Blackstock Jr. H.S.

Steve Carr, a teacher, described the technology implementation at Blackstock Jr. H. S., a 6th through 8th grade school in Port Heuneme, California. The description (below) draws on Carr's oral presentation as well as excerpts from the Keltner and Ross paper. (Excerpts from the paper appear below in italics.⁴) With annual per student expenditures in 1994 of $4,060⁵ for some 960 students, many eligible for Title 1⁶ support, this 36-classroom school caters to a largely minority population of mostly Hispanic descent, with smaller numbers of Chinese and Vietnamese students. Twenty-two percent of the student body are characterized as having limited English-language skills.

"Blackstock's model of educational technology delivery centers on creating what are called 'smart classrooms.' There are at present eight smart classrooms, including two for instruction in 7th grade science, one for instruction in 8th grade science, two for literature and history, one for ESL instruction, one for instruction in business education, and one called the Tech Lab 2000.⁷ Each has been conceived and designed to support a technologically-intensive educational delivery.

"The Tech Lab 2000 is perhaps most appropriately described as the futuristic equivalent of a wood or metal shop. Designed to make students familiar with the technology present in the modern workplace, the Tech Lab is outfitted with Computer Assisted Design (CAD) software, a Computer Numerically Controlled (CNC) flexible manufacturing system, pneumatic equipment, and a satellite dish. All of the other smart classrooms have between 25-30 computers on a local area network (LAN). Each is also equipped with a sophisticated file server and a SOTA switch to give the teacher maximum control over classroom dynamics. The switch makes it possible for the teacher to control which software programs are running on each individual computer. Students can all be working on the same project, e.g., a software program or an interactive video presentation, or there can be as many as 12 to 15 different activities going on in the classroom at the same time.

"There is also plenty of technology outside of the classrooms. In each of the schools' other classrooms, there are banks of ten computers and two printers. Teachers in the non-smart classrooms do not have the same sophisticated management system to control technology delivery, but are able to use many of the basic and important software applications, from word processing to interactive programs, in their instruction. They can also draw on the school?? connection to the Internet to create a more technologically rich environment.

"Staff development efforts for teachers in the smart classrooms have centered on giving individual instructors large amounts of paid time-off to familiarize themselves with technology and to organize a technology-based curriculum. Of the eight teachers in the smart classrooms, four took a year off and one took two years off to prepare themselves. The other three teachers were given three weeks during the summer to prepare. In the latter cases, the teachers were setting up a second smart class in a subject area where one already existed. The presence of a teacher with technological and curricular know-how made it easier for the new teacher to get up and running more quickly. Ongoing staff development for all teachers, those in smart and non-smart classrooms alike, is supported by four paid days of technology training per year and a considerable amount of informal networking.

"Up to the present, Blackstock has not had a technology coordinator to support staff development efforts, relying instead on paid leave time and informal networking. To keep the technology program running smoothly, there is a teacher who has devoted about a quarter of his time to technology-related problem-solving and to computer repairs. Starting next year this teacher⁸ will move into the position of full-time technology coordinator."

Noteworthy points arising in Carr's presentation include:

• The technology program at Blackstock is now over eight years old, and the issue of recurring costs for hardware, software and even special furniture, often ignored in the excitement attendant on program start-up, was demanding increasing attention.

• Program start-up was only possible with a $2.5 million grant (over five years) from the California Model Technology Schools Program.

• Classroom furniture and organization are important considerations for teachers responsible for smart classroom design, and changed over time with experience.

• The technology program was implemented in an established and largely unchanged curriculum framework.

• Continuing staff development depends upon cooperation among the school's teachers, as opposed to district level efforts.

• Important outcomes of the technology implementation are improved student attitude and engagement, based on livelier classroom content, and improved student achievement, measured by test results.

