 JCHS Laptop Program
The JCHS laptop computer program was launched in August 2010 to support and deepen the learning at JCHS. Our unique pluralistic approach, which seriously investigates and interacts with diverse perspectives, is enhanced with the use of evolving technology tools. JCHS students engage with others and with ideas through technology enabling them to research, reflect, and collaborate in powerful ways. JCHS is constantly looking for ways to increase the use of technology in our curriculum. This new program will enable teachers and students to continue to experiment with, collaborate on, and assess technologies to support student learning and growth. by Mallory Rome
Assistant Head of School Walk into Evan Wolkenstein’s Biblical Literature class and you’ll see our newest technology resources at work. As students sit down, they pull out their laptops and open up the class’s Moodle page. They click on the embedded Google calendar to see the day’s “do now” and get to work on the prompt: “Have you ever advocated your needs to a person in power? What did you do and what was the outcome?” Meanwhile, Mr. Wolkenstein reviews the homework they’ve submitted electronically. Next, students work in groups to analyze text – today, Abraham challenging God not to destroy Sodom - and form questions and theories; when they’re done, they submit their work online. Mr. Wolkenstein instantly creates a document with everybody’s work and shares it immediately with the class to reflect on and critique the varied responses to the Biblical text. Those critiques offer him a second level of feedback about how the students are comprehending and analyzing the text and help him decide on the best next task. On another day he might turn to VoiceThread to allow students to record individual voice or video responses to photos of the 3-d models of temples they built to reflect their own spiritual and social values. Technology, in other words, offers Mr. Wolkenstein’s students new entry points into text study, raises their level of accountability, and enables them to examine, analyze, and immediately respond to each other’s work. This year, at the beginning of a multi-year project to examine the roles that technology can play at JCHS, we are exploring some important questions. How can technology support what we do best? How can it take our courses into new realms? What use of our resources will best serve our students? And, as importantly, when do we want screens off and away? We’ve already made two steps toward our new paradigm of tech exploration: laptops and Moodle. Making sure that every JCHS student has a high-quality laptop allows teachers to rely on this instructional tool daily if they so choose. Through Moodle, students (and parents) can access course materials and deadlines online, with some faculty moving into new uses such as online quizzes and class discussion forums. And we are looking to learn from what other schools do well, from experts in the field, and from the excellent resources that are available in the world of educational technology. We are fortunate, as always, to have an energetic and curious group of people who love to ask questions (How can this support my pedagogical goals? How can technology help my students learn more effectively?), to try something new, and to share what they’re doing in the classroom with each other. |
