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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes Advocate, 1998-12-30, Page 28cr In Exeter Tunas -Advocate Wednesday. December : i , 19')x Avon Maitland School Board a leader in computer technology by Michele Greene The year 1998 Is one few people involved in education in Ontario will soon forget. Teachers. staff, parents and students of the Avon Maitland District School Board are no different. The local public school board got tangled In the changes that came from the Ministry of Education and Training during the past year. The biggest change was the amalga- mation of the former Perth County. Board of Education and the former • Huron County -Board of Education to form the new Avon Maitland board. It faced a new funding formula that left it short, especially in transportation, and .that forced it to consider school clo- sures. But behind the- controversies, some-• thing exciting was happening. Avon -Maitland was becoming a leader among boards in its use of computers in education. The Ministry of Education and Training and educators across Ontario are looking M Avon Maitland.to see how computers can be effective learning took sacs. the need for students to be tec:hi ,.Ily literate," said superintendent Janet Baird -Jackson. But that doesn't mean teaching stu- dents how to build ur program comput- ers. instead, students are using.comput- ers to learn in their daily work. "It amazes me to see the use of tech- tilogy in education, right down to the Grade 1 students. Their feet don't touch the floor but their fingers are going." said Wayne Nicholls, principal at Zurich Public School. ZURICH PUBLIC SCHOOL About four years ago, one half of the library's book collection and shelves were replaced with computers and internet connections. It was the first of its kind among former Huron board schools. Stud is access the most current infor- ma available from experts in the fiel . During a science class, students communicated with a scientist at the Canadian Space. Agency, said teacher Larry Weido. Another class followed the migration of birds over theinternet. Weido said his students posted information on the dates birds left the county on their trek south. Other schools tapped into that website watched. overhead for the birds and reported online when they arrived in the school's vicinity.. 'That's something you could never do in a classroom,- said Weido. , Teachers also noticed students.were ' writing more .as they worked on V"' newsletters and corresponded with pen pals. The teachers studied how the stu- dents learned using the computers and documented their findings. That infor- mation went to the Ministry of Education and Training for the use of. other boards. It is also on the board's website www.avonmaitland.on.ca. "When you see kids from other schools, you realize we're a way ahead,' said parent Michele 1 .serer of Zurich,. adding that her three children benefit from the computers. After 'Zurich's success. Baird -Jackson said library resources centres were. added to the majority of Ituron County ..- schools. After amalgamation with the • former Perth board; that trend contin- ued, bringing the centres to more schools in the district. Last summer, a library resource centre was added to. Listowel Central. Pending budgets and finances, Elma Public ' School will be the next school to have'a library resource centre. Computers are proving themselves to be effective learning tools for secondary students as web. SEAFORTH DISTRICT HIGH SCHOOL At Seaforth District High School, stu- dents are creating a multi -media, inter- active educational tool • on compact disc which will be marketed to boards, edu- cators and history enthusiasts. The stu- dents are doing the design, research. artwork and narration and are market- ing the double (:D. At the same time. they are learning about Canadian history. 'Canada in a North American Perspective' is a double CD resource on the history of Canada. It is a self-directed course of study com- plete with assignments, interviews from. experts and interactive scenarios about the experiences of the early settlers.. The students are working under the supervision of English teacher Laurie Ilaz.zard, also the project's writer, and art teacher (:reg Sherwood-. "They have all of the talents of a fine artist but their interest is it designing," said Sherwood. why" will be t,•aching at F.1:. Madill in Wi.. tam in the New. Year. The CD is the perfect outlet for the stu- dents who would have no other opportu- nity to learn graphic design .at the sec- ondary level. Student Kerry Blake said the project will be part of her portfolio 'for Sheridan College, where she hopes to study next fall. Baird -Jackson said the board is still waiting to hear specifics about the new secondary school curriculum reform from the ministry. But it does know the general direction of it. "There is an emphasis on practical experience for kids and we're there already,' she said, referring to this pro- ject. The first disc is finished and available for sale with the second disc