Christopher Columbus Middle School

Fred Carrigg, director for academic programs of the Union City School District, and Bob Fazio, principal of the Christopher Columbus Middle School, described the educational context and technology implementation at Christopher Columbus (CC), a small 7th and 8th grade school of 310 students in Union City, NJ. Reflecting the school district's student population, the largest number of CC's students are Hispanic. Many to most do not speak English at home, are enrolled in the ESL program, and are eligible for free or reduced cost lunch in school.

A "whole language philosophy of education", a project-based rather than textbook-based approach to curriculum and instruction, and a reorganization of the school day into a smaller number of larger time blocks are the basis for CC's technology implementation. From Keltner and Ross: "Technology has been used to create a ???search-based??curriculum. The school's curriculum integrates traditional subject areas, but has as it's main focus an emphasis on teaching students ???w to learn.??Students are encouraged to become active learners through the use of structures research activities and group project work. To facilitate the transition to a student-centered learning environment, instructional delivery at the school⁹ has been reorganized. Rather than the traditional 50-minute period, classes meet for between one-and-one-half hours and two hours. The longer class periods allow students to delve deeper into their coursework and give teachers more time to act as educational facilitators.

"Each of the school's twelve classrooms is outfitted with five computers (a mix of Macs and PCs), a printer, and a video presentation station (VCR, laserdisk player and presentation monitors). There are 30 additional Macintosh computers with CD-ROM capabilities in the school's central computer lab. To allow students to experiment with multimedia production, the computer lab is also outfitted with camcorders, a video projector, and a computer video editing unit. The school has two LANs, one for Macs, the other for PCs. The PCs are linked to the Internet to allow remote resources to be integrated into classroom instruction.

"To get CC's technology program up and running, each of the school's 15 teachers were given six days training in each of the first two years of implementation. After the two-year start-up period, staff development continued at a lower level of intensity, with each teacher receiving an average of three days of paid on-going training per year. To keep the school's technology program running smoothly, there is a full-time technology coordinator on-site. The technology coordinator is responsible for conducting student computer classes, supporting teachers, and making technology repairs."

Noteworthy points arising in the Carrigg/Fazio presentation include:

• External corporate financial support was critical to successful initiation of the technology implementation in order not to stimulate a competition among existing programs for traditional budget support.

• The school day has now been restructured into uninterruptible 148 minute blocks of time for whole language instruction that combines English and social studies; and 111 minute blocks of time combining mathematics and science education.

• Classroom practice emphasizes student-centered, small-group, project-based learning.

• Planning aims to expand the computer presence in classrooms, as opposed to the computer lab.

• Important outcomes of the technology implementation are rising attendance and test scores on normed standardized tests, now already above the NJ average (although below the national average) and reduced Title 1 eligibility.

E. Bakersfield High School

John Gibson, principal of East Bakersfield High School in Bakersfield, CA, described the technology-rich, school-to-work transition program of this 2400 student high school, with a majority Latino population and an educational philosophy that education equals experience. From Keltner and Ross: "The school's chief administrator aims to have students understand early that their high school education shapes their job prospects, and that their present educational experience is a way of building job-relevant skills. Exposure to business and career-oriented themes begins immediately in the ninth grade and continues throughout their high school education, and includes resume writing, portfolio building and project activities oriented towards the local business community.

"The school's curriculum is organized around five career "tracks". The career tracks are not targeted at specific ability levels, nor do they consist of a core set of classes that each pupil must complete. Rather, they are designed to allow students to develop technical and applied skills related to broad industry groups. One career track is oriented around coursework in science, technology, engineering and manufacturing (STEM). Included in this curriculum is everything from a freshman class in the principles of technology to advance placement physics for seniors. Students in this career track can make use of the Hands on Science & Technology (HOST) Center to use technology in the design and fabrication of exhibits. A second career track prepares students for employment in health-care. The school's health careers academy has 200 professional partners throughout the Bakersfield area, which offer students internships during the school year and the summer break. A third career track is Communications and Graphic Arts, in which students have the opportunity to use video cameras, video toasters and a computer editing device. .

