Laptop Use At Pierce Jr-Sr High School
A Report Presented to NETA - 2011
The following report on laptop use in our one-to-one environment was presented by Treva Dostal and Crys Bauermeister at the NETA (Nebraska Educational Technology Association) Convention in Omaha in April of 2011. This is near the end of the third year of the one-to-one initiative.
NETA 2011 - A Virtual Tour of Pierce High School 1 to 1
Shortened link to this document: http://mbcurl.me/91
Background
●24Blue History – inception, developing logo, “selling it”
●Infrastructure – Students/Faculty - all staff and 7-12 students were issued laptops;
●wireless network established (Foundary--now Brocade); added: projectors, Smartboard/
Mimeo, eInstruction Clickers
●School Improvement - Goals in 2008 were reading, technology, writing; 2011-working on
our new goals
●Curriculum - every subject area in grades 7-12 have curriculum complete with
assessments for every high achievement outcome
●Elementary - 2007-2008 school year, hired a K-6 technology facilitator to handle
keyboarding, classroom technology infusion, and laptop/cart management; position is still
in place and the advancement of technology skills in evident
●High School - conversion from PC to Mac
●Lab Demand
●State and other Testing
●No demands put on staff - technology and students drive staff
Offices/Administration
●PowerSchool
●Supt/Bookeeper/Secretaries still use PC machines
●Pierce Public Schools Web Site - SOCS
24BLUE
●24Blue office and the Principal use Remote Desktop to keep an eye on laptop acitivity
●Servers - Three in the high school, one in the elementary (one replaced in 2010)
●Loaners/Help - Six laptops are used as loaners, we typically have two in for repair at all
times
●Staff Development - Before 1:1 summer “camps”, inservice; now - as needed training,
7-12 technology facilitator available for help with tech integration and training; almost
weekly newsletter designed to provide instruction, resources, and awareness; inspiration
to PLN for some;
●Staff Technology Survey results for staff development - online classes, English Companion Ning
(until is started costing $$); plus my Twitter people have led me to countless other web sites, again
too numerous to state, various web sites for lab ideas and other science related topics including
NSTA, Science Daily, American Chem Society probably 50 times during the year, Yale Open
Campus (Itunes), I am currently getting my Master's Online through UNK, and I use this computer
for the majority of my work. Jazz at Lincoln Center has some resources I've used., Skype, Has
been a great resource for any educational need that I need., ASCA American School Counseling
Association, Nebraska School Counseling Association,Hippocampus,Nebraska Department of
Education, Southern Poverty Law Center, ONET, Tutorial Web Sites, Professional Organization
Web Sites, State Curriculum Sites, Apple GSX and Apple DB, TWITTER is the BEST!!
●Summer Work - Cleaning, re-imaging all laptops; Tech Facilitator creates the image, use
Deploy Studio to image about 20 at a time; over 200 hours for the technology facilitator
and crew
●What is on our Image?
○Filter - Lightspeed http://www.lightspeedsystems.com/
○Snow Leopard - 10.6.4
○iLife 10
○Microsoft Office 2008
○Adobe Master Collection including Photoshop, inDesign, Dreamweaver, Flash,
Premiere, Illustrator, etc.
○iWork ‘09
○Firefox and Safari
○Google Earth, Sketchup
○Other Applications such as Silverlight, testing software, Google Earth, Sketch-up,
Flip-4-Mac, etc.
Angel - pierce.myelearning.org - Classroom Management System
Many courses and extracurricular groups use Angel for:
●announcement
●lesson plans
●content such as handouts, worksheets, movies, podcasts
●drop boxes for student assignment submission
●links to Web sites most used in the classroom
●assessments and immediate feedback
●blogs/wikis
●email to students
NOTE: Courses/Groups remain from year to year. Content is turned ON/OFF based on need.
