Elementary Education In a Technology Age

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Elementary EducationIn a Technology Age

• Gregory Gates
• Period 5

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Why is there need for a change?

• New technologies encourage a digital revolution
  in education
• Technology isn't being used properly
• New Technology-same teaching methods

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Computers, Television, andFinger Paint

• Which one doesn't belong?
• Computers are certainly closer to TV than finger
  paint right now
• Educators need to change this
• Computers right now are mainly being used as just
  an information medium
• Potential for more creativity and interactivity

Idea from Rethinking Learning in a Digital Age
by Mitchel Resnick
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How can Computers Improve Education?

• Universal Construction Material
• All Ages
• Students learn better when actively involved in
  doing something
• Offers opportunity to combine multiple topics
  (math, science, teamwork) very easily

Papert, S. The Childrens Machine Rethinking
School in the Age of the Computer. New York
Basic Books, 1993.
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My Project

• Implement something akin to a Computer
  Clubhouse at a local elementary school
• Students will use Scratch, and later Cricket
• SOL and POS Benchmarks will also be addressed for
  all subjects and grade levels

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Scratch

• Developed at MIT
• Interactive Programming Environment
• Imagine-Program-Share
• Uses visual blocks of code
• Ability to easily share projects on web
  (scratch.mit.edu)?

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Progress

• 2 personal visits
• 5 clubhouse meetings so far
• Topics covered
• X-Y Axis
• Degrees
• Loops (multiplication)?
• Movement
• Using new sprites

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Pictures
Me working with a student
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• Students working in computer lab

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Differences From First Quarter

• The club has actually gotten underway
• Teacher and Principal support
• Parent volunteers
• Plenty of student interest (70 kids each
  Thursday)?
• Personal Website
• Cardinal Forest Scratch Website

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Plans for future

• Encourage kids to explore Scratch on their own
• Create individual or team projects
• Post projects on website
• Assess how much kids have been learning
• Basic algebra