there are no specific guidelines from our school! Hopefully next year it will be much better!
Karla Te Slaa
So currently each teacher is doing his or her own thing! Some perhaps are even unaware that there are official technology standards! I am working very hard to get my team and I to satisfy the standards in our grade level. But this year our school is requiring nothing.
The first standard discusses this history and progression of technology. I had an in depth lesson where we discussed the development of tools in farming, and then how communication has progressed throughout the years, and then finally how computers have progressed, and how they are a wonderful tool for us. I had them brainstorm what it would have been like before technology was developed, and then they journaled about what future technologies they could com up with.
Also for the safety/ethical/legal issues standard- we as a class talk lots about what good ethical Christian behavior on computers would look like. How we can practice good Christian conduct, even in the computer lab. We also talked lots about safety issues and specifically never putting whole names on the web. For our blogs that we use weekly, the are only allowed to sign their first name.
The standard which has the students recognize and demonstrate skills and operating technological systems is one that we work very hard on in the 4th grade. Every computer lab lesson has at least one or more of these operations. We constantly are writing newsletters, which involves text boxes, copy and pasting pictures, carefully using spell check, and navigating through specific menus and tool bars. They also are required to save their document, and are accountable for relocating it the next time!
The standards state that 4th graders are required to key 10 WPM at 90% accuracy. Every computer lab lesson we work on keyboarding, and my students are already at or above this level! We do lots of games, and FUN activities where the students are accountable for proper keyboarding. They really pick up on this quickly!
Students also are understanding the purpose of information technologies to communicate with a variety of collaborators. We do weekly blogs in our class. Each student is then required to go back and read the blog and everyone else’s comments, and then they need to comment on other’s comments, etc! They LOVE the fact that they can write something on their computer, and use it to communicate to someone on the way other end of the room! This is an introduction to computer as a communication tool! This is a big highlight!
And the final standard that we satisfy in the 4th grade is students using technology to locate and acquire information. We do a HUGE animal research project in the 4th grade. The students are required to do all of their research for their specific animal on their own. They have to locate appropriate and accurate information. They also search for images of their animal!
We use technology an awful lot in the 4th grade, but there are no specific guidelines from our school! Hopefully next year it will be much better!
Karla Te Slaa
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