Technology+Grant


 * ** Beyond PowerPoint: Enhancing the Use of Technology/21st Century Skills in Teaching and Learning at Sayles School **

Sayles School in Sprague is a PK – 8 school. Our students begin their informal experiences with computer technology in pre-school and their formal computer education experiences in Kindergarten. Well before they reach fifth grade, they are proficient in conducting Internet research, developing PowerPoint presentations with embedded video and audio, using digital still and video cameras and so on.

We are pleased with our students’ achievements, but at the same time we know that we could enrich and enhance our students’ learning by using many additional and powerful technology tools. Our primary obstacle is the knowledge of our teachers and students.

During the summer of 2008, the principal and computer technology teacher attended professional development sessions on the use of technology to “motivate the plugged-in generation” and improve student learning. The primary goal of this project is to bring that type of professional development to all our teachers so that, with appropriate support, they will use technology in new ways – both as a teaching tool and as a way to assess student learning at a deeper level.

Through this project, we will teach teachers and students to use wikis and digital storytelling to promote, demonstrate and share student learning in math and science. Students in fifth grade will construct on-line content-specific surveys and digital stories during the study of the movements of the earth and moon. Seventh grade students will use data probes and wikis to explore the concept of homeostasis. Eighth grade students will create wikis that replace paper-and-pencil math journals, document their mastery of geometry concepts and provide a new avenue to assess their ability to apply their learning to mathematical problem-solving.

Students and teachers will also learn how to incorporate podcasting into the digital stories and wikis, use graphing software, and how to use interactive white board technology. While the teachers have selected specific units or topics for this specific project, the technology skills that they and their students will learn will easily transfer to other areas and grades, enriching the learning experience for virtually all of Sayles School’s students – and adults as well.


 * Assured Experiences**


 * Putting a New Spin on It: What Do You Know About the Earth and Moon?** Grade 5
 * Homeostasis as a Physiological Adaptation: Regulation of Body Heat Grade** Grade 7
 * Angling for Access: Using Content-specific Technology to Enhance Student Learning in Math and Science with Application to Real-World Problems** Grade 8
 * Geo-Journaling with Wikis: Improving Students’ Mathematical Problem-Solving Skills Using Interactive Technology** Grade 8

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