21st Century Tools for 21st Century Learners
As stated in the Middle School Mission Statement, we are
an academic community where students may safely experience the transition from childhood to young adulthood.
As such, we spend a significant amount of time working with our students to help them develop healthy habits where technology is concerned. In 6th grade, we introduce students to our Acceptable Use Policy and begin discussions of personal privacy in terms of technology and the Internet. We also discuss ergonomics, encouraging specific habits in terms of laptop and desktop computer use. In 7th grade, these discussions are deepened as we explore the concept of “wellnology” or personal technology wellness. Strategies encouraging Internet safety and responsible behavior, both personally and academically, are taught. This is reinforced for our 8th graders as they transition from using school-owned technology in the Middle School to more independent use of personal technology in the Upper School.
What access do SPA Middle School students have to technology?
The majority of computer use by middle school students is done on laptops used in classrooms. In 6th grade, students have frequent access to computers in a lab setting and to tablet laptops on carts. These resources are reserved by teachers to support classroom instruction.
In 7th grade, students are introduced to 1-1 computing and are assigned a school-owned laptop (tablet pcs introduced in 2008-09 school year) for use during the school day and beyond. Beginning in fall 2008, 7th graders will spend one half of an academic block (45 minutes) per cycle in a technology class where they are introduced to personal technology management (wellnology) and review technology skills to be used in the classroom.
In 8th grade, students continue using the school-owned laptop to support classroom instruction. 8th graders do not have a formal technology class; however, instructional support is available in the classroom or during workstudy if needed/requested.
In addition, students have access to digital still and video cameras as well as content-specific technologies, such as probes, document cameras, digital audio recording, and online tools as appropriate to support learning.
Technology Content and Skills Development
Most technology skills are taught and developed in the context of the classroom learning environment. We have embedded skills defined in the ISTE National Education Technology Standards and 21st Century Skills into the academic curriculum so that isolated skills instruction is not necessary. Instead, students learn the skills they need as they are used in the learning process.
Some examples of skills taught in context include:
- Audio recording – taught in world language classes as a tool for demonstrating mastery of language
- Word processing – taught in language arts classes as the primary tool for the writing process
- Online research and use of online databases– taught in social studies and science classes as a significant tool in the research process
- Spreadsheet manipulation – taught in science classes as a tool for illustrating and communicating data
Remaining skills, such as use of technology for collaboration, communication, and creative expression are integrated throughout the content areas.