"Another career track is known as human and government services, designed to prepare students for careers in teaching, law and public administration. Particular attention is given to developing strong skills in both written and oral communication. The remaining career track is oriented towards developing business and entrepreneurial skills. Students can participate in a one-semester class called EB enterprises, in which they carry out projects in a high-tech office environment for teachers, school administrators or community businesses. Project work includes developing inventory programs, generating descriptions of courses and scholarships, and doing graphics for signs and brochures. Students alternate as office managers in order to learn how to manage tasks and coworkers.

"Technology-based instruction is integrated smoothly into coursework from beginning to end. As freshmen, students take a nine-week course in keyboarding and basic computer literacy. Writing assignments in the freshman English and history core courses are organized to ensure that all students moving into their sophomore year are proficient in the use of word processing programs. As seniors, students have to complete a technology-based project as a graduation requirement. Projects involve the use of computers, graphics software or video equipment.

"General instruction between the first and final years is heavily technology-based. Math classes integrate an interactive math program. English, history and social studies teachers have access to writing labs as well as a large number of video towers equipped with CD-ROM, videodisc players and VCRs. The school building is in the process of being rewired to accommodate network technology. Next year, many of the classrooms will have Internet connectivity.

"Administrators at E. Bakersfield use a variety of measures to support technology-related staff development. There is a limited amount of funding available for paid, formal technology training the school's staff development budget allocates an average of one paid day per teacher per year. Much of this budget goes to training new teachers. New teachers without any prior training in computer technology are expected to spend several days during the summer break in training to achieve basic fluency. New teachers with more experience are typically requested to train on their own time. To support informal development efforts, the school has a teacher lab equipped with nine computers and a laser printer. Many of the computers have CD-ROM capabilities. To keep the technology component of the school running smoothly, the school also has a half-time technology coordinator, a full-time repair specialist and a budget for hiring network specialists on an as needed basis."

Noteworthy points arising in Gibson's presentation include:

• Multiple sources of external funding, including the California Model Technology Schools Program were critical to successful development of the school's technology program. Meeting recurring costs is a growing, serious problem.

• In-situ assessment of the student's performance is seen as a major need. Students already maintain an individual projects portfolio on diskette.

• Important outcomes of the technology program are improved student retention and improved job placement of graduates.

Northbrook Middle School

Susan Wolf, principal of the Northbrook Middle School in Houston, TX, described the school's technology implementation, initiated in an existing building with a $6 million start-up budget in 1991. This 6th through 8th grade school of under 800 students draws its students from a diverse population of ethnic families of which about 70 percent are Latino.

From Keltner and Ross: "The school administrators understand their main mission to be the preparation of their students as life-long learners for the world of work. The school's curriculum, while centered on traditional academic subjects, places heavy emphasis on students acquiring critical thinking and problem solving skills. Teachers are expected to assist students in learning how to find and analyze information. To support this student-centered learning environment, the school is organized into four educational clusters. Teachers and students in each cluster work together to support one another in continually expanding their ability to gather information and solve problems. Technology is viewed as a primary vehicle to help students develop critical thinking and problem solving skills. Technology permits instruction to be tailored to individual student needs.

"Northbrook's technology program is centered primarily on the use of computers. With over 400 computers in place in the school's six technology labs and 48 classrooms, Northbrook has a student to computer ratio of just under 2:1. Each of the school's classrooms is outfitted with between five and six computers. All of the computers have access to CD-ROM drives in order to expand the range of software products available for student use. Access to network resources are used to support student information searches. Computers in the classrooms, in the computer labs, and in the library are networked together in a school-wide LAN with Internet connectivity. Video technology allows viewing on three channels, including local origination. Teachers also make use of multimedia presentation equipment. Each of the classrooms is outfitted with a videodisc player, videocassette recorder, television receiver, and LCD-equipped overhead projector.

"To support the technology program, Northbrook has relied primarily on on-site staff development. Each of the school's 48 teachers received two weeks of technology-related staff development in the summer prior to the school start-up. On an ongoing basis, teachers participate in, on the average, three to four days of paid training each year. Additional personnel to support the technology program include a full-time technology facilitator and a district technology coordinator located on-site. These two individuals conduct in-house training and keep the technology program running smoothly."