expected to be finished by the end of the school year. For more information, visit the, project's website at www.av onmaitland. on. ca/History_cd. Baird -Jackson credited the ‘i •ion �f former director of education Pau' Carroll for the board's use of computers in education. TECH 21 That vision is not limited to the acade- mic courses of study. An innovative new Grade 7/8 design and technology/family studies program provides more technol- ogy for students to use. Central, Huron Secondary School, teacher Harry Brooks said the new ele- mentary curriculum emphasizes' math, and science. So does this new program. Technology for the 21st Century, bet ' ter known, as Tech 21,' was 'first devel- oped at Central Huron Secondary School in 1994. Most recently, the program was added to Listowel District Secondary School with a third and 'final location' expected to be developed in Stratford. It takes the best of,the former program and adds new technology, giving stu- dents more opportunities. „ For example, with a computerized sewing machine. students learn fashion design. Students in Exeter design and embroider their own logos 'on sports uniforms on the program's computer- ized sewing machine. It also has specialized equi'pnwnt like a scroll saw, which is a,tine cutting instru- ment. Brooks said none of the individual design .and technology programs could afford such a piece of equipment.. But, by having one central lab for 19 schools. mere students can benefit from one piece of equipment. FUNDING But all of that costs money. As the low-. est spending public board in the province, it seems hard to believe the Avon Maitland District School Board can afford its commitment to technology in education, Baird-Jackson'admits it can be a struggle because expanding technology S _ :conk District High School teacher Greg; Sherwood, foreground, and students juries Emmerich and Kerry Blake on computers at the school.Avon Maitland is proving to be a leader among school . boards in making effective use of computers as learning tools. , in the classroom is subject to budgets and finances. When cutbacks from the province were expected, they came out of areas like computers. But the board always, made an effort to make sure there was some money for computers. „' We looked at creative ways to do the things we thought were important,'' said Baird -Jackson. PARTNERSHIPS One of those ways was looking to the ministry itself.' It offered Technology Incentive Partnership Program (TIPP) grants.for boards willing to explore computers in technology. The former Huron board applied for. two "TiPP grants. The ministry then came to the board with a third grant because it was interested in the results the board was getting. it wanted the localeducators to continue. The Avon Maitland board continues to build partnerships with corporations. For example, PacketWorks donated equipmentnecessary to create a system- wide Internet communications --one of the first priorities for the newly -amalga- mated board. Baird -Jackson said a -mail communication ,saves time and money by eliminating long-distance phone calls and faxes. Another partnership with Silicon Graphics Inc. created the opportunity for Central Huron Secondary School stu- dents to work with animation software used by industry professionals. The company donated the software to the scheol. 'I don't claim that they leave here completely understanding the software. The important thing is they are exposed, to it.' said teacher Stephen Oliver. His students are also involved in devel- oping multi -media programs that will provide information on Canada's newest territiiry. Nunavut, with the use of the software. , Baird -Jackson said partnering with industry is a creative way of providing technology in classrooms. - "it isn't looking: for a handout. You, have to deliver," she said. That is a message she shares with principals whose schools are developing partnerships in their own communities or initiating fund-raising campaigns fo bring more computers into the school. a project undertaken by parents in Walton. By delivering, Baird -Jackson said teachers have to be prepared to make sure students learn the equipment and software. The education system has to produce, skilled students who:work as well independently as they do in a group. The Avon Maitland board is sharing what it has learned about technology in education., It will have a booth and be represented by speakers at the Edu Tec, conference in Toronto from Jan. 28 to 30, 1999. Sessions and speakers, including the Avon Maitland board; will provide infor- mation for educators from across the province. Developing partnerships to implement information technology in classrooms is the goal of Edu Tec. It's also a goal for which the Avon Maitland board strives. Although 1998 was a trying year for the board, newly -elected chairperson Wendy Anderson said 1999 will be dif- ferent. It will be a year when the board can set aside amalgamation issues and focus on its main goal --educating kids. Those two goals fit together well. • Learning and computers go hand in hand.