Brownell Talbot School Special Edition Part 3

special edition

WHY WE DON’T CHECK TECHNOLOGY AT THE DOOR

BROWNELL-TALBOT SCHOOL

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WE MADE A CONSCIOUS DECISION TO COMMUNICATE AND ACTIVELY ENGAGE TECHNOLOGY IN THE CLASSROOM.

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~ TRACY PLATT, PH.D. DIRECTOR OF TECHNOLOGY SERVICES

BROWNELL-TALBOT TEACHERS EMBRACE TECHNOLOGY ACROSS GRADE LEVELS EvEry tEachEr today facEs thE quEstion of how much tEchnology to allow in thE classroom. somE tEachErs chEck smartphonEs and ipads at thE door, but thErE arE many tEachErs who wElcomE nEw tEchnology in thE classroom. a recent comptia study, IT Opportunities in the Education Market, revealed that 78 percent of k-12 teachers and administrators believe technology has positively impacted the classroom and the productivity of students. and roughly 65 percent of educators surveyed also believe that students are more productive and actively engaged today than three years ago due to the increased reliance on technology in the classroom.

SPECIAL EDITION: BROWNELL-TALBOT SCHOOL

at brownell-talbot school, lesson plans are enhanced using ipads, ipods, laptops, and online tools. this technology helps students as young as preschool become actively involved in what they are learning. in the lower school, junior kindergarteners recently used an ipod to record an original song about ocean rocks, to the tune of “i love rock and roll,” which they then posted on their class web page. this was the culmination of their study of rocks. the students’ obvious enthusiasm as they worked on their “rock song” aligns with current research that suggests that because children frequently absorb information through technology in their day-to-day lives, they may become more interested in lessons that incorporate technology as a teaching tool.

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Even math classes get an engaging twist with the use of online tools, including google maps. students in brownell-talbot’s fifth grade participated in an interdisciplinary project in math and English. they planned a trip across nebraska using math to calculate distances and determine budget. then they created travel logs that they entered into their google maps online. in an even more hands-on project, the fifth graders partnered up and walked a compass course that helped them understand the difference between true and magnetic north. students downloaded a google Earth map of the brownell-talbot campus area onto ipads. they learned how to orient the map to obtain a sense of direction, and then used a magnetic compass to navigate a path around the

metroMAGAZINE • FEB 2013

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special edition Brownell-talBot School

Join us for the most important conversation of our time.

Children’s brains are ELASTIC‌ ‌constantly growing and stretching. ćFJS FEVDBUJPO TIPVME CF UPP

Third Annual

21st Century Education Lecture featuring JoAnn Deak, Ph.D.

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school grounds. the students also learned that electronics had an impact on the magnetic compass only after veering “off course.� hands-on, project-based learning, such as the trip planning and compass projects, allows students to become self-directed learners, and helps them develop research and analytical skills they’ll use throughout college and life. older students are introduced early to professional software programs, including indesign, photoshop, and others through journalism classes. the school newspaper is online, embedded in the school’s website. upper school and middle school students use social networking sites to communicate with each other and share ideas. inspired by the charlie chaplin films of the roaring twenties, eighth graders work in small groups to make their own silent films for history class. the students write their own scripts and produce their silent movies using ipads. in addition, junior and senior students create their own movies and websites about the civil war for u.s. history class. on a school-wide level, brownelltalbot uses technology to become a “greener� institution. many departments encourage students to submit their papers online through the online tool,turnitin.com. once submitted, teachers may review student papers and give feedback to the students to improve their writing skills. “we made a conscious decision to communicate and actively engage technology in the classroom,� said tracy platt, ph.d., director of technology services at brownell-talbot school. “it’s fulfilling for me and our faculty to see students at all grade levels use technology as a tool to immerse and participate in the learning. it’s natural for them.�

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Speaker JoAnn Deak, Ph.D., will share more about current brain research and why it matters in the classroom.

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metroMAGAZINE • FEB 2013

thE studEnts at our school arE bEtwEEn thE agEs of 3 and 18. thEy comE from many Ethnic and socio-Economic backgrounds, but thEy arE all digital nativEs – that dEfinEs thEir gEnEration.

DIGITAL NEUROLOGY these students were born in the technological age. current research suggests that their brains literally function differently because of their exposure to technology since birth.

Joann deak, ph.d., author of “your fantastic, Elastic brain,” has been a psychologist and educator for more than 30 years and believes that “every interaction a child has, during the course of a day, influences the adult that child will become.” as educators we must explore and understand the particular influences in teaching and learning that impact how classroom experiences stretch and shape the myriad ways in which the brain functions and develops. sandra chapman, ph.d., founder and chief director of the center for brain health, reports that the human brain reorganizes depending on how it is used. brain expert phil parker concurs in his youtube video entitled “neuroplasticity made simple,” explaining that a signal travels along a

nerve and reaches a gap or synapse and takes a path. if that path is used a lot, the brain cells adjust to help make the journey easier and the path is strengthened. so, the question is: how do we ensure best practices in technology education to shape increasingly “elastic brains” that promote adaptive and competent learners? what kinds of experiences can be facilitated by the use and integration of technology that allow for effective problem-solving and critical thinking? we must ensure that our children are able to leverage technology as a tool in reaching objectives while, at the same time, incorporating a variety of diverse educational experiences in our instructional toolbox. understanding this as parents and educators can help determine the best approaches in teaching environments today. we need to innovate on how to make learning pleasurable and immersive so that neuropathways that promote adaptability and perseverance are established. these are just two of the ways we can prepare digital natives to go confidently into the future.

metroMagazine • the Spirit of omaha

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EVERY INTERACTION A CHILD HAS… INFLUENCES THE ADULT THAT CHILD WILL BECOME.

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STRETCHING THE MINDS OF DIGITAL NATIVES

~ JOANN DEAK, PH.D. AUTHOR, “YOUR FANTASTIC, ELASTIC BRAIN”

HEAD OF SCHOOL, SYLVIA RODRÍGUEZ VARGAS, PH.D., ON CAMPUS WITH UPPER SCHOOL STUDENTS

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metroMAGAZINE • FEB 2013

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Join us ffo or these upcoming events to experience Brownell-T Talbot’s unique classroom environment, where we provide outcomes-based learning and personalized attention ffo or your child.

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