Media Center
●Online Database services - Pierce Library Links
●Accelerated Reader
●Printers
●Scanner
●cameras/tripods
Guidance
●Angel – news – college, scholarships, financial aid; contacts
●Educationquest - Activities Resume, Scholarship Quest
●Scholarships – Adobe Acrobat Pro
●College Registration, college virtual tours
●8 to Great – wingclips.com
Special Education
●Accelerated Math for individualized instruction
●Garage Band – students record themselves reading so instructor can hear fluency
●Macintosh laptop assistive apps - computer reading text the student has written so the
student can hear if what is written sounds correct; computer reading from browser or
word processor for struggling readers; changing size of mouse, colors, etc to meet
special needs
●Educational drill and practice games
●Kindle for reading
Science
●Chemistry/Physics – instructor web site for notes; charts/graphs; lab reports; research;
check for periodic chart variations; research science topics; web Sites for supplementing
classroom information
●Biology/Physiology – research; hare/lynx lab spreadsheet; Angel – sharing research for a
Unit; Glogster for presentations; Web sites for review of bones, muscles, etc.; video clips
to reinforce topics
●Earth Science – Angel – notes, flash card review
●Physical Science – research; brochure
●Probeware
Math
●TI nSpire Calculators
●Grapher - application that comes with MacOS
●Writing/Research – Math Autobiographies
●Excel and presentation software – statistics projects
●KHAN Academy and online tutorials
●Bell ringers
●L to J
●spreadsheets
Language Arts
Writing/Research, Reflection/Journal
●Online Research Resources on the Pierce Public School Library Page
●Online Textbooks
Specific Examples:
●YouTube for dramatic elements
●iMovie – to create dramatic productions
●iTunes – poetry unit – search for poetic techniques in music
●7th Grade – provide outline for 5 paragraph essay and students fill in on laptop
●8th Grade - read many book genres through the course; students must provide reflection
letter weekly using Angel
●iWorks application Pages for poetry portfolios and other class concepts
●Journalism students create Yearbook using InDesign and Photoshop; newspaper stories
Foreign Language – Spanish
●Text Book - Realidades
●Other Web sites to practice pronunciation and vocabulary review
Computer Applications/Programming
Keyboarding
●EduTyping – 100 licenses
Computer Applications
●Office, Adobe, iLife, research
●Authentic assignments to mimic classroom and life needs such as:
●organization using iCal, stickies, time saving practices, etc.
●travel planning - including itinerary, budget planning, charts, maps
●presentations such as podcasts, movies, PowerPoint/Keynote
Programming
●PC – Visual Basic
●Alice on Mac
Distance Learning and Shared Technology Courses with Stanton/Madison (Old TANN)
●Web Page Design - Adobe Dreamweaver, Flash and Fireworks -- all Online -- use Angel
to manage the course - teach from Pierce to Pierce and Stanton students
●Digital Media - iMovie and Adobe Premiere - Distance Learning; Stanton teaches to
Stanton and Pierce students
●Digital Design - Adobe InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop - Madison teaches to Madison and
Pierce students (none this year, last year we had several)
●PC Maintenance and Repair - Distance Learning; Lab 3 times at Stanton; Stanton
teaches to Stanton and Pierce students
History/Social Studies
History Day – All seniors compete in the local history day competition. Research, writing,
presentation part creation, movies, web Sites; eight students qualified for the national
competition in June in Washington DC
Specific classroom examples:
●Projecting Notes- students have choice of hand writing or laptop for recording
●Research to expand on topics covered in class – daily; also do religious beliefs research;
●Use of sites for history, museums, universities, youtube, etc to provide historic photos,
artwork, architecture, maps, short videos, sounds
●Student created presentations (PowerPoint or Keynote) on historical period
●Diagrams, Graphs, Charts
●SITES used most often: youtube, history.com
Vocational Education
Business
●Accounting II – Assignments Online using…
●Angel – quizzes, tests
●Occupational Outlook Handbook - Research to look up information on careers.
●Keep track of stock prices using the widget on the dock.
Family and Cosumer Science
●Foods & Nutrition: Internet-Recipe websites and videos, Nutrition Websites, BMI
calculators, Nutrition Analysis, Taking notes on computer, Writing 5 paragraph essay,
researching topics related to class, You-tube videos on food prep, appliances used in the
kitchen, Power point or Key note presentations.
●Angel: submitting assignments and pictures of foods cooked at home.
●Child Development: Internet- researching topics related to class.