Noteworthy points arising in Wolf's presentation include:

• Of the $6 million start-up budget, $1.5 million was allocated for technology. Recurring costs are a major concern. Title 1 funding used for this purpose does not adequately address the problem.

• Significant technology applications are drill-and-practice and productivity use.

• Classes have been extended to 90 minutes to allow for curriculum integration, e.g., multidisciplinary connections and collaborative project work mediated by computer.

• Sharply improved test scores cannot be attributed to technology alone. Other factors are excellent teachers, staff development and flexible scheduling for student-centered approach to learning.

Taylorsville Elementary School

Beth Stroh, Modern Red Schoolhouse ¹⁰ project coordinator at Taylorsville Elementary School described the technology implementation of this suburban pre-K through 6th grade school in Taylorsville, IN with its largely lower middle-class, white student population numbering 615.

From Keltner and Ross: "Taylorsville is one of several schools in Indiana working with the Modern Red School House (MRSH) educational design team--a New American School Development Corp. (NASDC) activity--to bring information technology into its educational delivery. The school's technology plan, its hardware layout, and its staff development effort reflect the essentials of the MRSH design. The most important role for technology in the school's educational design is to support a commitment to self-paced individualized learning.

Taylorsville's curriculum emphasizes core subjects, aiming for high levels of proficiency in language arts, math, science, history and geography. Despite this emphasis on standardization in content, educational delivery focuses on students proceeding through coursework at their own pace. Instructional strategies promote multi-age, multi-year groupings and stress team-based project work. The opportunities for regrouping teams during project work allows individual students to develop their skills in different areas at an appropriate speed. By virtue of their role in integrating instruction across subjects and grades, teachers play a key role in facilitating the transition to a self-paced student environment.

The school's technology plan provides students with plentiful access to networked computers. Taylorsville has one computer lab equipped with 30 Apple computers. Each of the school's 25 classrooms has a cluster of four student computers, one teacher computer, and two printers. Some of the classroom computers have internal CD-ROM drives to increase the range of software applications accessible to students. A school-wide LAN connects classroom computers to the computer lab and to administrative offices. At present, students can access the Internet from two computers in the library media center. Plans provide for Internet connectivity to each classroom. Investing in the hardware and other infrastructure required to give each classroom Internet connectivity is an outcome of the school's commitment to supporting student project activity. The same principle has led also to outfitting the library with eight IBM clones that use sophisticated software to facilitate information and reference searches.

To support its vision of a self-motivated, self-directed student population, the school invests in a fairly high level of staff development. In Taylorsville's educational paradigm, teachers serve as facilitators for student learning. Teacher fluency and comfort in using information technology determines the success of the model. In the first two years of implementation, staff received six full days of technology training per year. Thereafter, two days a year have been devoted specifically to ongoing training in technology. A full-time technology coordinator assists teachers with their technology-related problem solving. The full-time technology coordinator has the assistance of three part-time aides."

Noteworthy points arising in Stroh's presentation include:

• Once committed to the MRSH design, teachers recognized technology as an important enabling tool for developing education compacts and instructional strategies adapted to individual learners; and for continuously measuring student progress in new on-line formats, including student portfolios, and recording student scores on standard assessment instruments.

• Although initially discovered to be in short supply, an exceptionally capable instructional management software (IMS) product was finally acquired at substantial cost that provided for excellent linking between curriculum elements, maintained individual education compacts, and provided features for on-line testing.

• Students successfully engaged in independent, self-paced work, but still challenging problems remain for teachers to manage individualized student learning and be confident that students are achieving at their highest level. Assessment of student project work remains a problem.

• Important outcomes of the MRSH implementation include increased skills and confidence with technology, increased student enthusiasm for learning, increased commitment to being responsible for own learning, and some improvement in standardized test scores, most consistently as a result of improved reading skill.

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