District Administration - February 2009 - (Page 20)

supervisor’s opinion with which to plan, implement, and evaluate a one-to-one laptop program. Curriculum and Content Too often, instructional fads, in which laptop programs are sometimes included, forget to focus on the area of curriculum and content. Whatever the instructional practice, it must support the intended curriculum. One of the key components to improving student learning is to clearly identify what it is that students are expected to learn. Laptop programs have to support the standards that students are expected to master. Therefore, the focus should be on learning content standards. Schools may add goals in problem solving and critical thinking, but these must be pursued using instructional practices that are grounded in the content standards. Laptop computers can be one important element in an instructional approach that can meet these standards as well as goals like innovation, creativity, and research. For example, if a grade level team identifies the key content or power stan- Laptop programs have to support the standards that students are expected to master. dards for a learning unit, develops a set of essential questions that guide learning and assessment, and then uses laptops as one part of the instructional program, students will make progress that can be measured on standardized tests while acquiring the skills needed for the workplace of the future. A Culture for All stakeholders Site administrators, with their leadership teams, must create a culture that is receptive to the use of laptop computers as learning tools. In addition, they must address the needs and interests of the key stakeholders in the learning community. Students. Parents often say that their kids seem to spend an awful lot of time playing games or doing other nonacademic activities on their laptops. Therefore, at each school, it is important to establish clear guidelines for the use of laptops by students during classroom time. These expectations must be taught explicitly and reinforced positively as part of the normal process for establishing expected behaviors in all areas of school life. Students take to technology like ducks to water and have never known a world without the Internet. Learning with computers is natural for them; you just have to guide it to positive outcomes, an important ancillary goal of laptop programs in itself. Teachers. It is difficult for teachers to change practices without extensive and ongoing staff development in the area of technology. This has two components: It is important to establish a baseline of proficiency with the technology itself. However, this is secondary to helping teachers to use laptops as instructional tools. If teachers do not actively plan for the 20 February 2009 District Administration http://www.expiringbadges.com http://www.expiringbadges.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of District Administration - February 2009

District Administration - February 2009 Contents Advertiser Index Editor's Letter News Update Security Curriculum Crisis Response Supervisor's Opinion The Rise of the Virtual Teacher Speaking Their Language Alternate Transportation Routes Opinion The Aftermath of the New 403(b) Regulations How Well Does This Web Site Work? Problem Solution New Products Product Focus Professional Opinion

District Administration - February 2009

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