●Power Point- creating presentations. Note taking, writing
●8th Exploratory: Powerpoint/Keynote
●Housing/Interior Design: Create design portfolios, Power Point/Keynote presentations,
Research on internet, note taking
●Intro to FCS: Internet- researching topics related to class. Power Point- creating
presentations. Note taking, writing
●Adult Living: Career Research (NCIS & Career Connections),Internet research, Creating
resumes, cover letters, thank you notes, Power Point, Note taking, Creating messages
on Garage Band
Industrial Arts
● CAD - using Chief Architect and Solid Works in the PC Lab
●Bridge Building research
●bluebook value for vehicles
Art
●Adobe - Photoshop, Illustrator, Photobooth, Flash animation
●Provides preview with different element combinations before student puts to canvas
●Art Ideas, examples, styles, history, museum tours
●We use technology in the classroom daily at some point. Photoshop has been a great
tool in students creating and seeing artwork in an immediate fashion. They are able to
see hundreds of combinations within minutes through the touch of the pad. These
increased "tries" by each students let them make choices quickly, see the result, and
change it if need be. The built in camera with photobooth lets every student have access
to the ability to take pictures and video that can be used in the classroom. iphoto has the
ability to store, crop, and edit images that the student has taken or wants to work with.
Adobe Illustrator is a nice program that allows multiple design projects to be done very
quickly. Adobe Flash is a program that teaches students to use animation at the base
level for us. imovie continues to be a program that is easily used in movies and
advertisements in my classroom. I have just been able to show students so many art
works that I have not been able to in the past.
Ag
●Presentations on ag topics
●iMovie – most popular breeds of livestock in US
●Current Events
●Google Map project - Nebraska River Project
Physical Education
●Online textbook
●Word processing/powerpoint
Instrumental and Vocal Music
●Smart Music - http://www.smartmusic.com/ - playing tests, assess student music skill
●Music Notes (download sheet music) - http://www.musicnotes.com/
●YouTube to see/hear music from performances around the world
●GarageBand - record accompaniments to practice solos, duets, etc. at home
●Ricci Adams - http://www.musictheory.net/
●Speed note reading-http://www.vicfirth.com/education/keyboard/speednotereading.html
Communications
●web 2.0 tools
Extracurricular Activities
●FFA and FCCLA - State and National organization Web sites and forms; most members
work on projects throughout the year for regional/state and national competitions; iPhoto -
scrapbook, presentations, news articles; Facebook for promotion, communication
●Robotics - Vex - use PC laptops
●Speech, Drama - script writing, sound effects, timer
●Music - record tryouts for regional and state honor bands/choirs
●Student Council, Letter Clubs, FCA - Angel
Specific Examples:
●Football - hudl
●Basketball - Gamebreaker
●Track - scoring; video analysis form/technique
●Angel - used by many groups for communication, voting, practice schedule, scouting
reports, etc.
And the Survey Says…
“ I don’t allow students to ask me basic questions that can answer themselves. In fact, they
even say to one another, “Can’t you just look that up?” Students are problem solving and
presenting findings.
“They do have a great deal of information on the computer when they are working
without my or their partner being with them. It has really helped this group keep up with
the curriculum and allows the students to become more self driven learners.”
“Technology has generally made some of my day to day work easier, allowing me to focus
more on preparation and the students themselves. “
“Technology is the future for all of us. The sooner each kid gets a computer in their hands
and understands how to use one the better they will be prepared for what lies ahead.
Sometimes it gets discounted how little they may be used in some areas as a technology
marvel. Some subjects mess with the bells and whistles more than others. But all areas
have benefited from the daily practical aspects of the laptops which will stay with our kids
into the future. “
“It has been a slow process but each year I am using the computers more and more in my
classroom. You can't just all of a sudden use computers 100% of the time. I am getting
more things converted over each year and finding new things I can do in my classroom
with it. As a teacher you just have to make a commitment to do it. I truly believe that it
should be a requirement of teachers to add something new to their curriculum using the
computers or at least show something they are doing with them - just like writing the five
paragraph essays. “
“It has made life easier for students that are ill or have an activity that takes them away
from school. The notes and worksheets are available on line. I like the communication that
can easily occur between parents and teachers. Most of mine is positive and helps with the
very busy schedules that all of have.”
