So I was in my class on inclusion Thursday evening and I was impressed by a presentation one of my classmates did. He works for the Windham High School and they have embraced 21st Century Learning. Many of the things we talked about in a previous blog regarding the provision of equal opportunities for students to utilize technology is being realized. Every student in the high school is provided with their own personal laptop. Additionally, all the classrooms are equipped with Smartboards. I sat and listened in awe because this was something I thought only existed in educational fairy tales.
I can only imagine how amazing it must be to have so many resources available for students. For instance he works in special education and he can differentiate a reading lesson just by having students visit different leveled reading programs on their computers. All the while he can go around and assist the students while they are truly working in their personal zone of proximal development.... not the majority of the class's zone of proximal development. He also said that one a recent snow day student's didn't miss out on class because teachers could post assignments on Moodle and students could utilize the text books online to do assignments from home. They are actually petitioning with the state to have that snow day removed since students still completed assignments.
Also while reading this weeks assigned reading I was intrigued by the charter school established by Bob Slater and Tom Reynolds in Texas. To help deal with the high dropout and low graduation rates being seen across the country; they took up an offer of the then governor of Texas George W. Bush to create this school. This charter school is one large well lit room with several hanging plants and twenty Internet ready computers. It services 40 students as students are paired to a computer. Their curriculum consists of assignments given every Monday morning which address a couple of the state standards. Students have the week to complete the assignments and then present their findings to the entire school on Friday using an interactive PowerPoint presentation. Here is a quote from our text, "with weekly goals connected to state standards, freedom to explore personal interests, and large audiences for their products, the same students who were indifferent or had been dropping out of school, were now succeeding and dropping in." (The World is Open by, Bonk 2009)
For me these examples show how very possible it is to rethink our current way of teaching and revamp it to meet the needs of today's students.
For more information about 21st century learning and the Windham High School you can view this PowerPoint link: www.windhamsd.org/whs/WHS%20Overview%202009-01-08.htm
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I took a Spanish class last semester. The professor had to cancel class one morning but we did not miss any instruction. She posted her entire 2 1/2 hour lecture (audio and notes) on Blackboard. It was great. I sat in my living room and could listen/pause at my own convenience. Amazing. Also, on another note I definitely see how useful computers could be for teaching at different levels. What a luxury that would be for a teacher..to have kids working at their own pace. Not having to rush kids through or slow some down.
ReplyDeleteI wonder how many school districts will be able to take advantage of Windham's venture. Perhaps they will become a role model for other schools looking to integrate technology. Technology has such a large potential to individualize learning for all students, it would seem educators, families, and students would embrace it.
ReplyDeleteThat school must be so awesome. Having those sorts of resources available must be amazing for the kids. This class has made me realize how important it is to use technology to teach students, but I wonder how many school districts would be willing to raise taxes to achieve a classroom like at Windham.
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