We're beginning year 3!
September, 2009:
This year we are entering our third and final year of the Emerge project. The past two years have been exciting and sometimes challenging for our teaching staff, our students and our parents. Our students and staff have learned so much over the past two years, and are continuing to develop their skills and knowledge through the daily use of technology. In addition to their laptops, our Emerge students and teachers also use other forms of technology and applications on a regular basis, such as desktop computers, SMARTboards, web 2.0 applications, wikis, blogs, Moodle, email, and many others. Our students are also developing many 21st century learning skills, such as digital literacy, teaming and collaboration, lifelong learning, global awareness, critical thinking skills, and productivity. Our year 2 results report from Alberta Education shows many things we have learned, many things we have to celebrate, and some areas in which we will continue to focus during year three.
2009/2010 promises to be another exciting year for our Emerge students! This year we will be exploring the use of cell phones and other media devices when appropriate in the classroom. We will be continuing to develop their skills (and ours!) as we gain knowledge and experience. Although the students will continue to learn many new uses for technology, our purpose is to enhance their learning in all areas through the use of technology as a learning tool.
Two special events are coming up soon for Emerge students and their families:
- During the first week of October, our students will be participating in Media Week, in which they will do some intensive learning about a variety of new media and technological tools for learning. Some of our students will be leading the instruction for their peers by pre-recording podcasts and YouTube video demonstrations. We hope that by the end of that week, all Emerge students will be able to use these new technologies successfully in all of their core subjects throughout the remainder of the school year.
- On October 14th at 7:00 p.m., we will be holding an Emerge Parent Information Night. At that time, our year two results and goals for the final year of the project will be shared. We will discuss our challenges and celebrate our successes together, and our Emerge students will demonstrate some of their skills and learning. We hope all Emerge parents will be able to attend, but invite any interested Lakeland parents and students to attend as well.
If you have any questions or comments about the Emerge 1 to 1 laptop project at Lakeland Ridge School, please call Karen MacDonald, principal, at 780 416-9018.
Here are some interesting links to visit:
- The New South Wales province in Australia is on a quest to outfit every Year 9 to 12 student with a customized Lenovo netbook by 2012. It is expected that over 200,000 computers will be distributed to students and teachers. If you're interested, you can read more about the project or listen to a podcast about the initiative. Here is the link to the video: http://www.dangerouslyirrelevant.org/2009/09/video-the-digital-education-revolution-in-nsw.html
- This link is to a very informative and fascinating video called "Did You Know?" about the growing use of technology across the globe. The video was created by Scott McLeod of Iowa State University. It is an official update to the original "Shift Happens" video from Karl Fisch and Scott McLeod. This June 2007 update includes new and updated statistics and thought-provoking questions. Content by Karl Fisch and Scott McLeod, design and development by XPLANE. Here is the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMcfrLYDm2U
- Emerge Year 2 Results Report
Laptop Program For Lakeland
In 2007, Lakeland School was awarded a grant to participate in a 1-1 notebook program, sponsored by Alberta Education (click here for program site). This meant that all grade 7 students were issued a Windows notebook, backpack and spare battery that is to be for their use for the duration of the 3-year program.
The primary method of instruction for these students is to be via digital strategies. The laptops will be used to gather, produce, analyze and organize information, with wireless internet support.
Students' achievement will be tracked for the 3 years of the project. Lakeland joins several other schools across the province in delivering a 1-1 program to students.
The students in the program are now in Grade 9. They will continue to explore their learning with the extensive use of laptops.
