Superintendent

TECHNOLOGY AS A TEACHING TOOL

What role should technology play in an ever quickly changing world of knowledge that surrounds us?  As educational demands continue to expand in the beginning of the Twenty-First Century, we must relook at the foundation of our schools very differently. Curriculum, instruction and assessment must be accompanied by the tools necessary to open the world for our students.

The primary function of student use of computers today needs to expand to facilitate their learning experience. With that in mind we must remember that technology can provide the activities reflect a partial list of goals of the classroom.

On-line access from the classroom to review and research materials, and prepare reports and presentations that combine text, graphic sound, music, motion video, and still images. Interfaces to musical instruments provide flexible study of music. Computer-aided design and drafting tools as well as desktop publishing, and multimedia development tools provide design capacity to better illustrate their ideas. Students can utilize software for review, practice, simulation, and complex problem-solving. Computer interfaces in their science laboratories, allow students to develop instrumentation strategies assessing temperature, pressure, electrical, light, and sound measuring; frequency counters and scales; all linked to a graphic display with an immediate printed output.

Many of these types activities are present today in our classrooms. Consequently students should be engaged in learning utilizing these resources as a part of the learning process.

A vision of K-12 student today helps each of us, not born in this technology generation, to understand the changing picture of the process of learning. 

The Cape Elizabeth School System is preparing to move ahead with a well planned process to truly meet the needs of our students in their future work with technology. Gary Lanoie has also started a blog and together, we will be sharing important information with the community about the technology work ahead.