 |
|
|
instructional technology
Technology happenings
Recommended technology tools
All recommended tools support standards-based instruction and content literacy instruction. Our objectives for the use of technology in instruction are:
- To provide tools to meet standards and to increase achievement in all curricular areas;
- To make abstract ideas visible and concrete;
- To connect prior knowledge and new concepts;
- To provide structure for thinking, writing, discussing, planning, and reporting;
- To focus thoughts and ideas that lead to understanding and interpretation;
- To help justify hypotheses, to organize and test steps, and to validate test results;
- To view and manipulate images and data for better comprehension;
- To increase the growth of reading achievement;
- To aid in instruction of the writing process;
- To aid in the collection of data in a table or spreadsheet; and
- To provide access to an affordable class set of mobile computers.
After deployment every classroom within the school will have access to:
- 3 computers per classroom
- 1 teacher laptop
- 1 printer per classroom
- 1 multimedia projector per 4 classrooms
- Microsoft Office Suite on all computers (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access, plus MS Paint)
- Internet connectivity for all computers
- FCAT Explorer- a practice and skills reinforcement tool based on Florida's Sunshine State Standards in Reading and Math
- School-wide subscription to ProQuest - an online reference resource that delivers the largest collection of periodical and digital media content designed specifically for K-12 schools. BigChalk's ProQuest provides access to thousands of educational periodicals and newspapers including EducationPlus, which contains 400 education journals and ERIC Plus with 260 journals for the latest teaching concepts, methodologies, and findings
- School-wide subscription to Maps 101 - an online database which provides subscription access to history maps, interactive maps, U.S. maps, world maps, flags, atlases, lesson plans and thousands of educational resources to support learning of social studies, history and geography in today's classroom
- School-wide subscription to Grolier Online - an easy tool for beginning researchers that is also comprehensive and detailed for advance researchers. Grolier Online provides access to Highlights Encyclopedia, American Encyclopedia, Grolier Multimedia, New Book of Knowledge, Lands and People, Popular Science, plus atlases, dictionaries, and thesauri
- Riverdeep Learning Village Instructional Organizer features: tools that allows teachers to search for and create instructional materials (lesson plans, unit plans, activities, strategies, and resources) and assessments which correlate to state and local standards; a district database that allows users to search for district common lessons and best practices; a connected learning community where users may collaborate and share with other DCPS Learning Village members; and Anytime, Anywhere, Anyplace access with Internet connectivity. The Learning Village includes a searchable database that allows users to easily locate and access these resources to support standards-based instruction and allows the district and schools to map the curriculum.
As a school has extra funds or plans to apply for a grant, the following tools are recommended for all schools:
- School-wide site license for Inspiration visual organizer software--Inspiration strengthens critical thinking, comprehension, and writing across the curriculum, in language arts, science, social studies and anytime your students need to structure research or other thought processes. Inspiration's integrated diagramming and outlining environments work together to help students comprehend concepts and information. Use Inspiration across the curriculum for: Brainstorming, Webbing, Diagramming, Planning, Critical thinking, Concept mapping, Organizing, and Outlining. It is correlated to Sunshine State Standards.
- One digital camera per classroom
- One digital microscope per Science classroom
- One document camera per grade level or department
- One set of 30 Alpha Smarts 3000(portable computer companions for word processing and writing skills instruction and data collection in the classroom or in the field). Each AlphaSmart runs on 2 AA batteries which last about 6 months to 1 year. The files can be uploaded via USB or serial connection.
|
|
|
