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Technology and the District
The Reed Union school District is committed to providing up–to-date technology for students. This commitment will provide each student the opportunity to gain the skills needed to succeed in this century.
Reed Elementary School (K-2) is where it all gets started. All classrooms have at least 5 computers, all with internet and presentation capabilities for instruction. Each classroom has a printer and a digital camera, while sharing pod casting equipment, Proscopes, DV camcorders and LDC projectors. Curriculum and technology are woven together by combining instruction in the classroom with coordinated lessons in our well-equipped Computer Lab. Even our youngest students are pod casting! Each teacher maintains his/her website which allows families a “bird’s eye view” of what their children are doing in school. A credentialed Technology Facilitator supports staff and students in their technology projects
The Bel Aire Elementary School (3-5) has a long standing reputation for technology. It has won several county awards including the 1999 "Best of the Web" as well as one of twelve schools in the nation recognized for its outstanding technology program in 2001. The teachers have developed a variety of ways to integrate technology within the curriculum. Students in grade 5 have lap top carts in their classrooms. Grades 3 and 4 are provided with a minimum of 6 computers per room, and have access to additional lap top carts. The school is wireless, and a credentialed Technology Facilitator supports staff and students in their technology projects. Additional peripheral equipment including iPods, cameras, digital Microscopes, GPS systems, robotics, etc. are used to enhance the instructional program. Students are trained to serve on “Cybersquad” (trouble shooting technology issues in the classroom); Multimedia Club” (creates small videos of school events) and the Bel Aire TV Show.
Reed and Bel Aire Schools have 1 computer for every 1.7 students and every classroom has internet access. Each of the school libraries has multiple computers with internet access.
Del Mar 
Middle School (6-8) is a leader in technology in Marin County and the Bay Area. The Millennial Classroom Project, which provides a laptop for every 6th, 7th and 8th grade student, was implemented in the fall of 2005. Students use their laptop at school as well as at home. In addition to the software package installed on the student laptops, online subscriptions are pervasive in enhancing and integrating technology into the curricula. The entire school is equipped for wireless internet access, inside and out. All classrooms are outfitted with an LCD projector, television and VCR and at least one additional desktop computer. The Computer Lab was replaced with a Cyber Lounge, a large, flexible working environment that is used by both students and staff. There are five eMacs, all with DVD burning capabilities, and peripherals including digital cameras, scanners, DV camcorders and a laser printer. The Library has five computers with internet access and four laser printers. The library catalog and online databases are accessible from the student laptops, at home or school.
The District technology curriculum has been designed to help students attain the skills necessary for the future. Technology standards will be approved by the Board in the spring 2006. The standards incorporate touch typing, word-processing, databases, presentations, web page design and digital video editing. The District recognizes that it must commit to its' staff in order to achieve high standards for students. The district has teamed up with Apple Computer to bring together a staff development program for Technology Integration. The district has also offered a laptop since 1999 for each teacher if they attend a workshop devoted to technology integration in the classroom.
The Reed Union School District is committed to making the future happen now.
Contact Information:
Director of Technology
Enhancing Teaching and Learning
2008
1:1 Laptop Program for Del Mar Middle School Students
Implemented in 2005
Del Mar Laptop Program
Information
- The school district provides an Apple MacBook
for each student enrolled in middle school.
- Students take home laptops nightly; they
are not left at school.
- Recharging of laptops is done at home.
- Internet access at home is monitored by
parent.
- Laptops are turned in each summer to be
refreshed.
- Parents pay a $140 insurance premium, and
there is a $100 deductible for damage to the laptop
- Funding for the program comes from federal,
state, and district general fund revenue.
Improve and enhance teaching and learning
- Increase student achievement
-
Create an
exciting, challenging, and engaging environment for learning
- Provide all
students with access to computers throughout the school day
- Give teachers
access to relevant and current curriculum and research
- Give students the
opportunity to extend learning outside the walls of the classroom
-
Build closer
relationships between teachers, students, and parents through instant and
ongoing communication
- Decrease
paperwork for teachers and students through use of electronic files
- Create alternate
methods of communication for students through i-chat, email etc.
- Extend learning
opportunities for students by creating conditions for students to have
unlimited sources of information to support learning and to be able to use the
information to delve deeper into projects
- Provide
authentic audience for students to share their work
- Support
different styles of learning for all learners:
special needs, second language, hearing disabled, gifted, and students
who need assistance in subject matter
-
Enable the voice
of all students to be heard
- Be a leader in offering the best educational opportunities for all students
Over
25 members of the Reed Union School District school community spent a year
gathering information about implementing a 1:1 laptop program to support
teaching and learning at Del Mar Middle School.
The Committee was made up of middle school teachers, parents,
administrators, and Board Trustees.
To
gather information and learn about districts that have initiated such programs,
the Committee members made field trips to the following schools:
- Urban School,
December
2005
January
2005
- Schaumberg School District
& Marie Murphy Middle School, Avoca School District #37, Chicago,
Illinois
February
2005
February
2005
February 2005
Findings
- Students care for their laptops
- Recharging laptop is not an issue
- Evidence of more collaboration than
isolation
- Students are actively engaged in
learning 24/7
- Students continue to read books, as
well as use technology
- Fostered closer relationship among
teachers and students
- Calmer atmosphere in school
- Technology is not a substitute for
the arts
- Most schools have eliminated need
for traditional computer lab
- Students do not want to go back to
doing “manual labor
- Combination of federal, state and local funding for financial support
Who are the Millennial?
Children of the Baby Boomers
Born between 1982 and 2000, they account for 27% of
Hyper-communicators who use many means – often simultaneously--land phones, cell phones, pagers, handhelds, the Internet, email, chat rooms, instant messaging, and fax machines
“Digital kids need learning to be relevant,
meaningful, and applicable now. That’s
very different from students, even myself, who went to school 12 years ago.”
-- Marco Antonio Torres,
Teacher/Media Coach
Research to Support Use of Laptops
- Pilot study in
2005 Pleasanton
School District
The study provides evidence that participation in the laptop immersion program had a significant impact on student achievement.
Students were more engaged and motivated to write and produce longer documents with higher quality.
To increase achievement, findings suggest all students must have equal access to technology rich environments in which technology is no longer a shared commodity.
“Kids have been
working with paper, books, pencils, erasers and blackboards for hundreds of
years. And now, this is our new
blackboard; this is the new way for kids to learn.”
-- Jan Hand,
Science Teacher
Mansfield School District, Storrs, CT
http://apple.com/education/digitalkids
The primary use of laptops
will be to enhance teaching and learning.
Some examples are:
-
24/7 use to
research relevant learning topics
- Communicate easily
with teachers or administrators
- Software
applications to support curriculum
- Teaching writing
as a process with electronic submissions
- Project-based
learning
- Assessment
- Collaboration
for students to discuss relevant learning topics with each other
- Learning
intervention for students with needs
- Enrichment
opportunities for all students
- Professional
classroom presentations
- Instant
communication outside the walls of the classroom with other students in the
community, state, or world
- On-line access
with experts
- Data analysis
and presentations; e.g., graphs, spreadsheets, etc.
- Access to current and relevant information
“…we are preparing students for their future, not our past.”
-- Dr. David Thornburg, Senior
Fellow
Congressional Institute for the
Future
Director, Global Operations for
the
please contact Ms. Kit Pappenheimer,
Del Mar Middle School Principal at
415-435-1468.
