3 Ways to Use the School Computer Lab

Technology is a scarce commodity across the district with many teachers relying almost exclusively on the school site computer labs for access.  So, what do you do when you’ve been scheduled into the computer lab to make this time meaningful and relevant?  Below are three different ways to engage your students.

Developing Keyboarding Skills with TypingWeb

To best prepare our students for the online testing in the spring, keyboarding skills are essential.  TypingWeb (http://www.typingweb.com/) is a free online typing site that provides students with keyboarding instruction and practice.  Teachers can create their class and monitor student progress toward keyboarding goals through the Teacher Portal.  TypingWeb is online – no software to download or install and students can access their account and practice from anywhere.

Introducing Digital Literacy and Citizenship

21^st century learning demands that our students know how to “think critically, behave safely, and participate responsibly in the digital world” and Common Sense Media is packed with a wealth of resources to help students do just that.   At this free website, teachers will find materials for Digital Literacy and Citizenship including downloadable and printable lesson plans, videos, classroom posters, and much, much more.  Take some time to look through the resources to see what all is avail­able.  A good starting point is the Scope & Sequence  which provides leveled units that address digital literacy and citizenship.  The Common Sense Media resources are the approved Digital Literacy and Citizenship materials being used in the district.

Improving Search Skills with Google

Want to help your students become critical thinkers and independent learners?  Google Search Education provides teachers with leveled lesson plans and activities to help develop search literacy skills.  Students can take the self-paced Power Searching course and receive a certificate of completion at the conclusion.  They can also put their searching skills to test in the A Google a Day.  

Welcome to WUSD Ed Tech!

Welcome to the Washington Unified School District (WUSD) instructional technology blog!

The purpose of this blog is provide you with information and resources that promote the use of instructional technology in support of skillful teaching and rigorous and engaging learning  so that all children develop the knowledge and skills necessary for success in college and post-secondary career-technical education. This includes technology being used as a tool for learning by students, teachers planning and implementing instructional techniques using technology to engage students in learning, and the equipment, applications, and infrastructure needed to support the use of technology at Washington Unified.  My position of Coordinator of Instructional Technology includes supporting 21st century literacy, numeracy, and Common Core State Standards implementation, assisting with the development and implementation of local and formative assessments, and supporting the administration of the state SBAC (Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium) assessment system.

Since January 2014, we've made much progress in the area of instructional technology:

• Technology Plan was written and approved by the Board and CDE to help guide a vision for educational technology in Washington Unified over the next three years.
• Wireless initiative has been Board approved and is moving forward to provide wireless infrastructure across the district by the end of Summer 2015
• Over 800 mobile devices are slated to deploy to students and teachers across the district in late Fall 2014 as a result of Common Core funding and the need for equipment to streamline the Spring 2015 California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) - formerly referred to as SBAC within the district.
• District Technology Advisory Committee (DTAC) reviewed competing cloud computing solutions and recommended Google Apps for Education to be deployed for teachers and students in late Fall 2014

"The illiterate of the 21st century won't be those who can't read and write but those who can't learn, unlearn, and relearn."

Alvin Toffler's quote resonates with the work that we have ahead in building schools that reflect 21st century learning with the goal of preparing our students for their futures, not our pasts.  We must rethink how we teach, how our students learn, and explore ways where technology will help us meet these challenges.  In doing so, teachers must re-evaluate their role in the classroom and consider ways in which students have opportunities to engage with the content and take ownership of their own learning.

I look forward to working with Washington Unified teachers, administrators, and staff on this technology journey.