Technology and the PVSD

Around the World with Google Earth

Doctor Tom — Thu, 01 May 2008 21:39:00 +0000

Google Earth is rapidly becoming an indispensable educational tool (download for free at http://earth.google.com/). It allows students the unprecedented ability to visualize three-dimensional geographic data with the ability to zoom between global and neighborhood level perspectives. Furthermore, they are able to create projects featuring landmarks (virtual push pins) to their geographic points of interest. With the assistance of Lee Appelbaum, second grade students and teachers have created a Google Earth video featuring the global distribution of their ancestors’ places of origin. Third grade students have transformed the traditional Geographic Landforms unit into a multimedia collection of Google Earth landmarks featuring text, graphics and audio voice-overs. Another set of third graders is working on a project to create landmarks for sites of historical interest in Portola Valley. We as educators are excited by the potential for further integration of this truly 21st Century tool into the K-8 curriculum.

Laptop Carts Enhance Corte Madera Campus

Tech Team — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 22:45:00 +0000

Two laptop carts laden with 25 new MacBooks, purchased as part of the first year implementation of the PVSD Technology Plan, are now making regular visits to 4th through 8th grade classrooms. The laptops connect wirelessly to the school network, providing a seamless way to integrate computer use into any class. Students experience one-to-one computing, contributing to differentiated instruction, with ready access to powerful software tools. In effect, we have been able to double our computer lab capacity while adding a degree of flexibility.

William Frederick, a 4th grade teacher, puts it this way:

“ALL the students are loving their computers. The laptops have opened ample opportunity for the students to work on their writing, grammar, sentence structure, etc. They're taking tremendous care of the computers. What a fantastic investment!”

Marcy Barton, another of our 4th grade teachers, adds:

"From a teacher perspective, a classroom set of laptop computers enables productivity at even greater levels. Multiple activities can be going at one time. Students can pace themselves more comfortably when these resources are readily available...Given adequate support, like that provided by the CMS IT staff, the classroom has become a multi-faceted workplace that is better able to provide for the needs of individual students."

"As we move into a period of global education that services the global student, laptop computers are a natural fit."

Students Scratch the Surface of Programming at Ormondale

Tech Team — Fri, 14 Dec 2007 21:02:00 +0000

Scratch code: the Pong game.
This school year, Lee Appelbaum, Technology Assistant at Ormondale School, has been working with first through third grade students, helping them create rich multi-media projects with an application called, Scratch. Scratch is a new programming language developed by MIT Media Lab researchers that makes it easy to create interactive stories, animations, games, music, and art -- and share these creations on the web. Scratch is designed to help young people develop 21st century learning skills. As they create Scratch projects, young people learn important mathematical and computational ideas, while also gaining a deeper understanding of the process of programming and design. Scratch is available free of charge for download at http://scratch.mit.edu/.

The Pong game.
To date students have designed their own versions of the classic video game Pong, a working simulation of a dreidel, and an animation of the Fibonacci Sequence. Click here to view the growing collection of student projects.

Happy Holidays from the Tech Team!

Demise of the overhead projector...

Tech Team — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 22:56:00 +0000

Since the beginning of the school year, the Corte Madera computer lab has been steadily accumulating a collection of retired overhead projectors. It seems the more flexible and sophisticated tandem of document camera and multimedia projector is replacing these former classroom “staples.” Since discovering and spreading the word about this "dynamic duo," most teachers who have given them a try have thrown out their old overheads. These modern tools allow the teacher to display content from a variety of sources - from textbooks, to newspapers, to small items, to video from their laptop computers - providing a richer, more flexible, and more interactive classroom experience.

The response to these new tools has been overwhelming! Donna Kasprowicz, English teacher at Corte Madera, couldn't be giddier when talking about how the document camera has enriched her classroom. She has remarked on many occasions just how indispensable it is!

Leveraging technology for 21st Century learning is one goal of Educational Technology in the Portola Valley School District. We're thrilled that the document camera and projector tandem has been so well received in the classroom. We are excited to rollout document cameras at Ormondale in the weeks ahead.

Hello and Welcome

Tech Team — Mon, 05 Nov 2007 22:00:00 +0000

Welcome to the Portola Valley School District's, Technology Blog! This is our chance to share with you - parents, students, staff, and community at large - the emerging stories involving the integration of technology with teaching and learning in our Kindergarten through Eighth grade classrooms. We plan on posting new content every month.

Stay tuned!