COV E R S T O RY
BRIDGING THE GAP BETWEEN TECHNOLOGY AND EDUCATION By Mr. Kenneth Frank, KMHS English and Computer Teacher
THE
last year has seen tremendous activity among the faculty and student body at Kellenberg as we prepared for and implemented a 1:1 iPad program with the freshman class. While the excitement and opportunities afforded by this new technology have been inspiring, adapting a time-tested curriculum to new methods can be challenging. After surveying the field of options, we as a faculty decided to forgo both conventional printed textbooks and publishers’ new attempts at educational ebooks in favor of creating our own course materials for our freshman classes. This past September, when the Class of 2018 began their studies 14
HEART & MIND
at KMHS, they did so with these brand new digital texts written by our faculty. Though it was a demanding workload that required the coordinated efforts of all teachers, we are proud of our successes in transitioning to the new classroom technology. Kellenberg was uniquely positioned to take on the task of authoring its own course materials. Since we are not limited by the New York State Regents’ Exams or Common Core State Standards, we were free to choose exactly the content and methods we thought most effective for our learning environment. In looking over our options from major publishing companies, the consistent theme
across all disciplines was the editorial decision to cater books and learning materials to these state and nationwide initiatives. Simply put, they were not written for us, and we felt that we could rise to the challenge ourselves. This decision was not entered into lightly. As any student who has lugged a bulging freshman backpack through the halls will tell you, coordinating the sheer bulk of information presented in textbooks and all other manner of learning materials (in a matter of months) would be a daunting task. With typical enthusiasm, the faculty rose to the challenge with the aid of impressive 21st century tools. Making great use of
A K E L L E N B E RG M E M O R I A L FA M I LY P U B L I CAT I O N
